What is already known on the subject Training clinical reasoning skills remains a challenge in speech-language pathology education. Illness scripts-structured knowledge frameworks-help explain both analytical and non-analytical reasoning processes. Experienced clinicians rely on well-developed scripts to make accurate decisions in familiar cases, with reasoning effectiveness shaped by both script accessibility and clinical complexity. What this paper adds to existing knowledge This randomized controlled trial compared two self-directed, cloud-based instructional modules for SSD assessment. While both improved SCT scores, only the reasoning-demonstration group-designed to model expert thinking based on illness script theory-showed significant within-group gains and deeper engagement. These findings support the use of illness script-informed training as a scalable and pedagogically sound alternative to supervision-based instruction, particularly in pre-placement settings with limited faculty resources. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? The clinical reasoning and decision-making modules examined in this study-featuring either explicit modeling of expert reasoning or engagement with comprehensive diagnostic reports-can address diverse learning needs and better prepare students for real-world clinical complexity. Together, these complementary instructional approaches have the potential to foster informed clinical reasoning, support effective decision-making, enhance service quality, and improve client outcomes in SSD assessment and broader speech-language pathology practice.
Yeh et al. (Fri,) studied this question.