Last updated: February 2026
Vizually Speaking understands that finding time in today’s highly demanding world to create customized visual aids and strategies can be a great challenge. Vizually Speaking is committed to working collaboratively, providing step-by-step support and assisting in the development and implementation of customized visual aids and strategies.
Contact us today for your FREE consultation.
Workshop Presentation - Visual Aids and Strategies
EVERYONE benefits from Visual Aids!
Contact Vizually Speaking today to learn how customized Visual Aids and Strategies can decrease undesired behaviour(s), improve communication, promote independence, and increase self-confidence. Through our dynamic presentation, you will:
✓ Uncover the importance of using customized Visual Aids and Strategies.
✓ Explore the wide range of benefits of customized Visual Aids and Strategies.
✓ Learn practical ways to overcome communication barriers.
✓ Support independence and decrease undesired behaviours.
✓ Access NEW and valuable resources.
The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) intervention designed to support individuals in developing functional communication skills. PECS enables individuals to communicate effectively through the use of pictures, with guidance from trained and experienced communication partners. The primary goal of PECS is to teach functional, purposeful communication that can be used in everyday contexts.
PECS consists of six phases and begins by teaching an individual to give a single picture of a desired item or action to a “communicative partner” who immediately honours the exchange as a request. The system goes on to teach the discrimination of pictures and how to put them together in sentences. In the more advanced phases, individuals are taught to use modifiers, answer questions, and comment.
Vizually Speaking understands that finding time in today’s highly demanding world to create customized visual aids and strategies can be a great challenge. Vizually Speaking is committed to working collaboratively, providing step-by-step support and assisting in the development and implementation of customized visual aids and strategies.
Contact us today for your FREE consultation.
THE SIX PHASES OF PECS®
PHASE I – How to Communicate
Individuals learn to exchange single pictures for items or activities they really want.
PHASE II – Distance and Persistence
Still using single pictures, individuals learn to generalise this new skill by using it in different places, with different people, and across distances. They are also taught to be more persistent communicators.
PHASE III – Picture Discrimination
Individuals learn to select from two or more pictures to ask for their favourite things. These are placed in a PECS Communication Book—a ringed binder with self-adhesive hook fastener strips where pictures are stored and easily removed for communication.
PHASE IV – Sentence Structure
Individuals learn to construct simple sentences on a detachable Sentence Strip using an “I want” picture followed by a picture of the item being requested.
ATTRIBUTES & LANGUAGE EXPANSION
Individuals learn to expand their sentences by adding adjectives, verbs, and prepositions
PHASE V – Responsive Requesting
Individuals learn to use PECS to answer questions such as “What do you want?”
PHASE VI – Commenting
Individuals are taught to comment in response to questions such as, “What do you see?” “What do you hear?” and “What is it?” They learn to make up sentences starting with “I see”, “I hear”, “I feel”, “It is a”, etc.
