title: Development and reliability of the Functional Communication Classification System for children with cerebral palsy.
abstract: This paper describes the development, validation, and reliability of the Functional Communication Classification System (FCCS), designed to classify expressive communication skills of children with cerebral palsy (CP) aged 4 years and 5 years (between their fourth and sixth birthdays).
  
  
  
  The Functional Communication Classification System (FCCS) was developed in 2006 using a literature review, client file audit, and expert consultative committee process in order to devise scale content, structure, and check clinical validity and utility. Interrater reliability was examined between speech-language pathologists (SLPs), other allied health professionals (AHPs), and parents of 48 children with CP. The scale was revised and a clinical reasoning prompt sheet added, then trialled again for 42 children. The result was a five-level system with descriptors and decision-making guides for classification of functional expressive communication for children with CP.
  
  
  
  Overall interrater reliability was excellent for the final FCCS, intraclass correlation coefficient=0.97 (95% confidence interval 0.95 to 0.98). Kappa values were 0.94 between SLPs and AHPs, 0.59 between SLPs and parents, and 0.60 between AHPs and parents.
  
  
  
  The FCCS is a reliable tool for describing functional communication in young children with CP, appropriate for use by SLPs, other AHPs, and parents of children with CP.
authors.affiliation: Princess Margaret Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Barty
authors.affiliation: The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.
authors.forename: Katy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Caynes
authors.affiliation: The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.
authors.forename: Leanne M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Johnston
mesh_terms: D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000145:classification* / Q000150:complications; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003147:Communication Disorders / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index