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PECS vs Proloquo: Honest Comparison for Parents

Last spring in Austin, a mom named Rachel sat across from me at a coffee shop with two browser tabs open on her phone: one for a PECS starter kit on Amazon, o

Last spring in Austin, a mom named Rachel sat across from me at a coffee shop with two browser tabs open on her phone: one for a PECS starter kit on Amazon, one for Proloquo2Go in the App Store. Her three-year-old, Mateo, had been assessed as a candidate for AAC two weeks earlier. "The SLP said either could work, which is the least helpful thing anyone has ever told me," Rachel said. "One costs $47. The other costs $250 plus an iPad. I need someone to just tell me." I told her what I'm going to tell you: Proloquo2Go is the more powerful long-term system, but PECS still has a legitimate role for some children at specific stages, and framing it as a binary is where most parents get stuck.

This article assumes you are working (or about to work) with a speech-language pathologist trained in AAC. AAC decisions are clinical decisions and should be made with professional input.

LittleWords is a speech-practice companion. It is not an AAC system and is not a substitute for either PECS or Proloquo2Go.

What PECS actually is (and isn't)

PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) was developed by Andy Bondy and Lori Frost in 1985. It's a structured protocol with six phases. Phase one: the child hands a single picture card to a communication partner and gets the thing they asked for. Later phases build toward sentence construction and commenting.

The materials are dead simple: laminated cards, a binder, Velcro. You can buy official kits or make your own with a laminator and some clip art.

Here's the thing most parents miss: PECS is a method, not just a stack of pictures. The protocol is what makes it work. A binder full of cards taped to a fridge is not PECS. Done well, the system teaches a child the function of communication (give a card, get a response) and scaffolds toward more complex language. Done poorly, it's just pictures.

What Proloquo2Go brings to the table

Proloquo2Go is an iPad and iPhone app made by AssistiveWare. The child taps symbols on the screen, and the app speaks the words aloud. Its vocabulary system, Crescendo, starts at 14 words and scales up to thousands as the child develops. It supports core word vocabulary (the high-frequency words like "want," "more," "go") and fringe vocabulary (specific nouns, proper names, topics unique to that child's life).

Worth noting: Proloquo isn't the only solid AAC app out there. LAMP Words for Life, TouchChat with WordPower, and CoughDrop all have their strengths. We're using Proloquo for this comparison because it's the most widely used in the US, and it's the one parents keep Googling.

Side by side

| Feature | PECS | Proloquo2Go | |---|---|---| | Format | Paper cards | iPad app | | Vocabulary size | Limited to the cards you have | Thousands of words | | Output | Card exchange | Synthesized speech | | Sentence building | Sentence strip (later phases) | Full sentence building on screen | | Customization | Print, laminate, Velcro | A few taps, photo import | | Cost | $25 to $100 for materials | $250 one-time, plus iPad | | Training | Protocol-based, requires formal training | Self-directed or SLP-led | | Best for | Initial communication, very young or cognitively complex learners | Long-term, scalable communication |

Where PECS still wins

PECS isn't obsolete. It has a place in specific scenarios, and I'd push back on anyone who says otherwise.

The first introduction. For a child who has never communicated with intent, the physical exchange (hand a card, get a thing) makes cause and effect tangible in a way a touchscreen doesn't always replicate. Some kids need to feel the transaction before they can abstract it.

Motor or vision access issues. A child who struggles to navigate a screen, or whose vision makes discriminating between small symbols difficult, may do better with large, tactile cards.

Screen aversion. Some kids simply won't engage with an iPad. Sensory profiles vary wildly. PECS bypasses the screen entirely.

Settings where devices aren't practical. Group homes, outdoor settings, classrooms where a personal iPad isn't feasible or would get destroyed in 48 hours.

As a bridge. Plenty of kids start with PECS and transition to Proloquo2Go (or similar) as they grow. That's not a failure of the first system. That's the system doing its job.

Where Proloquo pulls ahead

For most children, Proloquo (or a comparable solid AAC app) is the stronger long-term choice. The reasons add up fast.

It scales. A child who will use AAC for years needs a system that can grow. Proloquo's vocabulary expands. A PECS binder does too, technically, but printing and laminating 200 new cards is a weekend project. Adding 200 words to Proloquo takes minutes.

Generative language. Proloquo supports building novel sentences by tapping individual words in sequence. PECS sentence strips are more constrained.

Voice output changes everything. Synthesized speech means other people hear the message. A stranger at a playground hears "I want the swing." That is fundamentally different from being handed a card that the stranger has to interpret, flip over, and figure out.

One device. An iPad is one object to grab. A PECS binder is one object plus all the cards you need, which inevitably get lost under car seats.

Modeling is easier. Adults can model on the Proloquo device in real time: tap the words as you say them. PECS modeling is harder because the cards belong to the child's specific binder.

The "should we start low-tech?" argument

This is probably the loudest ongoing debate among AAC specialists right now.

The low-tech-first camp says: simpler introduction, fewer technology variables, easier initial training for communication partners.

The high-tech-first camp says: kids who start with a solid system get access to more vocabulary faster, they don't have to relearn a different system later, and the research consistently shows that vocabulary access matters more than system simplicity.

