Abstract
Reduced community awareness and education of aphasia limits access for persons with aphasia (PWA). They often isolate themselves by partaking in fewer social, previously enjoyed, and community-based activities compared to stroke survivors without aphasia.
A novel method for educating community members about aphasia involves graduate students partnering with PWA within an academic-based service-learning experience (ABSL). This serves two purposes: increasing communication access for PWA by revealing their communication competence and increasing application of course content related to life participation for students. The study aimed to address first-year graduate students’ application of life participation principles through community, academic, and interpersonal engagement using ABSL as well as increased community awareness of aphasia.
Methods : Within their Aphasia course, 36 Graduate students partnered with PWA to develop and present an educational training for community members. Through the course of two meetings, students were encouraged to implement supported communication strategies. During the third meeting, group members presented the training to the community. After each meeting and the training, students wrote a reflective essay. Students also completed a survey, Three Aspects of Engagement Scale. Following the educational training, 37 community members completed a post-questionnaire about aphasia awareness and knowledge.
Results: Students’ survey responses revealed increased community, academic, and interpersonal engagement. Within the reflective essays, findings revealed that students applied course content and gained insight into the impact of aphasia on life participation. They felt empathy for individuals with aphasia and plan to implement holistic, individualized care as well as spread awareness in the community. Community members defined aphasia, understood that PWA are intelligent, and listed two communication strategies.
Discussion: Through ABSL, students better understood the impact of aphasia on life participation and community members increased their awareness and knowledge of aphasia.
A novel method for educating community members about aphasia involves graduate students partnering with PWA within an academic-based service-learning experience (ABSL). This serves two purposes: increasing communication access for PWA by revealing their communication competence and increasing application of course content related to life participation for students. The study aimed to address first-year graduate students’ application of life participation principles through community, academic, and interpersonal engagement using ABSL as well as increased community awareness of aphasia.
Methods : Within their Aphasia course, 36 Graduate students partnered with PWA to develop and present an educational training for community members. Through the course of two meetings, students were encouraged to implement supported communication strategies. During the third meeting, group members presented the training to the community. After each meeting and the training, students wrote a reflective essay. Students also completed a survey, Three Aspects of Engagement Scale. Following the educational training, 37 community members completed a post-questionnaire about aphasia awareness and knowledge.
Results: Students’ survey responses revealed increased community, academic, and interpersonal engagement. Within the reflective essays, findings revealed that students applied course content and gained insight into the impact of aphasia on life participation. They felt empathy for individuals with aphasia and plan to implement holistic, individualized care as well as spread awareness in the community. Community members defined aphasia, understood that PWA are intelligent, and listed two communication strategies.
Discussion: Through ABSL, students better understood the impact of aphasia on life participation and community members increased their awareness and knowledge of aphasia.
| Original language | American English |
|---|---|
| State | Published - 2025 |
| Event | Aphasia Access Leadership Summit - Pittsburgh, United States Duration: Apr 3 2025 → Apr 5 2025 |
Conference
| Conference | Aphasia Access Leadership Summit |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | United States |
| City | Pittsburgh |
| Period | 4/3/25 → 4/5/25 |