Word Learning in Children With Autism

April 25, 2019 updated by: University of Kansas

Word Learning in Children With Autism (Kansas Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center Project I)

The project highlights one of the primary areas of research within the KIDDRC- language and communication. The focus is on language and communication in children with autism and minimal verbal skills (less than 20 spoken words). Remaining nonverbal past the age of 5 years has been considered a poor prognostic indicator for future language developments, yet few interventions have been developed to address this problem. The Specific Aims for this project are (1) to further investigate a multimodal intervention for school-age children with minimal verbal skills-defined as less than 20 words spontaneously spoken, signed, or selected via graphic symbol selection-and (2) to identify significant covariates associated with differential responding to the intervention. The research addresses an unmet need to promote spoken word production in children who remain essentially nonverbal well past the ages associated with speech acquisition. The project is also innovative because: a) it investigates a multimodal intervention based on principles of phonotactic probability and neighborhood density in combination with augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), and b) it investigates novel predictors of treatment response that are obtained through cutting-edge technologies. This intervention will have better success than past interventions because the intervention will provide increased input through speech, digitized speech and visual images and additional speech sound practice for words that are comprised of high frequency sounds in the child's repertoire. Extant speech sounds in each participant's repertoire will be identified using LENA™ digitized recordings. Vocabulary words will then be selected based on a child's speech sound repertoire and principles of word learning-words with high probability speech sound sequences will be selected and taught with either multimodal intervention or a treatment as usual condition. Responses to these interventions will be evaluated using a Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Trials (SMART) design. Different outcomes may be associated with individual and environmental predictors identified in our previous research. Individual predictors include verbal comprehension, imitation skills, adaptive behavior, nonverbal speech sound repertoire, and communication complexity. Communication complexity will be measured with the Communication Complexity Scale (CCS), developed by the Principal Investigator. Environmental predictors include language input to the child as measured with LENA™ recording devices. Results will determine if the multimodal intervention is more successful than treatment as usual for teaching word productions.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Unknown

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Communication is an essential aspect of life for all individuals including children with autism. Many children with autism are severely impaired in their verbal communication development and there is a need for additional research demonstrating the effectiveness of interventions that improve communication for participants with autism and severe communication impairments. The proposed study directly follows from a recently published pilot study demonstrating both the feasibility and importance of an intervention designed for children with autism and minimal verbal skills (less than 20 words pre-intervention) (Brady et al., 2015). The project will follow up this pilot study with a two stage SMART (Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Trial) design that will allow comparison of results from an experimental intervention to a treatment as usual condition, and compare two intensities of multimodal intervention. Further, the project will investigate how proposed variables measured at the outset of intervention predict responsiveness to the treatment conditions.

Aim 1. Investigate the effectiveness of a multimodal intervention aimed at teaching students with autism and minimal verbal skills to produce new words with speech and augmentative communication (AAC). Briefly, the multimodal approach combines joint book reading, computerized instruction, and AAC. The AAC component teaches participants to select target words on speech generating devices in communication routines. All components will focus on teaching a set of vocabulary selected for each participant based on results from digitized recordings of sounds produced over a 12-hour time period. Target vocabulary will be one-syllable words that consist of sounds in each child's phonetic repertoire in sequences that are highly represented in the English language (i.e., high phonotactic probability) and determine if increasing intensity leads to better outcomes for participants who do not respond to the initial intervention. Increased intensity or regular multimodal intervention may be better for those who do not respond to treatment as usual. Primary outcome measures include:

  • Total number of words each child learns to say and the number of words each child learns to produce with AAC during intervention.
  • Total number of words each child says in generalization contexts. Generalization of word use to classrooms and at home will be measured with recordings from generalization probes conducted in homes and classrooms.

Aim 2. Investigate potential predictor variables for individual differences in learning outcomes measured in Aim 1. Results from Brady et al. (2015) showed 5 of 10 participants were "high responders" to multi-modal intervention - learning 18 or more new words over approximately 2 months of intervention. However, three participants learned to say only a few words and two participants essentially made no progress. The project will examine individual predictors of differential responding and identify variables that will enable clinicians to personalize intervention according to specific environmental and participant characteristics. The proposed predictor variables are:

  • Environmental variables: Based on previous research linking the amount and type of environmental input to children's word acquisition, vocabulary input from parents and teachers will be measured with automated speech recognition technology. Existing technology available through LENA™ software (Warren et al., 2010) will be used to measure total number of words produced by communicative partners and conversational turns in home and school environments.
  • Participant characteristics: Based on the pilot investigation as well as previous longitudinal studies, the following specific child variables are proposed to be predictive of responsiveness to one of the experimental interventions: verbal imitation, receptive vocabulary, adaptive behavior, autism severity, and nonverbal communication complexity measured with the Communication Complexity Scale (CCS; Brady et al., 2012).

