Identifier

etd-04102008-185157

Degree

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Communication Sciences and Disorders

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) exhibit difficulties with both verbal and nonverbal language with approximately 50% of children diagnosed with autism remaining functionally mute into adulthood (Charlop & Haymes, 1994; Charlop-Christy, Carpenter, Le, LeBlanc, & Kellet, 2002). This study explored intervention using the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) for two nonverbal preschoolers with ASD. The effects of PECS using two picture systems, Picture and Words (P&W) and MorphoPhonic (MPh) picture word, was assessed in the communicative outcomes after 6 weeks of intervention. This study asked if MPh picture words would elicit more picture-exchange communication acts in functional contexts than P&W and if MPh picture words would elicit a greater number of verbal communications than pictures accompanied by words. The results suggest that changes in communication can be observed in 6 weeks of intervention. Specifically greater gains were observed in the MPh picture word condition over the P&W condition.

Date

2008

Document Availability at the Time of Submission

Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide.

Committee Chair

Janet Norris

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_theses.3701

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