PECS Explained: How Picture Exchange Builds Communication

If your child cannot yet rely on spoken words to ask for the things they want, the wait for communication can feel long and frustrating for everyone. The PECS picture exchange system gives your child a way to be understood right now, by handing a picture to another person to make a request.

PECS stands for the Picture Exchange Communication System, and it was developed in 1985 by psychologist Andy Bondy and speech-language pathologist Lori Frost. In this guide we will walk through what PECS actually is, how its six teaching phases build real communication, what the research shows about speech and learning, and how families across New Jersey can get started. Our goal is to give you a clear, honest picture so you can decide whether it might fit your child.

What the PECS Picture Exchange System Actually Is

PECS is a form of augmentative and alternative communication, often shortened to AAC. AAC is any method that supplements or replaces spoken words, and it ranges from low-tech tools like picture cards and communication books to high-tech speech-generating devices and tablet apps. PECS sits on the low-tech end: your child communicates by physically exchanging a picture with another person.

That word exchange is the heart of it. Unlike simply pointing at a picture, PECS teaches your child to pick up a card, seek out a communication partner, and place the card in that person's hand. This builds a true, intentional social act of communication, not just a one-sided gesture. Because the exchange always involves giving the picture to a real person, your child learns that communication is something you do with someone to get a result.

PECS is used with a wide range of learners, from toddlers to adults, including children with autism, apraxia, cerebral palsy, and other communication differences. It does not require your child to make eye contact, sit still for long stretches, or have specific cognitive skills before starting, which is part of why so many families find it accessible.

How the PECS Picture Exchange Builds Skills: The Six Phases

PECS is taught in six carefully sequenced phases. Each phase builds on the last, moving from a single simple request all the way to commenting on the world. Here is what each phase looks like in everyday terms:

• Phase 1 – The exchange: Your child learns the core move. They pick up a single picture of something they want, reach toward a communication partner, and release the card into that person's hand to receive the item.
• Phase 2 – Distance and persistence: Your child learns to travel to their communication board and to a partner who may be across the room, building spontaneity and the determination to be heard.
• Phase 3 – Picture discrimination: Your child chooses between two or more pictures, learning to tell symbols apart and select the one that matches what they truly want.
• Phase 4 – Sentence structure: Your child builds simple sentences using an I want starter card plus a picture, beginning to construct phrases rather than single words.
• Phase 5 – Answering questions: Your child learns to respond to What do you want? rather than only initiating on their own.
• Phase 6 – Commenting: Your child moves beyond requesting to share observations, answering questions like What do you see? or What do you hear? This is where communication becomes truly social.

A trained team does not rush these phases. They follow your child's pace, and the early phases deliberately avoid spoken prompts like What do you want? so that your child learns to start communicating on their own rather than waiting to be asked.

What the Research Says About PECS Picture Exchange

PECS is one of the better-researched communication tools available. The National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice has identified PECS as a focused, evidence-based practice, and more than 240 research articles from around the world have examined how it works for learners of different ages and diagnoses. The Association for Science in Autism Treatment, a respected nonprofit that reviews autism treatments, also concludes that PECS is an evidence-based procedure.

One of the most common questions parents ask is whether using pictures will stop a child from talking. The research is reassuring here. Studies of AAC, including PECS, consistently show that these systems do not hinder speech development, and many children actually show gains in spoken words alongside their picture use. Giving your child a reliable way to communicate now does not close the door on speech later; if anything, it can open it.

That said, PECS is not magic and it is not the only option. It is one tool among many. Some children thrive with PECS, others do better with a speech-generating device or a tablet app, and many use a combination. A good evaluation looks at your individual child rather than assuming one system fits all.

How PECS Fits Into ABA Therapy

PECS grew out of applied behavior analysis, and it fits naturally into ABA therapy. The exchange is reinforced immediately: your child hands over the picture and gets the item they asked for, which makes them more likely to communicate again. Teaching a child to request what they want is sometimes called manding, and it is often one of the first communication goals an ABA team works on.

PECS also pairs well with other ABA teaching methods. Structured practice resembles discrete trial training, while real-world practice during play and daily routines mirrors natural environment teaching. A skilled team weaves both together so your child can use their pictures at the snack table, in the car, and at the park, not only at a therapy desk. PECS is also one of several tools under the broader umbrella of augmentative and alternative communication for autism, and your team can help you compare options.

Because PECS reduces the frustration of not being understood, it often helps with challenging behavior too. When a child can hand over a card to ask for a break or a snack, they have less reason to communicate that need through crying, grabbing, or aggression. Replacing a behavior with a clear request is the foundation of functional communication training.

Getting Started With PECS at Home

While PECS works best when guided by a trained professional, families play a huge role in helping it succeed. Here are practical ways to support your child between sessions:

• Identify true motivators. Notice the snacks, toys, and activities your child genuinely loves. PECS starts with requesting things your child actually wants, so motivation does the heavy lifting.
• Keep the pictures within reach. A communication board or book should travel with your child around the house so they can always communicate, not just in one room.
• Honor every exchange. When your child hands you a picture, respond right away by giving the item and naming it warmly: Bubbles! You wanted bubbles.
• Use two communication partners early on. Have another adult sit behind your child during the first phase to gently help with the physical exchange, so the receiving partner stays a clear communication target.
• Avoid quizzing. In the early phases, resist asking What do you want? Let your child initiate so they learn that communication is something they start.

Your role as a parent is one of the strongest predictors of progress. Consistency across home, therapy, and school helps your child trust that their pictures will always work.

PECS and Communication Support for New Jersey Families

New Jersey families have several paths to communication support. If your child is under three, NJ Early Intervention can provide speech and developmental services, and a referral does not require an autism diagnosis. For school-age children, communication goals, including the use of AAC like PECS, can be written into an Individualized Education Program. Autism New Jersey, the state's largest autism network, runs a helpline that can point you toward local providers and services.

At Autumn ABA, we provide in-home ABA therapy across all 21 New Jersey counties, which means a board certified behavior analyst can build PECS into your child's program right in the rooms where your family lives and plays. In-home services let your child practice handing over a picture at the actual fridge, the actual toy bin, and the actual front door, which makes the skills stick. You can learn more about our services and the areas we serve, browse our parent resources, or get started with a conversation about your child. You are also always welcome to call us at 732-664-0038.

Frequently asked questions

Helpful resources & references

• Pyramid Educational Consultants - PECS: An Evidence-Based Practice
• Association for Science in Autism Treatment - Augmentative and Alternative Communication
• HealthyChildren.org (AAP) - Beyond Spoken Words: AAC for Kids
• AFIRM (UNC Frank Porter Graham) - PECS Resource Packet
• Autism Speaks - Technology and Autism
• Autism New Jersey