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An Object Exchange Communication System |
A child can learn to communicate with you in many different ways. One of those ways is by using an object exchange communication system (OECS). The following describes how to set up an OECS either at home or school.
Some Definitions
Object Exchange: Exchanging a representative object to communicate a desire to receive an actual object, activity, or event.
Representative Object: Any object that represents a real object, activity, or event.
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Types of Representative Objects |
What the Object Might Represent |
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Actual Examples: Jack in the Box Bubble bottle |
Jack in the Box = “Wind this up; I want to play with this.” Bubble bottle = “I want you to blow bubbles.” |
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Miniature Examples: a small ball or tiny book |
Small ball = “Let’s play ball.” Tiny book = “Read me a story.” |
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Partial Examples: a cookie wrapper or Play Doh lid |
Cookie wrapper = “I’d like a cookie!” Play Doh lid = “Let’s play with Play Doh.” |
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Associated Examples: a hat or a spoon |
Hat = “Let’s go outside.” Spoon = “I’m ready for something to eat.” |
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Textured Examples: a piece of flannel or a puff-paint outline of a car |
Piece of flannel = “Where’s my blankey?” Puff-paint car = “I’d like to play with my cars.” |
Ideas for Displaying Representative Objects:
Velfoam board
Velcro
Basket(s)
Compartmentalized box (wine carton, drinking glass carton)
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| Basket with bubbles inside | Velfoam board constructed by hot-gluing a piece of Velfoam to a small chalkboard or clipboard. | Velcro strips attached to wall, cabinet, door, or shelf, etc. |
Steps
for Teaching the Object Exchange
Communication System (OECS)
Step 1.
Make a list of things the child likes, wants, or enjoys doing (this is called a “preference list”). Then, make a list of things the child dislikes.
Step 2.
Identify two adults who will work with the child to help him or her learn the OECS. One adult will act as the “back-up prompter (BP)” and will physically help the child hand a representative object chosen from the preference list to the other adult, who is known as the “communication partner (CP)”. The CP will then accept the representative object and provide the child with the actual object, action, or event. This process works best when the child and BP sit across a table from the CP, with the BP beside and slightly behind the child, as shown in the following diagram.
Goal #1 is to gradually decrease the amount of assistance provided by the BP until the child is capable of initiating and completing the object exchange by his/herself. For example, as described above, the BP begins by guiding the child’s hand to the CP. Eventually, the BP will guide the child’s hand only halfway to the CP, allowing the child to complete the action on his/her own. Then, the BP might only use a tap on the elbow to provide the child with a cue to complete the action of handing the representative object to the CP. Eventually, the BP will provide no physical assistance and will no longer be part of the process.
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Step 3
Once the BP is no longer required, goal # 2 is to increase the amount of distance between the CP and the child. By making the child go to the CP, it is ensured that the child both understands the process and is capable of initiating the object exchange independently. For example, to achieve this goal, the CP might gradually move his/her chair farther away from the table, requiring the child to expend more effort to make the object exchange.
Step 4
Once the child demonstrates understanding of the object exchange process, practice using different items from the preference list.
Step 5
Goal # 3 is to present two representative objects from the preference list and require the child to choose one of them before initiating the object exchange.
Step 6
Once the child is choosing between two representative objects from the preference list, introduce a third object, which has been chosen from the list of things the child dislikes. This will help determine if the child is actually making a purposeful choice between representative objects, not just randomly selecting them.
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Your child has mastered the Object Exchange Communication System! Now the process can be transferred to your child’s home, school, or community program(s). For example...
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...on a shelf in the classroom |
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...in the child's bedroom |
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...attached with Velcro to a cabinet or refrigerator door |
