The document summarizes the PECS probing protocol which involves 6 phases to teach students picture exchange communication skills. The phases progress from teaching the student to exchange pictures for items with physical prompting to discriminating between mands and tacts without cues by phases 5-6. Each phase involves smaller steps that reduce prompts until the student can independently complete the skills within a phase like exchanging pictures for preferred items without assistance.

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
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

2. 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
After a 3 second delay, point to the “I want” icon and simultaneously say, strip
“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
NO POINTING CUE say, “What do you want?” strip
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
Allow child to play with item for 3-5 sec strip
Then place item out of sight and ask, “what do you want?”
4E 1 preferred item “I want” icon and sentence
Do not allow the child to play with/consume the item before the session begins strip
Place the item out of sight before session begins
4F 2 preferred items “I want” icon and sentence
Do not allow the child to play with/consume the item before the session begins strip
Place the item out of sight before session begins
4G 1 preferred and 1 non-preferred items/icons “I want” icon and sentence
Do not allow the child to play with/consume the item before the session begins strip
Place the item out of sight before session begins Handle discrimination errors
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?”
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”