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NOW! Programs® | School Leadership Resource Center

Research & Implementation Resources for School Leaders

Research documentation, implementation materials, and outcome resources for principals, superintendents, ELA directors, and school systems evaluating structured literacy intervention.
tutoring student 1

 

Evidence + Branding
 

The Link Between the Randomized Controlled Trials and
NOW!  Foundations for Speech, Language, Reading and Spelling® 

Typical of clinical research that is not aimed at creating and promoting a commercial program, The Morris Center and Dr. Conway’s 20+ years of research on preventing and remediating reading disorders began with a theoretical foundation described in Book 1 of Lindamood’s Auditory Discrimination in Depth (ADD Program, 1969; Lindamood & Lindamood).

In 2013, Dr. Conway chose to brand The Morris Center’s proprietary Dyslexia/Literacy/SLD early intervention and remediation program within an edtech company. This sequence—conducting and publishing research first to establish efficacy and effectiveness, and branding, naming, and delivering evidence-based services second—is consistent with the medical model of treatment discovery and dissemination.

Namely, Dr. Conway conducted the research first with world-renowned colleagues in behavioral neurology, neuropsychology, speech-language pathology, developmental/behavioral pediatrics, and other disciplines—then branded and marketed the treatment program second when he created the Neuro-Development of Words – NOW! ProgramsⓇ company.

He branded and trademarked The Morris Center’s dyslexia training program as the NOW! Foundations for Speech, Language, Reading and SpellingⓇ program and made it globally available via online edtech delivery of services through www.NOWprograms.com.

Key point: The peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials establish the evidence base first— NOW! Foundations for Speech, Language, Reading and Spelling® is the branded, standardized delivery model built to scale those research-validated methods.
Research & Implementation Library

Research, Evidence & Implementation Resources

Quick access to research studies, implementation documentation, and supporting materials used by school systems evaluating structured literacy intervention.
  Executive Overview
Executive Evidence Summary
Type: Executive Overview   |   Format: PDF   |   Audience: School Leaders
 
A concise overview of the research foundation, instructional model, and implementation framework supporting NOW! Foundations for Speech, Language, Reading and Spelling® .
Leadership Brief: Designed for school leaders reviewing literacy intervention options and evaluating research-supported approaches.
  Research Evidence
Randomized Controlled Trials & Research
Type: Research Studies   |   Format: DOI & PDF   |   Audience: Curriculum & Literacy Directors
 
Direct DOI links and downloadable research examining phonological processing intervention and literacy outcomes associated with NOW! Foundations for Speech, Language, Reading and Spelling®.
Gold-Standard Evidence: Includes randomized controlled trials documenting prevention and remediation outcomes.
  Implementation Documentation
Program Structure & Implementation Materials
Type: Implementation Documentation   |   Format: Reference Materials   |   Audience: School Systems
 
Supporting documentation describing program structure, instructional framework, and implementation considerations for schools.
Implementation Reference: Useful for principals, literacy directors, and school systems reviewing intervention models.
RCTs & DOIs Evidence summaries Implementation documentation Designed for school leaders evaluating structured literacy intervention.
Research Evidence
NOW! Foundations for Speech, Language, Reading and Spelling® is supported by randomized controlled intervention research demonstrating that intensive, structured literacy instruction can both prevent reading difficulties in young children and produce measurable literacy gains for students with dyslexia, low literacy, and persistent reading challenges.
Child infront of computer 
Research Validation

Randomized Controlled Trial Research

The studies below document NICHD-funded randomized controlled intervention research supporting NOW! Foundations for Speech, Language, Reading and Spelling®. These studies examine how structured speech-to-print literacy instruction improves phonological processing and reading outcomes for students with dyslexia, low literacy, and persistent reading challenges.
Each entry includes a brief study summary, key outcomes, and citation-ready research links.
NICHD-Funded Research Randomized Controlled Trials Peer-Reviewed Publications
Research use note: These randomized controlled studies document measurable literacy gains under validated instructional conditions. DOI links and downloadable PDFs are provided where available for verification, review, and citation.
Primary RCT (NICHD-related)

Intensive Remedial Instruction for Children With Severe Reading Disabilities (2001)

