PRAXIS - Pervasive Rehabilitation of Aphasia with an eXtensible Interactive System

Overview & Synopsis

This thesis describes computer-assisted (CA) methods for the treatment of acquired language impairment in adult aphasics. A key design objective of this project was the elimination of the indirect manipulation of keyboard and mouse (in CA speech language therapy sessions) in favour of the direct manipulation of virtual and physical objects afforded by touchscreen display and radio frequency identification technology (RFID). While computer-assisted treatment of aphasia has been used since the 1960s, the efficacy and effectiveness of such treatment is inconclusive. Contradictory results exist in textbooks and research studies. This work seeks to add to the debate with the development of methods that may or may not offer greater stimulus to patient-users and which may, or may not, result in improved rehabilitation of language impairment. The text begins with an overview of aphasia and aphasiology, and speech language therapy. Theory and practice as described in readings both within the aformentioned subjects and in the areas of human-computer interaction and accessible computing, and informal interviews with an expert in the field of aphasia are discussed in the following section on system design. Guidelines for design requirements are drawn therefrom. Where a specific consideration led to a requirement it is set forth in the relevant section. Functional description of hardware and software elements of the system follow, and are in turn followed by a description of prototype evaluation, and perceived limitations of the system. Future development (Phase II) of the system may include back-end services for direct and Web data acquisition with a view to clinical-outcome research.