Results will drive the development of more effective adaptive language interventions for minimally verbal children with autism and related intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Anticipated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
60

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.
  • Name: Nancy C Brady, PhD
  • Phone Number: 785-864-0762
  • Email: nbrady@ku.edu

Study Contact Backup

  • Name: Holly M Storkel, PhD
  • Phone Number: 785-864-0630
  • Email: hstorkel@ku.edu

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Kansas
      • Lawrence, Kansas, United States, 66045
        • Recruiting
        • University of Kansas
        • Contact:
          • Nancy C Brady, PhD
          • Phone Number: 785-864-0762
          • Email: nbrady@ku.edu
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Nancy C Brady, PhD
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Holly M Storkel, PhD
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Steven F Warren, PhD

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

5 years to 10 years (Child)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Autism Diagnosis
  • Communication Disorder(s)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Deafness
  • Severe Physical Disability

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Sequential Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Multi-Modal
3 Times Per Week for 4 weeks - Speech sound practice, Joint book reading, AAC activity, Computerized instruction component followed by more treatment for 12 weeks
Behavioral: Multi-Modal
Intervention combining speech sound practice, AAC and receptive practice on a set of individually determined words. Words are selected based on phonological properties. Delivered 3 times per week.
Experimental: Multi-Modal + High Intensity Multi-Modal
3 Times Per Week - Speech sound practice, Joint book reading, AAC activity, Computerized instruction component for 4 weeks, increasing to 5 times per week for 12 weeks
Behavioral: Multi-Modal
Intervention combining speech sound practice, AAC and receptive practice on a set of individually determined words. Words are selected based on phonological properties. Delivered 3 times per week.
Behavioral: High Intensity Multi-Modal
Intervention combining speech sound practice, AAC and receptive practice on a set of individually determined words. Words are selected based on phonological properties. Delivered 5 times per week.
Placebo Comparator: Treatment as Usual
Teacher provided with word list for 4 weeks followed by more treatment as usual for 12 weeks
Other: Treatment as Usual
Teacher provided with word list and teacher intervening as usual.
Experimental: Treatment as Usual + Multi-Modal
Teacher provided with word list for 4 weeks followed by 3 Times Per Week - Speech sound practice, Joint book reading, AAC activity, Computerized instruction component for 12 weeks
Behavioral: Multi-Modal
Intervention combining speech sound practice, AAC and receptive practice on a set of individually determined words. Words are selected based on phonological properties. Delivered 3 times per week.
Other: Treatment as Usual
Teacher provided with word list and teacher intervening as usual.
Experimental: Treatment as Usual + High Intensity Multi-Modal
Teacher provided with word list for 4 weeks followed by Speech sound practice, Joint book reading, AAC activity, Computerized instruction component for 5 times per week for 12 weeks
Behavioral: High Intensity Multi-Modal
Intervention combining speech sound practice, AAC and receptive practice on a set of individually determined words. Words are selected based on phonological properties. Delivered 5 times per week.
Other: Treatment as Usual
Teacher provided with word list and teacher intervening as usual.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Expressive Word Acquisition
Time Frame: Week 1
The number of words each child learns to say.
Week 1
Change in Expressive Word Acquisition
Time Frame: Week 16
The number of words each child learns to say.
Week 16
Receptive Word Acquisition
Time Frame: Week 1
The number of words each child learns to understand.
Week 1
Change in Receptive Word Acquisition
Time Frame: Week 16
The number of words each child learns to understand.
Week 16

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Communication Complexity Scale
Time Frame: Week 1
Measure of Early Communication - The Communication Complexity Scale is a measure of communication complexity that describes expressive prelinguistic and beginning linguistic communication. The range is 0-12, with 0 indicating no response and 12 indicating a short phrase (2 or more words). Scores between 0-5 are preintentional; scores between 6-10 are intentional presymbolic; and scores 11 and 12 are intentional symbolic. Separate scores are computed for Behavior Regulation (requests and protests) and Joint Attention (Comments). Thus 3 different scores with a range of 0-12 are obtained- Overall, Behavior Regulation and Joint Attention.
Week 1
Change in Communication Complexity Scale
Time Frame: Week 16
Measure of Early Communication - The Communication Complexity Scale is a measure of communication complexity that describes expressive prelinguistic and beginning linguistic communication. The range is 0-12, with 0 indicating no response and 12 indicating a short phrase (2 or more words). Scores between 0-5 are preintentional; scores between 6-10 are intentional presymbolic; and scores 11 and 12 are intentional symbolic. Separate scores are computed for Behavior Regulation (requests and protests) and Joint Attention (Comments). Thus 3 different scores with a range of 0-12 are obtained- Overall, Behavior Regulation and Joint Attention.
Week 16

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Consonant Inventory
Time Frame: Week 1
Number of Different Consonants
Week 1
Change in Consonant Inventory
Time Frame: Week 16
Number of Different Consonants
Week 16

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Kansas

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
November 1, 2016

Primary Completion (Anticipated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
May 31, 2021

Study Completion (Anticipated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
May 31, 2021

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
January 26, 2018

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 26, 2018

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
February 5, 2018

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
April 29, 2019

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 25, 2019

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
April 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • STUDY00140285
  • U54HD090216 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

Results submitted to National Database for Autism Research (NDAR)

IPD Sharing Time Frame

Annually

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

Access to NDAR

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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