Practice GuidelineNCT07820982
Development of Training Protocol and Application for Speech Language Pathologists on Teletherapy: A Contemporary Approach to Speech Language Therapy
A study testing App-supported teletherapy and Usual in-person speech and language therapy in people with Practice Guideline, run by University of Lahore.
Trial summary
The goal of this mixed-methods study is to develop and evaluate a teletherapy training protocol and a dedicated teletherapy application for Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) in Pakistan. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Any ageHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Practice Guideline
- What is being tested?
- App-supported teletherapy and Usual in-person speech and language therapy
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 10 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- 20 Sep 2026to 20 Apr 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages Any age
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- • The inclusion criteria will include Speech Language Pathologists from Pakistan that are actively involved in the profession.
- Speech language pathologists with minimum qualification of undergraduate degree in Speech language pathology and licensed SLP's working with patients through teletherapy mode will be included in the study.
- SLP's dealing with speech, language and communication problems will be included in the study.
- The patients or their guardians currently receiving speech language pathology services.
- Any age range of patients or guardians will be included in the study.
Who cannot join
- • The exclusion criteria will not involve seminars or academic activities; it will not consider the therapeutic interventions used by other counselling or session-based therapists i.e., psychologists.
- Patients with psychological, visual impairment, physical limitations, and medical conditions such as cancer and other long-term diseases will be excluded from the study.
- The patients with swallowing disorder are excluded in the study.
About this study
The goal of this mixed-methods study is to develop and evaluate a teletherapy training protocol and a dedicated teletherapy application for Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) in Pakistan. It will also assess the effectiveness, usability, and acceptability of these tools among SLPs and patients receiving speech-language therapy services. The main questions it aims to answer are:
Can a standardized teletherapy training protocol be developed and validated for Speech-Language Pathologists? Can a teletherapy application improve the delivery and effectiveness of speech-language therapy services? What are the perceptions, experiences, and satisfaction levels of SLPs and patients regarding teletherapy? Does the use of the developed protocol and application improve the quality and accessibility of speech-language therapy services?
Read more
Researchers will assess the effectiveness of the developed protocol and application by comparing outcomes before and after implementation among Speech-Language Pathologists and patients receiving teletherapy services.
Participants will:
Complete questionnaires regarding teletherapy practices, satisfaction, effectiveness, and challenges.
Participate in structured interviews to share experiences and perceptions of teletherapy.
Contribute to the development and validation of a teletherapy training protocol through expert consultation.
Use the developed teletherapy application for speech and language intervention. Participate in evaluations to assess the effectiveness, usability, and acceptability of the protocol and application.
The expected outcome of the study is the development of a validated teletherapy protocol and a comprehensive teletherapy application that can standardize telepractice and improve the accessibility and quality of speech-language pathology services in Pakistan.
Read the detailed description
Teletherapy has emerged as an important mode of service delivery in speech-language pathology, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic. Although teletherapy has been increasingly adopted worldwide, many Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) continue to face challenges related to the absence of standardized training, limited technological resources, and inconsistent clinical practices. In Pakistan, teletherapy services are being utilized by practitioners; however, there is currently no validated training protocol or comprehensive teletherapy application specifically designed to support speech-language pathology services.
This study aims to develop a standardized teletherapy training protocol and a dedicated teletherapy application for Speech-Language Pathologists. The study will employ a mixed-methods approach involving quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews with practicing SLPs to identify current teletherapy practices, challenges, training needs, and recommendations. Findings from these phases will be used to develop a protocol through expert consensus using the Delphi technique.
The proposed protocol will address essential operational and ethical aspects of teletherapy, including clinician competencies, client eligibility, technology requirements, service delivery procedures, documentation practices, privacy and confidentiality, informed consent, and quality assurance measures. Following protocol development, a teletherapy application will be designed to facilitate the delivery of speech and language intervention services for a range of communication disorders.
