Headsprout Reading Program in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Reading Delay
Condition: Autism Spectrum Disorder
MeSH terms: Autistic Disorder; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Headsprout is a commercially available computer-based reading program that teaches children
      fundamental reading skills, including phonics, fluency, and comprehension. The Headsprout
      reading intervention has been shown to be effective with children with various levels of
      reading skills, but it has not been rigorously tested in children with autism spectrum
      disorder (ASD). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of Headsprout in a
      pilot sample of 18 children with ASD and reading delays to serve as a foundation for a
      larger, future randomized clinical trial (RCT).

      Eighteen participants will be included in the study and randomly assigned to one of two
      groups; the first group will immediately receive treatment with the Headsprout reading
      program and the second treatment group will receive treatment after 12 weeks. Treatment
      sessions will occur for one to two hours, two to four days a week, for twelve weeks. The
      participants who do not receive treatment immediately will be asked to complete reading
      assessments periodically throughout their wait time. Participation may occur in clinic or via
      telehealth.
    

Detailed description: 
      A large number of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience reading delays, yet
      few empirically supported reading interventions exist for this population. Reading delay can
      interfere with academic progress, impede vocational opportunities, hinder self-expression,
      and limit capacity for independent living. Accessing empirically supported interventions for
      reading skills can be difficult, with parents of children with ASD facing long waiting lists
      at specialty clinics, reflecting the simple fact that demand is greater than the supply of
      trained providers. There is a pressing need for access to affordable interventions that do
      not depend on specialty clinics.

      As a commercially available, computer-based program, Headsprout may be a good fit for
      children with ASD. Headsprout has shown effectiveness in children with reading delay
      uncomplicated by ASD, but has not been rigorously studied in children with ASD. This study
      will investigate the effects of the Headsprout reading program on improving reading skills of
      children with autism. Eighteen children will be recruited and the researchers will evaluate
      their current language use by: 1) asking their parents to rate their child's language, 2)
      completing an echoic skill assessment. Current reading skills will be determined by
      administering a reading assessment that evaluates their reading accuracy and fluency.

      Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups; the first group will immediately
      receive treatment with the Headsprout reading program and the second treatment group will
      receive treatment after 12 weeks. Participation may be in clinic or via telehealth. During
      the intervention, children will meet with a trained therapist, several times per week for
      approximately twelve weeks. The therapist will instruct them to complete various reading
      activities on the computer. These reading activities may include tasks such as receptively
      identifying letter names and letter sounds presented on the computer or practicing saying
      sounds out loud and blending combinations of sounds together.

      The participants who do not receive treatment immediately will be asked to complete reading
      assessments periodically throughout their wait time. At the end of 12 weeks these
      participants will be able to start the Headsprout reading program.
    

Intervention name(s): Headsprout reading program
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Headsprout is a commercially available, computer-based program reading intervention that can be tailored to meet the individual needs of each child. Participants will have treatment sessions with a trained therapist lasting one to two hours, two to four days a week, for approximately twelve weeks.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Supportive Care
Keywords: Behavioral; Social; Headsprout reading program