When your child has difficulty communicating, it is completely natural to focus on speech, on hearing their voice, on wanting them to talk. After all, being able to speak often feels like the most visible and immediate sign that a child is making progress.
But here is the truth: speech and communication are not the same thing. And if we focus too narrowly on speech, we may overlook the incredible progress that is happening in how your child connects, expresses themselves, and engages with the world.
At First Bridge Education, we use Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) to build meaningful, functional communication skills with and for your child. That may involve using Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) tools such as Proloquo2Go, or speech itself, whichever method helps them express themselves best.
In this blog, we will explore:
- The difference between speech and communication
- How ABA differs from Speech and Language Therapy (SLT)
- Why PECS and AAC are powerful tools and not fallback options
- The difference between PECS and Proloquo2Go
- How ABA helps children develop communication that is meaningful, consistent, and joyful
Speech vs. Communication: What’s the Difference?
Speech is the physical act of producing sounds using the mouth, tongue, and vocal cords.
Communication is the act of sharing meaning. That can happen through speech, but also through gestures, signs, pictures, devices, facial expressions, or even eye gaze.
Think of it this way:
A child who says “water” clearly but only repeats the word when prompted is speaking but may not be communicating.
A child who hands you a picture of a cup when they are thirsty is communicating, even if they do not speak.
In ABA therapy, we focus on functional communication: helping your child get their needs met, make choices, express emotions, and engage with others. If speech develops as a result, wonderful. But communication itself is the goal.
ABA vs. Speech and Language Therapy: Different Tools, Different Goals
Both ABA and SLT can be incredibly valuable, but they approach communication development differently.
ABA Therapy
- Uses behavioural principles (like reinforcement and prompting) to teach communication as a skill across environments.
- Often uses PECS or AAC as the first step to communication, especially for non-verbal or minimally verbal children.
- Prioritises function over form when getting the child to communicate successfully, even without speech.
Speech & Language Therapy
- Focuses on receptive language skills, language development, and oral motor skills through structured techniques.
- May focus more directly on speech sounds, articulation, and vocabulary.
- Prioritises language clarity and development, including grammar and phonology.
It is possible for ABA and SLT work together, each supporting the other’s goals. But when a child is not yet using language or is struggling to express basic wants and needs, ABA’s focus on foundational communication is often the most effective starting point.
What Is PECS and How Does It Help?
PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) is a structured communication system that uses pictures to help children learn how to express themselves. It is particularly helpful for children who are non-speaking or minimally verbal.
In PECS, a child learns to:
- Initiate communication by giving a picture to a communication partner
- Make choices by selecting from multiple symbols
- Build sentences using visual sentence strips (e.g. “I want + apple”)
- Comment, ask, and respond using pictures as their voice
PECS is often misunderstood as a delay to speech, but research shows the opposite. A widely cited meta-analysis by Flippin, Reszka, and Watson (2010) found that PECS significantly increases functional communication in children with autism and does not inhibit, and may support, the development of speech in some children. Another foundational study by Bondy and Frost (1994) documented that many children begin to develop spoken words after consistent PECS use because they first learn the function of communication.
What Is Proloquo2Go and How Is It Different from PECS?
While both PECS and Proloquo2Go are communication systems, they are not the same.
Proloquo2Go is a digital ACC app used on tablets or iPads. It is designed to provide access to thousands of words and phrases which allows for complex expression. It supports advanced language development including full sentences, questions and comments and is often used as a next step when a child is ready for more vocabulary and independence.
At First Bridge Education, we often begin with PECS and transition to Proloquo2Go when a child shows readiness for greater symbolic understanding, more flexible communication, and longer utterances. Just like with PECS, we use evidence-based ABA strategies to teach children how to use Proloquo2Go across environments and with different people.
Importantly, AAC tools like Proloquo2Go are not a last resort. They are a valid, empowering communication method, especially for children who may never develop fluent speech.
What Parents Need to Know
Many parents worry that using PECS or an AAC device will stop their child from speaking. This fear is deeply understandable, but it is not supported by the evidence.
Children who are given access to communication, whether through pictures, devices, or speech tend to:
- Be less frustrated
- Be more socially engaged
- Have a higher chance of developing speech, not a lower one
Here is what we tell families:
Every child deserves a voice.
That voice might be spoken. It might be a picture, a tap on a screen, or a look in your direction.
What matters is that your child can say, “I need you,” “I want that,” “I like this,” “No thank you.”
And once they can say that, however they say it, the world opens up.
Communication Is the Foundation for Everything
At First Bridge Education, our ABA programmes are designed around your child’s unique needs. We work one-to-one with each child to identify:
- What motivates them
- How they naturally attempt to communicate
- Which methods and tools will help them succeed
Whether that involves PECS, Proloquo2Go, speech, or a combination, our goal is always the same: to build joyful, functional, and independent communication.
Because when a child can connect on their own terms, everything else begins to grow.
References
- Bondy, A., & Frost, L. (1994). The Picture Exchange Communication System. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 9(3), 1–19.
Introduced PECS and documented gains in spontaneous communication, with speech emerging in some children.
- Flippin, M., Reszka, S., & Watson, L. R. (2010). Effectiveness of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) on communication and speech for children with autism spectrum disorders: A meta-analysis. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 19(2), 178–195.
Found that PECS significantly improves functional communication and does not inhibit speech; some children begin to speak as communication becomes meaningful.