Torgesen, Alexander, Wagner, Rashotte, Voeller & Conway (2001). Journal of Learning Disabilities, 34(1), 33–58.
DOI: 10.1177/002221940103400104
Study Design
60 children with severe reading disabilities were randomly assigned to two intensive instructional programs. Participants received 67.5 hours of one-to-one instruction delivered in two 50-minute sessions daily for 8 weeks.
Key Outcomes
  • Very large gains in generalized reading skills
  • Improvements remained stable at 2-year follow-up
  • Substantial improvements in accuracy and comprehension
  • 24 students exited special education services after treatment
Interpretation: Demonstrates that intensive, structured remediation can normalize reading for many severely impaired students, consistent with core NICHD intervention conclusions.
Controlled Early-Intervention Study (NICHD-related)

Preventing Reading Failure in Young Children With Phonological Processing Disabilities (1999)

Torgesen, Wagner, Rashotte, Rose, Lindamood, Conway & Garvan (1999). Journal of Educational Psychology, 91(4), 579–593.
DOI: 10.1037/0022-0663.91.4.579
Study Design
Experimental early-intervention comparison of multiple instructional approaches with 88 hours of one-to-one instruction delivered across kindergarten through grade 2.
Key Outcomes
  • Early targeted instruction prevented reading failure for many at-risk students
  • Established instructional principles later validated in randomized remediation research
  • Documented the impact of structured phonological and decoding instruction
Interpretation: Supports a prevention-to-remediation model demonstrating that early instruction targeting phonological processing can change reading trajectories.
NICHD Prevention-to-Remediation Research Program
The studies above reflect a broader NICHD-supported intervention research sequence examining both preventive and remedial instructional models. This prevention-to-remediation line established principles later tested in randomized remediation research and informs the instructional foundation of NOW! Foundations for Speech, Language, Reading and Spelling®.
How to Cite the Research
Educators, school leaders, and researchers may cite the randomized controlled studies supporting NOW! Foundations for Speech, Language, Reading and Spelling® using the references below.
Torgesen, J. K., Alexander, A. W., Wagner, R. K., Rashotte, C. A., Voeller, K. K. S., & Conway, T. (2001). Intensive remedial instruction for children with severe reading disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 34(1), 33–58.
Torgesen, J. K., Wagner, R. K., Rashotte, C. A., Rose, E., Lindamood, P., Conway, T., & Garvan, C. (1999). Preventing reading failure in young children with phonological processing disabilities. Journal of Educational Psychology, 91(4), 579–593.
DOI links and downloadable PDFs are provided above for verification and citation.
Supporting Evidence

Additional Research

The materials below provide additional supporting documentation. These studies are included for reference and background and are presented separately from the randomized controlled trial evidence above.
Supporting Evidence

The Effects of the Online Remediation of Phonological Processing Deficits on Functional Reading Abilities in Students With Dyslexia (2022)

Bowden, F. (2022). University of South Carolina Doctoral Dissertation
This mixed-methods intervention study examined the impact of online phonological-processing remediation on reading accuracy, fluency, and comprehension in students with dyslexia receiving NOW! Foundations for Speech, Language, Reading and Spelling® instruction.
Study Design
Ten students with reading difficulties participated in 60–65 hours of one-to-one online instruction. Standardized assessments included the CTOPP-2 and WIAT-IV administered before and during treatment.
Key Findings
  • Large to very large effect sizes in phonological processing measures
  • Improvements in reading accuracy, fluency, and comprehension
  • Positive changes in student reading attitudes reported by parents
  • Demonstrated effectiveness of online delivery of intervention
Interpretation: This study provides supporting evidence that online delivery of intensive phonological-processing intervention can improve functional reading skills in students with dyslexia.
Additional Documentation

Documented Outcomes & Impact Pathways

A sequence of documented materials connects research validation with measured literacy gains, student transformation, and long-term academic and workforce pathways.

Research → Measured Gains → Student Transformation → Life Pathways

These materials document how research-validated literacy intervention can translate into measurable classroom outcomes, student achievement, and longer-term educational opportunity.

School leaders reviewing intervention approaches often request examples of documented outcomes and student success pathways that illustrate how literacy gains influence academic and career trajectories.

Explore Documented Outcomes →
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