Progressus Therapy partnered with school personnel to offer a unique speech-language intervention model to
address the literacy needs of 96 middle school students with disabilities who had demonstrated a lack of adequate progress in reading.
The model combined a comprehensive reading instruction model and indirect speech-language therapy. Students showed significant improvements in reading and speech-language performance, verified with nationally standardized assessments. Gains in functional communication status were achieved (as measured by the National Outcomes Measurement System) by modifying teachers’ instructional communication rather than through direct therapy
with students.
Results
- Produced average total reading gains of 2.64 Normal Curve Equivalent (NCE) for students who attended at least 20 hours of instruction in reading with indirect speech-language intervention
- Produced gains on two subtests of the reading assessment
- Comprehension gains of 2.62 NCE
- Vocabulary gains of 2.75 NCE