http ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxNR_jePRj8

1. How it Works • Child is given a picture of a desirable item • Child has the actual item placed within their visual field • Child hands the picture to the person he/she is communicating with • Child receives the desired item • Child learns to communicate with a binder full of pictures, words and phrases. • Can communicate with full sentences http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxNR_jePRj8

2. Advantages to Using PECS? • Child is not intimidated to speak to a person; can simply hand person a card • Child can communicate with multiple people • May lead child to learning natural communication and even becoming verbal • Promotes independence • May alleviate frustration with not being able to communicate wants and desires

3. Disadvantages to Using PECS? • Some parents fear that child will become dependent on PECS and not learn to verbally communicate • If child is unorganized they may lose their pictures and or notebook • If notebook is brightly colored or has lots and lots of pictures child may feel overwhelmed • If child is over stimulated they will not be able to stop and think to use their PECS

4. Are any of the disadvantages worth not using PECS?

5. How can we overcome some of these disadvantages? • Put pictures on refrigerator rather than in notebook so that pictures are stationary • Have PECS system at home and at school so pictures do not get lost • Consistently reinforce communication • Parents should research and understand the program before using it with their child • Make sure child understands purpose of PECS

6. PECS is not the only answer! What else may help children with communication disabilities communicate? • Learning to understand facial expressions • Learning basic sign language • Role playing

7. Autism in the Media

8. Educating the public VS. Providing what sells http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipfs3VVItMg

9. Communicating with scientific community • Promoting vaccination fears • “Cure” for autism

10. What is being represented? There areMANYfaces Why is it difficult to give a face to autism?

11. Raising Awareness with Truth • Misinformation breeds intolerance and misunderstanding • Stereotypes and generalizations persist

12. Resources: • http://autism.healingthresholds.com/therapy/picture-exchange-communication-system-pecs • https://www.msu.edu/~saarioam/PECS.ppt • http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/61956.php • http://www.ageofautism.com/2009/01/struggling-to-communicate-autism-and-the-media.html • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDdcDlQVYtM&feature=related • http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/history-of-autism • http://www.youtub • e.com/watch?v=yIXcS6pDxy4 • http://www.autism-pdd.net/autism-history.html • http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/history-of-autism • http://www.pediatricservices.com/prof/prof-26.htm • http://www.behavioral.net/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=64D490AC6A7D4FE1AEB453627F1A4A32&id=8CCFFEAE48F94CEBB33366611FA24EEF&tier=4 • http://www.mtv.com/videos/true-life-i-have-autism/1554937/playlist.jhtml • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipfs3VVItMg • http://www.foxnews.com/health/2010/11/15/myths-fuel-dangerous-decisions-vaccinate-children/ • http://facesforkids.org/ • http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.autismepicenter.com/image-files/autism-spectrum-diagram.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.autismepicenter.com/what-is-autism.shtml