A further evaluation of behavioral skills training for implementation of the picture exchange communication system.

Homlitas et al. (2014) tested a short staff-training package. The package had four parts: tell, show, practice, and fix.

They taught teachers how to run the first three phases of PECS. Kids with autism were in the room during real lessons.

After the package, every teacher used PECS the right way during class. Fidelity stayed high when no coach was watching.

Park et al. (2024) ran the same four-step package ten years later. Their teachers also hit high scores fast. This direct repeat shows the method ages well.

Rosales et al. (2018) swapped live coaching for a computer program. Staff still mastered Phase 3A, proving the steps work even when a screen gives the feedback.

Martocchio et al. (2016) pushed the idea further. They trained college students first, then let those students teach new staff. The pyramid kept quality high while saving supervisor time.

You do not need long workshops. A single session with tell-show-practice-fix is enough to get teachers accurate with PECS. Use the same script next week: read the steps, model once, let the teacher try, give instant feedback. The skill sticks without weeks of follow-up.