Teaching Early Reading Skills to Adults With Intellectual Disabilities Using a Support Worker/Family Carer Mediated Online Reading Programme: A Feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial

Louise D. Denne; Gwenllian Moody; Elinor Coulman; David Gillespie; Kate Ingarfield; Nicholas Manktelow; Corinna F. Grindle; J. Carl Hughes; Zac Taylor; Richard P. Hastings

doi:10.1111/jar.13332

Teaching Early Reading Skills to Adults With Intellectual Disabilities Using a Support Worker/Family Carer Mediated Online Reading Programme: A Feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial

Louise D. Denne, Gwenllian Moody, Elinor Coulman, David Gillespie, Kate Ingarfield, Nicholas Manktelow, Corinna F. Grindle, J. Carl Hughes, Zac Taylor, Richard P. Hastings

The North Wales School of Education

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Abstract

ABSTRACTBackgroundThere is a paucity of research into interventions that help people with intellectual disabilities learn to read. This feasibility study examines whether an online reading programme, Headsprout, with additional support strategies and supervision (the intervention), can be delivered by support workers/family carers and the feasibility of conducting a later large‐scale effectiveness trial.MethodsThe study used a 2‐arm randomised controlled trial (RCT) design with an embedded process evaluation using a mixed methods approach.ResultsThirty‐six adults with intellectual disabilities were recruited. Informed consent and data were obtained remotely. Progression criteria for recruitment, retention, randomisation and usual practice were met; intervention adherence and fidelity were poor. Pressure on support services was a key barrier.ConclusionsWhilst progression to a large‐scale effectiveness trial was not recommended, the success of conducting an RCT and remotely obtaining informed consent and data from adults with intellectual disabilities opens opportunities for increased participation in research for a currently under‐represented group.Registration: ISRCTN11409097

Original language	English
Article number	e13332
Journal	Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities
Volume	38
Issue number	1
Early online date	11 Dec 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.13332
Publication status	Published - 11 Jan 2025

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Research Intellect Disabil - 2024 - Denne - Teaching Early Reading Skills to Adults With Intellectual Disabilities Using aFinal published version, 747 KBLicence: CC BY

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Denne, L. D., Moody, G., Coulman, E., Gillespie, D., Ingarfield, K., Manktelow, N., Grindle, C. F., Hughes, J. C., Taylor, Z., & Hastings, R. P. (2025). Teaching Early Reading Skills to Adults With Intellectual Disabilities Using a Support Worker/Family Carer Mediated Online Reading Programme: A Feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 38(1), Article e13332. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.13332

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title = "Teaching Early Reading Skills to Adults With Intellectual Disabilities Using a Support Worker/Family Carer Mediated Online Reading Programme: A Feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial",

abstract = "ABSTRACTBackgroundThere is a paucity of research into interventions that help people with intellectual disabilities learn to read. This feasibility study examines whether an online reading programme, Headsprout, with additional support strategies and supervision (the intervention), can be delivered by support workers/family carers and the feasibility of conducting a later large‐scale effectiveness trial.MethodsThe study used a 2‐arm randomised controlled trial (RCT) design with an embedded process evaluation using a mixed methods approach.ResultsThirty‐six adults with intellectual disabilities were recruited. Informed consent and data were obtained remotely. Progression criteria for recruitment, retention, randomisation and usual practice were met; intervention adherence and fidelity were poor. Pressure on support services was a key barrier.ConclusionsWhilst progression to a large‐scale effectiveness trial was not recommended, the success of conducting an RCT and remotely obtaining informed consent and data from adults with intellectual disabilities opens opportunities for increased participation in research for a currently under‐represented group.Registration: ISRCTN11409097",

author = "Denne, \{Louise D.\} and Gwenllian Moody and Elinor Coulman and David Gillespie and Kate Ingarfield and Nicholas Manktelow and Grindle, \{Corinna F.\} and Hughes, \{J. Carl\} and Zac Taylor and Hastings, \{Richard P.\}",

year = "2025",

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doi = "10.1111/jar.13332",

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Denne, LD, Moody, G, Coulman, E, Gillespie, D, Ingarfield, K, Manktelow, N, Grindle, CF, Hughes, JC, Taylor, Z & Hastings, RP 2025, 'Teaching Early Reading Skills to Adults With Intellectual Disabilities Using a Support Worker/Family Carer Mediated Online Reading Programme: A Feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial', Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, vol. 38, no. 1, e13332. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.13332