The psychometric properties of the developed protocol, including validity and reliability, will be evaluated. Subsequently, the protocol and application will be implemented in clinical practice to assess their effectiveness, usability, and acceptability among both clinicians and service recipients. Outcome measures will focus on user satisfaction, perceived effectiveness, feasibility, and the overall quality of teletherapy service delivery.
The anticipated outcome of this research is the establishment of an evidence-based framework for teletherapy in speech-language pathology, supported by a practical digital application. The findings are expected to contribute to the standardization of teletherapy practices, enhance access to speech-language services, and support the integration of telepractice into routine clinical care in Pakistan and similar healthcare settings.
- Conditions
- Practice Guideline
- Being tested
- App-supported teletherapy, Usual in-person speech and language therapy
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
App-supported teletherapyBehavioural
Speech and language therapy delivered by a speech-language pathologist through scheduled live video sessions, supported by the TeleSpeech progressive web application for home practice. One 30 to 45 minute individual session per week for 12 weeks, delivered in the participant's home or in a quiet room at the site where the family prefers that. Between sessions, a home programme is assigned in the application by the treating therapist and practised on five days per week. Therapy content and targets are individualised. The treating therapist has completed the study teletherapy training protocol. Adherence is captured automatically by the application, which timestamps each login, activity and completion, and session attendance is logged.
Usual in-person speech and language therapyBehavioural
Standard face-to-face speech and language therapy as currently delivered at the participating site by a speech-language pathologist in usual practice. One 30 to 45 minute individual session per week for 12 weeks, delivered in the clinic. Between sessions, a home programme is given to the family on paper and practised on five days per week. Therapy content and targets are individualised as in usual practice. Adherence is recorded in a paper diary returned at each session, and attendance is logged from site records.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| App-supported teletherapy | Experimental | Speech and language therapy delivered through weekly live video sessions with a speech-language pathologist trained in the study teletherapy protocol, supported by the TeleSpeech application for home practice. One 30-45 minute session per week for 12 weeks plus a home programme assigned in the application and practised on five days per week. Delivered in the participant's home or a quiet room at the site. Receives: Behavioral: App-supported teletherapy |
| Usual in-person therapy | Active comparator | Standard face-to-face speech and language therapy as currently delivered at the site by a speech-language pathologist in usual practice. One 30-45 minute session per week for 12 weeks plus a paper home programme practised on five days per week. Delivered in the clinic. Receives: Behavioral: Usual in-person speech and language therapy |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) T-score
Goal Attainment Scaling is a criterion-referenced method in which three to five individually agreed therapy goals are set with the participant and family before randomisation and scaled from -2 (much less than expected) to +2 (much more than expected), with 0 as the expected level of attainment. Goals are not revised after randomisation. Attainment is rated at 12 weeks by an outcome assessor masked to allocation and converted to a standardised T-score. Higher scores indicate greater attainment of individually agreed communication goals. The outcome reported is the change in T-score from baseline to 12 weeks, analysed by analysis of covariance with the baseline value, site and diagnostic group as covariates. Non-inferiority of app-supported teletherapy will be concluded if the lower bound of the two-sided 95% confidence interval for the between-arm difference lies above the pre-specified margin..
Measured: Baseline and 12 weeks after randomisation (change from baseline to 12 weeks)
Secondary outcomes (4)
Adherence to the prescribed home practice programme
The proportion of prescribed home-practice days on which practice was completed, over the 12-week intervention period, expressed as a percentage. In the app-supported teletherapy arm this is derived from timestamps recorded automatically by the application. In the usual in-person therapy arm it is derived from a paper practice diary returned at each session. The difference in measurement method between arms is recognised and is reported as a limitation
Measured: Weekly over the 12-week intervention period
Proportion of scheduled therapy sessions attended
The number of therapy sessions attended as a proportion of the number scheduled over the 12-week intervention period, expressed as a percentage, taken from site attendance records in both arms. A session is counted as attended if it began, whatever its duration.
