1. PECS Probing Protocol
Student must get at least three consecutive correct (independent) responses/trials at each phase to have “mastered”
that phase. Go through each phase (do not skip phases during the probe)
Phase 1
• Purpose: Teach “Pick up Reach Release”
Phase Skill Extra comments
1 • Full physical prompts pick up, reach, and release
1A • Full physical prompts pick up, reach
• Child independently releases icon
1B • Full physically prompt pick up
• Child independently reaches and releases
1C • Child independently picks up, reaches and releases
1D • Tutor 1 waits 2 sec before offering open hand • Open hand delay introduced
1E • Tutor 1 waits 4 sec before offering open hand
1F • Child independently picks icon off book and exchanges • Communication book used
Phase 2
• Purpose: Teach distance to book and tutor and persistence in getting tutor’s attention
2 • When child reaches tutor 1 leans away from child • Distance to tutor
• Child needs to get up (lift butt off seat)
2A • Tutor 1 starts session 2ft away from child • Distance to tutor
• Child must get out of seat and walk to tutor for exchange
2B • Tutor 1 starts session 2 ft away from child • Distance to tutor
• Child must get our of seat and walk to tutor 1 • Persistence begins
• Child must get tutors attention for exchange
2C • Tutor 1 starts session 2 ft away from child • Distance to book and tutor
• Communication book is further away but within reach • Persistence
• Child must walk to tutor 1
• Child must get tutors attention for exchange
2D • Tutor 1 starts session 2 ft away from child • Distance to book tutor
• Communication book is further away but within reach • Persistence
• Child must walk to tutor 1
• Child must get tutors attention for exchange
2E • Child is 5ft away from book • Outside booth
• Tutor 1 is next to book with reinforcer • Distance to book
• Child must walk to book, and exchange with tutor 1
2F • Child is 5ft away from book • Outside booth
• Tutor is 5ft away from book • Distance to book and tutor
• Child must walk to book, get icon, walk to tutor and exchange icon • Triangle formation
Phase 3
Purpose: Teach discrimination between preferred and non-preferred items/icons
• Rotate icons only after correct responses. Use a variety of preferred and non-preferred icons
3 • 1 preferred icon and 1 non-preferred icon • 4 step error correction
3A • 2 preferred icons and 1 non-preferred icon • 4 step error correction
Purpose: Teach discrimination between multiple preferred items/icons
• Do correspondence checks for 60% of the trials
3B • 2 preferred icons/items • 4 step error correction
• Correspondence checks
3C • 4 preferred icons/items • 4 step error correction

2. • Correspondence checks
Phase 4
Purpose: Student should make a sentence with the “I want” sentence starter
4 • 2 preferred icons/items • “I want” icon already on
• Immediately point to the sentence strip and simultaneously say, “what do you sentence strip
want?”
• Student should put sentence strip together with and hand it to tutor
4A • 2 preferred icons/items • “I want” icon to the left of the
• Immediately point to the “I want” icon and simultaneously say, “what do you sentence strip
want?”
• Student should put sentence strip together with and hand it to tutor
4B • 2 preferred icons/items • “I want” icon and sentence strip
• After a 3 second delay, point to the “I want” icon and simultaneously say,
“what do you want?”
• Student should put sentence strip together with and hand it to tutor
4C • 2 preferred icons/items • “I want” icon and sentence strip
• NO POINTING CUE say, “What do you want?”
• Student should put sentence strip together with and hand it to tutor
Purpose: Teach student to ask for items out of sight
4D • 1 preferred item • “I want” icon and sentence strip
• Allow child to play with item for 3-5 sec
• Then place item out of sight and ask, “what do you want?”
4E • 1 preferred item • “I want” icon and sentence strip
• Do not allow the child to play with/consume the item before the session begins
• Place the item out of sight before session begins
4F • 2 preferred items • “I want” icon and sentence strip
• Do not allow the child to play with/consume the item before the session begins
• Place the item out of sight before session begins
4G • 1 preferred and 1 non-preferred items/icons • “I want” icon and sentence strip
• Do not allow the child to play with/consume the item before the session begins • Handle discrimination errors
• Place the item out of sight before session begins using the prompt hierarchy
Phases 5-6
CARMEN’S APPROVAL IS NEEDED BEFORE MOVING OR PROBING ONTO THESE PHASES!!!!!
Purpose: Teach student tact items and discriminate between mands and tacts
5 • Use only the “I see” icon • “I see” icon and sentence strip
• Use 2 non-preferred icons on the book
• Hold up the non-preferred item
• Ask, ‘what do you see?” and simultaneously point to the “I see” icon
• Provide a partial prompt if necessary
• Wait 5 seconds to see if the child picks up the appropriate item icon
5A • Use “I see” and “I want” icons • “I want” icon
• Use 2 non-preferred icons on the book • “I see icon”
• Ask, ‘what do you see?” while pointing to the “I see” icon • Sentence strip
5B • Use “I see” and “I want” icons • “I want” icon
• Use 4 non-preferred icons on the book • “I see icon”
• Hold up the non-preferred item • Sentence strip
• NO NOT POINT TO THE “I SEE” ICON Ask, ‘what do you see?”

3. 6 • Use “I see” and “I want” icons • Around the classroom
• Use 6 non-preferred icons on the book • “I see” icon
• Take student around the classroom • “I want” icon”
• Draw attention to the non-preferred item by saying, “wow” or “look!”
• Pause 3 seconds and then ask, ‘what do you see?”
6A • “I see” and “I want” icons • In the booth
• 4 total icons (2 preferred and 2 non-preferred) • “I see” icon
• Rotate between “what do you see?” and “what do you want” • “I want” icon”