The current consensus among AAC specialists is shifting toward offering a solid app from the start, with low-tech supports (PECS, core boards) as backups for specific contexts. This shift is supported by research from Vanderbilt's TRIAD program, by AssistiveWare's own clinical guidance, and by a growing body of implementation literature.

That doesn't make PECS wrong. It means the default assumption is changing. Five years ago, PECS was the typical starting point. Today, an AAC-trained SLP is more likely to recommend starting with Proloquo (or equivalent) and keeping low-tech supports in the toolkit.

My own take, which you can take or leave: if a family has access to an iPad and an SLP who knows Proloquo, start there. If those things aren't in place yet, PECS is a perfectly legitimate bridge, not a consolation prize.

Using both at once

This is what many families actually do, and it works. The child has a solid AAC app as their primary communication system. They also have PECS-style picture supports for specific contexts: visual schedules at school, choice boards at mealtime, a simple communication setup for a grandparent who isn't comfortable with the iPad.

The two systems aren't competitors. They're complementary. Thinking of it as either/or is like asking whether you should use a phone or a whiteboard. Different tools, different moments.

Paying for it

PECS materials are cheap and almost never funded through insurance. You're on your own for $25 to $100.

Proloquo2Go can be funded through insurance or Medicaid as a speech-generating device, especially when paired with a dedicated iPad. The catch is the paperwork: you need an SLP evaluation, clinical documentation, and sometimes a fight with the insurer. AssistiveWare's website has resources on the funding process, and a good SLP will know the pathway.

For families where the upfront $250 plus the cost of an iPad is a real barrier (and it is for many), this funding route is critical. Don't skip it.

Training: who needs to learn what

Both systems require training. The flavor is different.

PECS training follows the structured PECS protocol. It's rigorous. Formal courses are available through PECS, Inc. The communication partners (parents, teachers, aides) need to be consistent or the protocol breaks down.

Proloquo training is more flexible. AssistiveWare has extensive free training resources online. SLPs can guide families. Many parents learn the system over a few weeks using online modules and hands-on practice.

The practical question is: who is going to learn this system, and how much time do they have? PECS demands more structured upfront commitment. Proloquo tends to be more self-paced.

The factor that matters more than your system choice

Modeling. Whatever system you pick, modeling is the engine that makes it run.

Modeling means the adults in the child's life use the system to communicate with the child. On Proloquo, you tap the words as you say them. With PECS, you exchange cards as you make requests.

Without modeling, AAC doesn't work. Period. The child will not learn to use a system they've never seen used, just like a hearing child wouldn't learn spoken English if nobody around them ever spoke.

Most failed AAC implementations didn't fail because the family picked the wrong system. They failed because the adults didn't model. This is the boring truth that nobody wants to hear because it puts the work on the grownups. But it's where the evidence points, consistently.

Where LittleWords fits (and doesn't)

LittleWords is a different category of tool entirely.

PECS and Proloquo are AAC: communication systems your child uses to talk to the people in their life, all day, every day.

LittleWords is a speech-practice companion: an AI character (Buddy) the child interacts with for about ten minutes a day of language practice.

A child can use both. The AAC is for daily communication. LittleWords is for practice time. They serve different functions and don't overlap.

When to get professional help (which is now)

For any AAC decision, you need an SLP trained in AAC. Not all SLPs are, and it's okay to ask directly: "Do you have specific training in AAC assessment and implementation?" If the answer is vague, keep looking.

The decision between PECS and a solid AAC app is a clinical decision. An AAC-trained SLP can evaluate your child's motor profile, cognitive profile, sensory needs, and communication goals, then recommend a system. They can also help with insurance funding, which alone is worth the referral.

FAQs

Should I start with PECS or Proloquo2Go for my non-speaking toddler? Get an AAC evaluation from an SLP with AAC training. Current clinical guidance leans toward starting with a solid app, but the right call for your specific child depends on their motor access, sensory profile, and the supports available to your family.

Can my child use both? Yes. Many families use a solid app as primary AAC and PECS-style supports for specific contexts like visual schedules or settings where the device isn't accessible.

Will my child be confused switching from PECS to Proloquo later? The transition takes real work but is common and doable. Many kids make this shift successfully with SLP support. The concepts of communication transfer, even if the medium changes.

Why does Proloquo cost so much? The app reflects years of research and development, ongoing updates, and customer support. The one-time purchase model (no subscription) means the total long-term cost is often lower than subscription-based apps.

Is there a free version of Proloquo2Go? AssistiveWare offers the Crescendo vocabulary system for free download so you can evaluate its structure. The full app is paid, and there's no free trial of the complete application.

What if my child's school uses PECS but I want Proloquo at home? This happens all the time. Coordinate with the school SLP to make sure both systems are aligned in vocabulary and strategy. Consistency in approach matters more than consistency in medium.

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Related reading: AAC for autism hub · Speech therapy at home for autistic kids (pillar guide) · LAMP vs Proloquo · Low-tech AAC

Related Little Words guides

Important: Little Words is educational support for home practice. It is not a medical device, not an AAC replacement, and not a substitute for a licensed speech-language pathologist, pediatrician, or developmental evaluation.