Measured: Over the 12-week intervention period
Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8) score
Participant or caregiver satisfaction with the therapy received, measured on the eight-item Client Satisfaction Questionnaire. Total scores range from 8 to 32, with higher scores indicating greater satisfaction. Self-reported, or reported by the caregiver where the participant is a child or is unable to self-report.
Measured: 12 weeks after randomisation
System Usability Scale (SUS) score
Usability of the TeleSpeech application, measured on the ten-item System Usability Scale. Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better perceived usability. Collected from participants or caregivers in the app-supported teletherapy arm only, as participants in the usual in-person therapy arm do not use the application.
Measured: 12 weeks after randomisation
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted15 Sep 2026
- Study start20 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion20 Mar 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion20 Apr 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Practice GuidelineStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 10 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Lahore
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07820982
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- REC-UOL-/574/08/24
- Other IDs
- University of Cyberjaya
- Status last verified
- Jan 2026
- First submitted
- 9 Sep 2026
- Last updated
- 23 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 23 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Development of Training Protocol and Application for Speech Language Pathologists on Teletherapy: A Contemporary Approach to Speech Language Therapy
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07820982
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- REC-UOL-/574/08/24
- Conditions
- Practice Guideline
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 10 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of LahoreUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 20 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 20 Mar 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 20 Apr 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 15 Sep 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The goal of this mixed-methods study is to develop and evaluate a teletherapy training protocol and a dedicated teletherapy application for Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) in Pakistan. It will also assess the effectiveness, usability, and acceptability of these tools among SLPs and patients receiving speech-language therapy services. The main questions it aims to answer are:
Can a standardized teletherapy training protocol be developed and validated for Speech-Language Pathologists? Can a teletherapy application improve the delivery and effectiveness of speech-language therapy services? What are the perceptions, experiences, and satisfaction levels of SLPs and patients regarding teletherapy? Does the use of the developed protocol and application improve the quality and accessibility of speech-language therapy services?
Researchers will assess the effectiveness of the developed protocol and application by comparing outcomes before and after implementation among Speech-Language Pathologists and patients receiving teletherapy services.
Participants will:
Complete questionnaires regarding teletherapy practices, satisfaction, effectiveness, and challenges.
Participate in structured interviews to share experiences and perceptions of teletherapy.
Contribute to the development and validation of a teletherapy training protocol through expert consultation.
Use the developed teletherapy application for speech and language intervention. Participate in evaluations to assess the effectiveness, usability, and acceptability of the protocol and application.
The expected outcome of the study is the development of a validated teletherapy protocol and a comprehensive teletherapy application that can standardize telepractice and improve the accessibility and quality of speech-language pathology services in Pakistan.
Detailed description
Teletherapy has emerged as an important mode of service delivery in speech-language pathology, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic. Although teletherapy has been increasingly adopted worldwide, many Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) continue to face challenges related to the absence of standardized training, limited technological resources, and inconsistent clinical practices. In Pakistan, teletherapy services are being utilized by practitioners; however, there is currently no validated training protocol or comprehensive teletherapy application specifically designed to support speech-language pathology services.
This study aims to develop a standardized teletherapy training protocol and a dedicated teletherapy application for Speech-Language Pathologists. The study will employ a mixed-methods approach involving quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews with practicing SLPs to identify current teletherapy practices, challenges, training needs, and recommendations. Findings from these phases will be used to develop a protocol through expert consensus using the Delphi technique.
The proposed protocol will address essential operational and ethical aspects of teletherapy, including clinician competencies, client eligibility, technology requirements, service delivery procedures, documentation practices, privacy and confidentiality, informed consent, and quality assurance measures. Following protocol development, a teletherapy application will be designed to facilitate the delivery of speech and language intervention services for a range of communication disorders.
