Cluster-randomized controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of computer-assisted intervention delivered by educators for children with speech sound disorders

Howland, Charlotte; McLeod, Sharynne; Baker, Elise; McCormack, Jane; Wren, Yvonne; Roulstone, Sue; Crowe, Kathryn; Masso, Sarah; White, Paul

Abstract

© 2017 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Purpose: The aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of computer-assisted input-based intervention for children with speech sound disorders (SSD). Method: The Sound Start Study was a cluster-randomized controlled trial. Seventy-nine early childhood centers were invited to participate, 45 were recruited, and 1,205 parents and educators of 4- and 5-year-old children returned questionnaires. Children whose parents and educators had concerns about speech were assessed (n =275); 132 children who were identified with phonological patternbased errors underwent additional assessment. Children with SSD and no difficulties with receptive language or hearing, typical nonverbal intelligence, and English as their primary language were eligible; 123 were randomized into two groups (intervention n = 65; control n = 58), and 3 withdrew. The intervention group involved Phoneme Factory Sound Sorter software (Wren & Roulstone, 2013) administered by educators over 9 weeks; the control group involved typical classroom practices. Participants were reassessed twice by a speech-language pathologist who was unaware of the initial assessment and intervention conditions. Results: For the primary outcome variable (percentage of consonants correct), the significant mean change from pre- to postintervention for the intervention group (mean change = +6.15, p

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 20, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Jul 12, 2017
• Publication Date: Jul 12, 2017
• Deposit Date: Apr 19, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: May 3, 2017
• Journal: Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research
• Print ISSN: 1092-4388
• Publisher: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 60
• Issue: 7
• Pages: 1891-1910
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1044/2017_JSLHR-S-16-0385
• Keywords: cluster randomized controlled trial, computer-assisted intervention, educators, children, speech sound disorders
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/884038
• Publisher URL: http://jslhr.pubs.asha.org/
• Contract Date: May 3, 2017