Download the Journal (PDF) - Division on Autism and ...

TABLE 3—(Continued)
Study Communication Consequences O<strong>the</strong>r Consequences
Charlop-Christy
et al. (2002)
Ganz &
Simpson
(2004)
Heneker &
Page (2003)
All <strong>the</strong> children
demonstrated
approximately 30.7 more
spontaneous initiations
per hour if <strong>the</strong>y were
using sign language than
if <strong>the</strong>y were using PECS.
All three children mastered
PECS use within a
relatively short time.
All children showed
increases in spontaneous/
imitation speech and
mean length of utterance.
All children had collateral
gain in socialcommunicative
behavior,
such as joint attention
and eye contact, following
<strong>the</strong> PECS training.
All three children made
progress in mastery of <strong>the</strong>
PECS system and
demonstrated increases in
average intelligible words
spoken per trial.
All participants began Phase
I without word utterances
or speaking in one-word
utterances and ended
phase IV speaking threeto
four-word-phases.
All three children began
using longer phrases and
speaking with more
complex syntax by <strong>the</strong>
end of <strong>the</strong> PECS training.
One child showed a
decrease in non-word
vocalizations, while one
child showed an increase.
The third one appeared
relatively stable.
The children were using
more sophisticated forms
of communication and
need less prompting to do
so.
Requesting was <strong>the</strong> main
function of
communication.
The children were observed
to use symbols as <strong>the</strong>
main methods of
communication.
The children appeared to
have learned <strong>the</strong>
importance of needing
somebody’s attention
before communicating
with <strong>the</strong>m.
A 70% or greater reduction was
observed for 10 of 12
problem behaviors, and four
problem behaviors were
eliminated.
The children did not show an
increase in spontaneously
gaining <strong>the</strong> adult’s attention.
The children appeared to show
less frustration and were able
to accept <strong>the</strong> fact that <strong>the</strong>y
could not always have what
<strong>the</strong>y had asked for.
70 / Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities-March 2008
Report of
Generalization a
Relation to
PECS b
N M
Y M
Y M