The psychometric properties of the developed protocol, including validity and reliability, will be evaluated. Subsequently, the protocol and application will be implemented in clinical practice to assess their effectiveness, usability, and acceptability among both clinicians and service recipients. Outcome measures will focus on user satisfaction, perceived effectiveness, feasibility, and the overall quality of teletherapy service delivery.
The anticipated outcome of this research is the establishment of an evidence-based framework for teletherapy in speech-language pathology, supported by a practical digital application. The findings are expected to contribute to the standardization of teletherapy practices, enhance access to speech-language services, and support the integration of telepractice into routine clinical care in Pakistan and similar healthcare settings.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| App-supported teletherapy | Experimental | Behavioral: App-supported teletherapySpeech and language therapy delivered through weekly live video sessions with a speech-language pathologist trained in the study teletherapy protocol, supported by the TeleSpeech application for home practice. One 30-45 minute session per week for 12 weeks plus a home programme assigned in the application and practised on five days per week. Delivered in the participant's home or a quiet room at the site. |
| Usual in-person therapy | Active comparator | Behavioral: Usual in-person speech and language therapyStandard face-to-face speech and language therapy as currently delivered at the site by a speech-language pathologist in usual practice. One 30-45 minute session per week for 12 weeks plus a paper home programme practised on five days per week. Delivered in the clinic. |
Who may qualify
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- • The inclusion criteria will include Speech Language Pathologists from Pakistan that are actively involved in the profession.
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- • The exclusion criteria will not involve seminars or academic activities; it will not consider the therapeutic interventions used by other counselling or session-based therapists i.e., psychologists.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| App-supported teletherapySpeech and language therapy delivered by a speech-language pathologist through scheduled live video sessions, supported by the TeleSpeech progressive web application for home practice. One 30 to 45 minute individual session per week for 12 weeks, delivered in the participant's home or in a quiet room at the site where the family prefers that. Between sessions, a home programme is assigned in the application by the treating therapist and practised on five days per week. Therapy content and targets are individualised. The treating therapist has completed the study teletherapy training protocol. Adherence is captured automatically by the application, which timestamps each login, activity and completion, and session attendance is logged. | Behavioural | App-supported teletherapy |
| Usual in-person speech and language therapyStandard face-to-face speech and language therapy as currently delivered at the participating site by a speech-language pathologist in usual practice. One 30 to 45 minute individual session per week for 12 weeks, delivered in the clinic. Between sessions, a home programme is given to the family on paper and practised on five days per week. Therapy content and targets are individualised as in usual practice. Adherence is recorded in a paper diary returned at each session, and attendance is logged from site records. | Behavioural | Usual in-person therapy |
Primary outcome
Change in Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) T-score
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks after randomisation (change from baseline to 12 weeks)
Goal Attainment Scaling is a criterion-referenced method in which three to five individually agreed therapy goals are set with the participant and family before randomisation and scaled from -2 (much less than expected) to +2 (much more than expected), with 0 as the expected level of attainment. Goals are not revised after randomisation. Attainment is rated at 12 weeks by an outcome assessor masked to allocation and converted to a standardised T-score. Higher scores indicate greater attainment of individually agreed communication goals. The outcome reported is the change in T-score from baseline to 12 weeks, analysed by analysis of covariance with the baseline value, site and diagnostic group as covariates. Non-inferiority of app-supported teletherapy will be concluded if the lower bound of the two-sided 95% confidence interval for the between-arm difference lies above the pre-specified margin..
4 secondary outcomes
Adherence to the prescribed home practice programme
Time frame: Weekly over the 12-week intervention period
Proportion of scheduled therapy sessions attended
Time frame: Over the 12-week intervention period
Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8) score
Time frame: 12 weeks after randomisation
System Usability Scale (SUS) score
Time frame: 12 weeks after randomisation
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 23 Sep 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing App-supported teletherapy and Usual in-person speech and language therapy in people with Practice Guideline, run by University of Lahore.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 23 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) T-score (time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks after randomisation (change from baseline to 12 weeks)). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 23 Sep 2026.