Software for Speech Therapy Support Through PECS Oriented to Digital Learning Environments for Children with Moderate ASD

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a condition of neurobiological origin that greatly affects communicative-social development, causing difficulties for special children in their adaptation, communication, and interaction with their surrounding environment. Speech therapy rehabilitation is an important support for the education of these children, allowing them to develop their verbal, non-verbal, and learning skills. There are disadvantages to using traditional methods in the teaching-learning process. The difficulty of information processing due to their attention deficit is highlighted. The present work focuses on the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) through personalized digital environments, developing the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS). This tool is oriented to improve the existing pedagogical process in the San Miguel Foundation for special children in the city of Salcedo, reducing the difficulties that arise when providing therapeutic sessions to infants between four and six years of age. The results of the study show that there is 25% more efficiency when using PECS, reflecting an improvement in the response time of the infants at the time of performing the speech therapy activities and their teaching-learning process.