title: Implementation fidelity of a computer-assisted intervention for children with speech sound disorders.
abstract: Implementation fidelity refers to the degree to which an intervention or programme adheres to its original design. This paper examines implementation fidelity in the Sound Start Study, a clustered randomised controlled trial of computer-assisted support for children with speech sound disorders (SSD).
  
  
  
  Sixty-three children with SSD in 19 early childhood centres received computer-assisted support (Phoneme Factory Sound Sorter [PFSS] - Australian version). Educators facilitated the delivery of PFSS targeting phonological error patterns identified by a speech-language pathologist. Implementation data were gathered via (1) the computer software, which recorded when and how much intervention was completed over 9 weeks; (2) educators' records of practice sessions; and (3) scoring of fidelity (intervention procedure, competence and quality of delivery) from videos of intervention sessions.
  
  
  
  Less than one-third of children received the prescribed number of days of intervention, while approximately one-half participated in the prescribed number of intervention plays. Computer data differed from educators' data for total number of days and plays in which children participated; the degree of match was lower as data became more specific. Fidelity to intervention procedures, competency and quality of delivery was high.
  
  
  
  Implementation fidelity may impact intervention outcomes and so needs to be measured in intervention research; however, the way in which it is measured may impact on data.
authors.affiliation: a The University of Sheffield , Sheffield , UK.|b Charles Sturt University , Bathurst , Australia.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McCormack
authors.affiliation: c The University of Sydney , Sydney , Australia.
authors.forename: Elise
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.affiliation: b Charles Sturt University , Bathurst , Australia.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Masso
authors.affiliation: b Charles Sturt University , Bathurst , Australia.
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Crowe
authors.affiliation: b Charles Sturt University , Bathurst , Australia.
authors.forename: Sharynne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McLeod
authors.affiliation: d University of Bristol , Bristol , UK , and.
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wren
authors.affiliation: e The University of the West of England , Bristol , UK.
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roulstone
mesh_terms: D002652:Child Behavior; D002663:Child Language; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000592:standards; D004282:Documentation; D005260:Female; D005568:Forms and Records Control; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D012107:Research Design; D066229:Speech Sound Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D013070:Speech Therapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D013066:Speech-Language Pathology / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018910:Video Games / Q000592:standards; D014741:Video Recording
keywords: implementation fidelity; intervention; service delivery; speech sound disorders