Our Research

Current Studies

Innovative language assessment for children with low motor and speech function: Engaging end users to understand the necessary conditions for implementing the C-BiLLT in Canada

The Computer-Based Instrument for Low motor Language Testing (C-BiLLT) is a novel standardized language comprehension assessment for children with Cerebral palsy (CP) and significant motor impairments. It was developed in the Netherlands, and translation and validation work has been done in several countries, including Canada (2018-21). This national project aims to modify the C-BiLLT to better meet the needs of Canadian children with CP and significant motor impairments, and to develop and test knowledge translation materials and methods to support implementation in the Canadian clinical context. The modified C-BiLLT is expected to lead to more accurate and tailored rehabilitation services and better experiences for children and families. This work is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research  and is being completed in collaboration with clinical colleagues from across Canada and an international research team that is co-led by Dr. Cunningham and Dr. Tom Chau.

Outcomes for toddlers and preschoolers with communication difficulties and disorders

In several collaborative studies with The Hanen Centre , we are studying parents’ experiences learning to support their children’s communication development and exploring developmental outcomes for preschoolers those who are late-to-talk. This work is led by Dr. Cunningham and is being done together with clinical partners at the Hanen Centre as well as other research labs at Western University. Individual projects have been funded by Western University and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

Improving outcome measurement in Ontario’s Preschool Speech and Language program

Through various projects done in collaboration with end users (clinicians, managers, policy makers, family members) in Ontario’s Preschool Speech and Language program, we apply research principles to co-develop and test meaningful clinical knowledge, procedures, and measurement tools, which are then disseminated and applied to improve practice, services, and this health system. Much of this work also includes integrated knowledge translation and implementation science. The long-term goal is to improve health services and systems for children with communication impairments by using health evaluation data to inform evidence-based policy and service delivery recommendations in Ontario and beyond. This work is co-led by Dr. Cunningham and Dr. Janis Cardy, and funded by the Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services.

Publications

2023

  1. Bootsma, J.N., Stadskleiv, K., Gorter, J.W., Geytenbeek, J.J.M., Phoenix, M., McCauley, D., Fiske, S., Crews, N., & Cunningham, B.J. (2023). Implementation of the C-BiLLT, an accessible instrument to assess language comprehension in children with limited motor and speech function: an international clinician survey. Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Published online June 13, 2023.
  2. Bootsma, J.N., Campbell, F., Hopmans, S.H., McCauley, D., Grahovac, Cunningham, B.J., Phoenix, M., Kraus de Camargo, O., Geytenbeek, J.M., & Gorter, J.W. (2023). Psychometric properties of the English language version of the C-BiLLT evaluated in typically developing Canadian children. Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine, 16(1), 71–81.
  3. Denusik, L., Servais, M., Glista, D., Hatherly, K., Moodie, S., Oram Cardy, J., & Cunningham, B.J. Families' experiences in the virtual Hanen More Than Words program during the COVID-19 pandemic. (2023). American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 32(2) 701-716.
  4. Cunningham, B.J., Nepotiuk, A., Rosenbaum, P. & Thomas-Stonell, N. (2023). Interrater reliability of the FOCUS-34: Parent to parent and parent to clinician. Communication Disorders Quarterly. Published online Jan 12/23.

2022

  1. Hatherly, K., Glista, D., Tetsani, D., Brunton, L., & Cunningham, B.J. A scoping review of virtual synchronous intervention studies in preschool rehabilitation. Disability and Rehabilitation. Published online Dec 22, 2022.
  2. Sherman, V., Glista, D. & Cunningham, B. J. Engaging Clinical End Users in the Development of an Outcome Measurement Protocol for Pediatric Communicative Health Systems. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. Published online Nov 29, 2022.
  3. Bootsma, J.N., Phoenix, M., Geytenbeek, J.J.M., Stadskleiv, K., Gorter, J.W., Fiske, S., & Cunningham, B.J. Implementing the language comprehension test C-BiLLT: a qualitative description study using the COM-B model of behaviour change. BMC Health Services Research, 22(1), 1-12.
  4. Cunningham, B. J., Cermak, C., Head, J., & Oram Cardy, J. Developing the Profile of Preschool Communication (PPC): A tool for the collection of comprehensive clinical and outcome data in preschool speech-language service systems. Journal of Communication Disorders. Published online June 6, 2022.
  5. Daub, O., Cunningham, B.J., Bagatto, M.P., & Oram Cardy, J. (2022). Usability and feasibility of a Spoken Language Outcome Monitoring Procedure in a Canadian Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program: Results of a 12-month pilot. Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention. Published online May 11, 2022.
  6. Kwok, E. Y. L., Cermak, C., Hatherly, K., & Cunningham, B. J. (2022). Intervention goals for preschoolers with language difficulties and disorders A scoping review using the ICF framework. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 31(3), 1-70.
  7. Kwok, E.Y., Chiu, J., Rosenbaum, P., & Cunningham, B.J. (2022). The process of telepractice implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic: a narrative inquiry of preschool speech-language pathologists and assistants from one center in Canada. BMC Health Services Research, 22, 81.
  8. Kwok, E., Pozniak, K., Cunningham, B. J., & Rosenbaum, P. Factors influencing the success of telepractice during the COVID-19 pandemic and preferences for post-pandemic services: An interview study with clinicians and parents. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders. Published online July 23, 2022.
  9. Kwok, E. Y. L., Rosenbaum, P. & Cunningham, B. J. Speech-language pathologists’ treatment goals for preschool language disorders: an ICF analysis. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. Published online Nov. 23, 2022.
  10. Kokotek, L. E., Cunningham, B. J., & Washington, K. (2022). Construct validit of the Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six (FOCUS) total and profile scores for multilingual preschoolers: Considering funcational speech skills. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. Published online, February 22, 2022.
  11. Binns, A., Andres, A., Cunningham, B.J., & Oram Cardy, J. Current practices, supports, and challenges in speech-language pathology service provision for autistic preschoolers. Autism and Developmental Language Impairments. Published online August 29, 2022.

