Acquiring literacy in the face of severe speech and physical impairments.
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Adolescent↗
Biomedical subjects
Anne O'Hare
Publications and source records attributed to Anne O'Hare.
Effects of computer-based intervention through acoustically modified speech (Fast ForWord) in severe mixed receptive-expressive language impairment: outcomes from a randomized controlled trial.
Seventy-seven children between the ages of 6 and 10 years, with severe mixed receptive-expressive specific language impairment (SLI), participated in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of Fast ForWord (FFW; Scientific Learning Corporation, 1997, 2001). FFW is a computer-based intervention for treating SLI using acoustically enhanced speech stimuli. These stimuli are modified to exaggerate their time and intensity properties as part of an adaptive training process. All children who participated in the RCT maintained their regular speech and language therapy and school regime throughout the trial. Standardized measures of receptive and expressive language were used to assess performance at baseline and to measure outcome from treatment at 9 weeks and 6 months. Children were allocated to 1 of 3 groups. Group A (n = 23) received the FFW intervention as a home-based therapy for 6 weeks. Group B (n = 27) received commercially available computer-based activities designed to promote language as a control for computer games exposure. Group C (n = 27) received no additional study intervention. Each group made significant gains in language scores, but there was no additional effect for either computer intervention. Thus, the findings from this RCT do not support the efficacy of FFW as an intervention for children with severe mixed receptive-expressive SLI.
Analysis of Variance↗
The association of abnormal cerebellar function in children with developmental coordination disorder and reading difficulties.
Children with developmental coordination disorder/dyspraxia (DCD) are at high risk of reading and writing delay. The difficulties with motor skills are heterogeneous and many children have features of poor cerebellar function, reflected in problems with posture, balance and fast accurate control of movement. This study confirmed a high level of parental reporting of reading and writing delay in a clinical group of 23 children with DCD, defined on the basis of both clinical examination and standardized testing of motor function. Direct measurement of reading delay, identified still further children in the group. Those children with reading delay had associated findings typical of phonological awareness difficulties. The children also underwent a standardized test of neurological function and although they all had difficulties with cerebellar function, no distinctive pattern emerged for those whose presentation was complicated by delayed reading and writing. Both the children with DCD and 136 typically developing children, completed the pilot parental questionnaire on gross motor skills. The three skills of catching a ball, jumping on a moving playground roundabout and handwriting, distinguished the children with DCD. This study therefore confirms that children with DCD should be assessed for difficulties in phonological awareness. Additionally, children aged between 7 and 12 years are on the whole, highly competent in a range of gross motor skills and further study might determine whether a simple parental questionnaire might detect children who would benefit from further assessment. The study also suggests that all the children with DCD have cerebellar dysfunction and further work with a larger group might determine particular patterns associated with reading delay.
Cerebellum↗
Becoming a manual occupation? The construction of a therapy manual for use with language impaired children in mainstream primary schools.
BACKGROUND: The construction of therapy protocols for a large-scale randomized controlled trial comparing speech and language therapists and assistants, and group and individual therapy approaches for children aged 6-11 in mainstream schools is outlined. AIMS: The aim was to outline the decision-making processes that led to the construction of the research therapy manual, and to give a preliminary report on compliance with the manual. METHODS & PROCEDURES: A search of the research and professional literature and of published therapy materials was conducted to locate usable examples of effective language therapy for primary school children. Results were collated into a manual of therapy principles and activities to structure research intervention. The use of the manual with children (n=30) receiving individual or group direct therapy from a speech and language therapist in the first phase of intervention was audited. OUTCOMES & RESULTS: Very few high-level research studies were found, but the professional literature gave added information. Therapies for comprehension monitoring, vocabulary development, later grammar and narrative were adapted for the research intervention, and procedures compiled into a manual to guide research speech and language therapists and assistants. The audit of direct therapy suggested that the manual was useable, providing a suitable range of activities and materials for therapy intervention. Its use helped to record the therapy offered to research children, and formed a sound basis for discussion amongst speech and language therapists and between speech and language therapist/assistant pairs. CONCLUSIONS: The construction and use of a therapy manual allowed the provision of replicable therapy within the research project whilst maintaining flexibility.
Child↗
'Thinking for two': a case study of speech and language therapists working through assistants.
BACKGROUND: Many speech and language therapists (SLTs) in the UK work with speech and language therapy assistants, and the numbers of SLT assistants is expected to grow. There has been very little empirical investigation of how SLTs feel about this situation or the effect on working practices of working indirectly. AIMS: To investigate SLTs' opinions on working with SLT assistants in a small-scale research case study. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: The study design was a case study of five SLTs delivering intervention within a research intervention project. Prepared questionnaire and formal interview techniques were used to elicit opinions on working through assistants, and a content analysis was performed. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Although respondents could see value in working through assistants, they stressed the time required to do so and the difficulties of adapting and updating therapy plans when working indirectly. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests a variety of factors that have to be carefully managed if SLTs are to work competently through assistants.
Allied Health Personnel↗