Teaching Early Reading Skills to Adults With Intellectual Disabilities Using a Support Worker/Family Carer Mediated Online Reading Programme: A Feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial. / Denne, Louise D.; Moody, Gwenllian; Coulman, Elinor et al.
In: Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, Vol. 38, No. 1, e13332, 11.01.2025.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Teaching Early Reading Skills to Adults With Intellectual Disabilities Using a Support Worker/Family Carer Mediated Online Reading Programme: A Feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial

AU - Denne, Louise D.

AU - Moody, Gwenllian

AU - Coulman, Elinor

AU - Gillespie, David

AU - Ingarfield, Kate

AU - Manktelow, Nicholas

AU - Grindle, Corinna F.

AU - Hughes, J. Carl

AU - Taylor, Zac

AU - Hastings, Richard P.

PY - 2025/1/11

Y1 - 2025/1/11

N2 - ABSTRACTBackgroundThere is a paucity of research into interventions that help people with intellectual disabilities learn to read. This feasibility study examines whether an online reading programme, Headsprout, with additional support strategies and supervision (the intervention), can be delivered by support workers/family carers and the feasibility of conducting a later large‐scale effectiveness trial.MethodsThe study used a 2‐arm randomised controlled trial (RCT) design with an embedded process evaluation using a mixed methods approach.ResultsThirty‐six adults with intellectual disabilities were recruited. Informed consent and data were obtained remotely. Progression criteria for recruitment, retention, randomisation and usual practice were met; intervention adherence and fidelity were poor. Pressure on support services was a key barrier.ConclusionsWhilst progression to a large‐scale effectiveness trial was not recommended, the success of conducting an RCT and remotely obtaining informed consent and data from adults with intellectual disabilities opens opportunities for increased participation in research for a currently under‐represented group.Registration: ISRCTN11409097

AB - ABSTRACTBackgroundThere is a paucity of research into interventions that help people with intellectual disabilities learn to read. This feasibility study examines whether an online reading programme, Headsprout, with additional support strategies and supervision (the intervention), can be delivered by support workers/family carers and the feasibility of conducting a later large‐scale effectiveness trial.MethodsThe study used a 2‐arm randomised controlled trial (RCT) design with an embedded process evaluation using a mixed methods approach.ResultsThirty‐six adults with intellectual disabilities were recruited. Informed consent and data were obtained remotely. Progression criteria for recruitment, retention, randomisation and usual practice were met; intervention adherence and fidelity were poor. Pressure on support services was a key barrier.ConclusionsWhilst progression to a large‐scale effectiveness trial was not recommended, the success of conducting an RCT and remotely obtaining informed consent and data from adults with intellectual disabilities opens opportunities for increased participation in research for a currently under‐represented group.Registration: ISRCTN11409097

U2 - 10.1111/jar.13332

DO - 10.1111/jar.13332

M3 - Article

SN - 1360-2322

VL - 38

JO - Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities

JF - Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities

IS - 1

M1 - e13332

ER -

Denne LD, Moody G, Coulman E, Gillespie D, Ingarfield K, Manktelow N et al. Teaching Early Reading Skills to Adults With Intellectual Disabilities Using a Support Worker/Family Carer Mediated Online Reading Programme: A Feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities. 2025 Jan 11;38(1):e13332. Epub 2024 Dec 11. doi: 10.1111/jar.13332

Teaching Early Reading Skills to Adults With Intellectual Disabilities Using a Support Worker/Family Carer Mediated Online Reading Programme: A Feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial

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