2021

  1. Kokotek, L. E., Washington, K., Cunningham, B. J., Wright Karem, R., & Fletcher, B. (2021). Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six: Validation of language skills in the Jamaican context. Communication Disorders Quarterly. Published online December 31, 2021.
  2. Kwok, E. Y. L., Moodie, S. T. F., Cunningham, B. J., & Oram Cardy, J. (2021). Barriers and facilitators to implementation of a preschool outcome measure: An interview study with speech-language pathologists. Journal of Communication Disorders. Published online Nov 29; 95: 106166.
  3. Cunningham, B. J., Daub, O. & Oram Cardy, J. (2021). Implementing evidence-based assessment practices for the monitoring of spoken language outcomes in children who are Deaf or hard of hearing in a large community program. Canadian Journal of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, 45(1), 41-58.
  4. Daub, O., Cunningham, B. J., Bagatto, M. P., Johnson, A. M., Kwok, E. Y., Smyth, R. E. & Oram Cardy, J. (2021). Adopting a Conceptual Validity Framework for Norm-Referenced Testing in Speech-Language Pathology. American Journal of Speech Language Pathology, 30(4), 1894-1908.
  5. Kwok, E., Thomas-Stonell, N., Rosenbaum, P. & Cunningham, B. J. (2021). Strengths and challenges of the COSMIN tools in outcome measures appraisal: A case example for speech-language therapy. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 56(2), 313-329.
  6. Cunningham, B. J., & Oram Cardy, J. (2021). Reliability of speech-language pathologists’ categorizations of preschoolers’ communication impairments in practice. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, Published online Feb 1, 2021
  7. Cunningham, B. J., Thomas-Stonell, N., & Rosenbaum P. (2021). Assessing Participation in pediatric speech-language pathology: A scoping review of findings from 10 years of research with the Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six (FOCUS). Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 63(1), 47-63.

2020

  1. Kwok, E., Moodie, S., Cunningham, B. J.3 & Oram Cardy J. (2020). Selecting and tailoring implementation interventions: A concept mapping approach. BMC Health Services Research, 20, 385.
  2. Cunningham, B. J. & Oram Cardy, J. (2020). Using implementation science to engage stakeholders and improve outcome measurement in a preschool speech-language service system. Speech Language and Hearing, 23(1), 17–24.
  3. Kwok, E. L, Cunningham, B. J. & Oram Cardy, J. (2020). Effectiveness of a parent-implemented language intervention for late-to-talk children: A real-world retrospective clinical chart review. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 22(1), 48-58.

2019

  1. Cunningham, B. J., Kwok, E. L., Turkstra, L. & Oram Cardy, J. (2019). Establishing consensus about preschoolers’ speech-language impairments in a large-scale community program. Journal of Communication Disorders, 82: 105925.
  2. Cunningham, B. J., Kwok, E. L., Earle, C. & Oram Cardy, J. (2019). Exploring participation and impairment-based outcomes for Target Word™: A parent-implemented intervention for preschoolers identified as late-to-talk. Child Language, Teaching and Therapy, 5(2), 145-164.
  3. Cunningham, B. J., Daub, O. & Oram Cardy, J. (2019). Barriers to implementing evidence-based assessment procedures: perspectives from the front lines in speech-language pathology. Journal of Communication Disorders, 80, 66-80.

2018

  1. Eisen, I., Cunningham, B. J.3 & Campbell, W. (2018). Conducting participatory photography with children with disabilities: A literature review. Disability and Rehabilitation, 41(16),1943-1954.
  2. Cunningham, B. J.2, Hanna, S. E., Rosenbaum, P., Thomas-Stonell, N. & Oddson, B. (2018). Factors contributing to preschoolers’ communicative participation outcomes: Findings from a population-based longitudinal cohort study in Ontario Canada. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 27(2), 737-750.
  3. Cunningham, B. J.2, Hidecker, M. J., Thomas-Stonell, N. & Rosenbaum, P. (2018). Moving research tools into practice: The successes and challenges in promoting uptake of classification tools. Disability and Rehabilitation, 40(9), 1099-1107.

2017

  1. Cunningham, B. J., Hanna, S., Oddson, B., Thomas-Stonell, N. & Rosenbaum, P. (2017). A population-based study of communicative participation in preschoolers with speech-language delays. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 59(10), 1049-1055.
  2. Hidecker, M. J., Cunningham, B. J., Thomas-Stonell, N., Oddson, B. & Rosenbaum, P. (2017). Validity of the Communication Function Classification System (CFCS) for use with preschoolers with communication disorders. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 59(5), 526-530.
  3. Cunningham, B. J., Washington, K. N., Binns, A., Rolfe, K., Robertson, B. & Rosenbaum, P. (2017). Current methods of evaluating speech-language outcomes for preschoolers with communication disorders: A scoping review. Journal of Speech-Language and Hearing Research, 60(2), 447-464.

Clinical Resources and Training Materialss

Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six (FOCUS) and Communication Function Classification System (CFCS)

The Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six (FOCUS) and Communication Function Classification System (CFCS) are two participation focused tools that are used in many of the lab’s studies. A series of webinar modules were developed by Dr. Cunningham to support clinical implementation of these tools, and these are freely available via the CanChild and Communication Function Classification Systems websites.