PECS - Free symbols

PECS - Picture Exchange Communication System - can make it so much easier for you and your child to communicate. If your children can't express themselves in words their frustration can cause an emotional blowout. Imagine how much easier it is for them to pick up a card and show you what they want you to know?

The hardest part of putting together your PECS cards is finding the images especially without blowing the budget. Many sites need you to own Boardmaker which is a software program that helps you manage the image production. An Australian version, with specifically Australian images, is also available.

If you want to make your own images there are some sites that can help. They offer free images for you to use. Here are links to a few of them.

http://trainland.tripod.com/pecs.htm - This site has heaps of links to useful sites for PECS but if you scroll down to the bottom you will find links directly to images that you can use.

http://www.usevisualstrategies.com/AutismVisualPrintablePictures.aspx - Free printables.

http://www.setbc.org/pictureset - A collection of downloadable images.

http://www.pecsusa.com/Brochures/PicsforPECS2010Sampleweb.pdf - a downloadable pdf file of sample images that you can print out and use

http://www.childrenwithspecialneeds.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=85&Itemid=64 - This site has images from Mayer Johnson and Silverlining Multimedia, specialist in PECS. While these are not copyright free you can print and trial them with your child before committing to purcahse any software. You need to know that PECS will work for you first, don't you?

http://www.trademarks-logos.com/ - Very handy for printing out brand images. Think of Coke and McDonalds. This site has lots of logos that might be useful.

http://do2learn.com/picturecards/printcards/index.htm - ready to use printables for your normal daily activities.

http://s86.photobucket.com/albums/k95/gavpedz/pecs/ - a few images that might be handy.

http://elearning.autism.net/visuals/main.php?g2_itemId=524 - great images that are easy to understand.

I know that we have bombarded you with a lot of information in these last two posts but I think they will be very useful for those of you who need PECS information and advice. I hope we have made your life a little easier.