Background: One of the most disabling consequences of aphasia is the way it excludes the person from conversation. A number of studies have attempted to tackle this problem by training the conversational partners of aphasic people. This study offers an evaluation of this approach. Aims: Six volunteers were trained in conversing with people with…

Five papers describe clinical research completed by graduate students in speech-language pathology and audiology. The first study examines the linguistic input of three adults (a mother, teacher, and clinician) to a language impaired 8-year-old. The clinician's approach, less directive than that of the other two, facilitated spontaneous speech and…

This book explores the nature and purposes of formulaic language, examining patterns across research from the fields of discourse analysis, first language acquisition, language pathology, and applied linguistics. There are 14 chapters in 6 parts. Part 1, "What Formulaic Sequences Are," includes (1) "The Whole and the…

This study investigated two pragmatic profiles (the Pragmatic Profile and the Profile of Communicative Appropriateness) used to assess the language of two aphasic patients. The study examined interscorer reliability, scoring sensitivity, and diagnostic accuracy. Findings indicate that training in scoring these profiles must be uniform, and greater…

Describes the results of a remedial program provided to an adult subject who had incurred aphasia and alexia as a result of a series of strokes. (FL)

This case study describes a 39-year-old intellectually gifted man with learning disabilities who demonstrated symptoms of amnesic-semantic aphasia at age 13, leading to placement in a class for students with mental retardation and to dropping out of school. The man's remarkable behavioral and cognitive adjustments led to a fulfilling life and…

This article provides a rationale for changing the base upon which healthcare services for individuals with stroke and aphasia can be provided. It summarizes the interaction between the Aphasia Institute and the West Greater Toronto Stroke Network who worked together to effect meaningful change. A set of guidelines is provided. (Contains…

This article presents an approach to a variety of syndromes and patterns of language disorders in bilingual speakers and polyglots. This framework demands that in neuropsychological analysis, all the variables and dynamics of bilingual development have to be taken into consideration, along with details of the neurological syndrome. (Contains…

This book provides an overview of the causes and symptoms, and the typical courses, treatments, and outcomes of neurogenic communication disorders. Chapter 1 reviews the human nervous system and neurologic causes of adult communication disorders. Chapter 2 discusses the neurologic assessment and arriving at a diagnosis, including the neurologist's…

Aphasic (N=15) and non-brain-damaged adults were administered the Nelson Reading Skills Test (NRST). NRST items requiring complex inferences were more difficult than items requiring simple or no inferences. Passage dependency level was higher compared to other tests, suggesting that the NRST more validly measures aphasics' multiple-sentence…

Three studies observed everyday communication of people with aphasia, traumatic brain injury, and in hospital. Simplification of real-life communication in the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health, variability of item sampling in existing assessments, and the complexity of real-life…

A study gathered perceptions from persons with communication disorders (CD) (n=78), 13 service providers, and 22 employers on barriers to work integration. Results show many barriers are common across types of CD, including noise, tasks requiring speed, having to speak to groups of persons, and attitudes of others. (Contains references.)…

Two studies of adult aphasia, focusing on phonological disturbances, are presented. In the first study, subjects were 15 adults wit moderate aphasia and five age-matched controls. A variety of speech production and speech perception tests were administered, including tests of syllable discrimination, auditive word-picture matching, articulation,…

Connected speech of 134 healthy, Canadian French-speaking adults, grouped according to age and education level, was analyzed using an aphasia battery. Results demonstrated that older subjects with less education produced fewer content units and were less efficient in transmitting lexico-semantic information. Effects of age and education level on…

This presentation describes the use of a computer-based stimulation program to allow aphasic patients to practice their language skills independent of the clinician, specifically in the home setting. The prototype computer program, called the Computerized Language Activity Resource Kit, uses the vocabulary found in the Language Activity Resource…