Expanding the evidence base for the oral narrative inferential comprehension programme: a pilot within a speech-language pathology coaching model

Abstract

A school in Perth sought to evaluate the Oral Narrative Inferential Comprehension (ONIC) programme (Dawes, Citation2017) as a small group inferential comprehension intervention. This clinical research aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the programme for Year 1 students with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) when delivered by Education Assistants (EAs). The ONIC (Dawes, Citation2017) has previously been shown as effective when delivered by a SLP. In this research a SLP provided coaching to EAs on the delivery of the ONIC for the duration of the programme within a school term. 16 Year 1 students with DLD took part in the ONIC programme as delivered by two EAs. Students were included in four groups of four students each, with each EA delivering the ONIC programme to two groups. EAs were trained in the ONIC programme delivery and supported through the programme delivery by a school SLP. Results showed that inferential but not literal comprehension skills improved significantly after the programme. These findings are similar to those observed in the original study where the programme was delivered by the SLP (Dawes et al, Citation2019). This preliminary research demonstrates that the ONIC has utility when delivered by EAs within a SLP coaching model.