Practitioners’ Perspectives on the Impact of Picture Exchange Communication System on Communication, Learning and Social Interaction of Children with Autism in the UAE

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that negatively impacts the social, communication and behavioural skills of individuals. However, communication is at the heart of the development of individuals, including those with ASD. While the effects of picture exchange communication system (PECS) on the development of children with ASD have been assessed in Western countries, such research is unavailable in non-Western societies. This study explored the perceptions of practitioners towards the effect of PECS on children with ASD in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The study participants comprised 71 practitioners (teachers, special-education teachers and therapists) working in educational and rehabilitation institutions in the UAE. An instrument known as Perception towards Picture Exchange Communication was developed to collect data from the participants. According to the results, the practitioners held negative views towards the impact of PECS on the development of children with ASD. Other variables, such as years of experience supporting a child with ASD, child’s age and institutions of enrolment, provided additional insights into the perception of practitioners. The need for retraining of practitioners involved in the development of intervention for children with ASD was proposed and other implications of the findings were discussed.