Core outcomes for speech-language services in Ontario schools: a group concept mapping study and guiding framework

Area of Science:

• Speech-language pathology
• Health services research
• Educational psychology

Background:

• Establishing core outcomes sets (COS) is crucial for guiding research and program evaluation in school-based speech-language therapy.
• Many health disciplines utilize COS to define essential outcomes for specific services.
• This study focuses on developing a guiding framework for a COS in a Canadian school context.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a guiding framework for a Core Outcomes Set (COS) for school-based speech-language therapy services.
• To identify key outcomes important to stakeholders in school-based speech-language therapy.
• To establish a consensus on the most critical outcomes for children with communication needs in educational settings.

Main Methods:

• A group concept mapping method was employed, involving speech-language therapists, teachers, and family members.
• 103 potential outcomes were extracted from interview transcripts and sorted into conceptually similar groups.
• Participants rated outcomes for importance and feasibility using 5-point scales, analyzed via multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis.

Main Results:

• Seven core outcomes for school-based speech-language services in Ontario were identified: classroom-based services, holistic approach, teacher support, care coordination, accessible services, family supports, and student success.
• All identified outcomes received high importance ratings from participants.
• Feasibility ratings were consistently lower than importance ratings, with 'accessible services' noted as least feasible.

Conclusions:

• The seven identified outcomes are recommended to guide the development of a comprehensive COS for school-based speech-language services.
• These novel outcomes should be integrated into future research and program evaluations, moving beyond traditional intervention-specific metrics.
• Utilizing administrative data and securing institutional support are suggested for effective program evaluation using these outcomes.