Preferred Visuographic Images to Support Reading by People with Chronic Aphasia

Written materials used both clinically and in everyday reading tasks can contain visuographic images that vary in content and attributes. People with aphasia may benefit from visuographic images to support reading comprehension. Understanding the image type and feature preferences of individuals with aphasia is an important first step when developing guidelines for selecting reading materials that motivate and support reading comprehension.

The study purposes were to determine the preferences and explore the perceptions of and opinions provided by adults with chronic aphasia regarding various image features and types on facilitating the reading process.

Six adults with chronic aphasia ranked visuographic materials varying in context, engagement, and content regarding their perceived degree of helpfulness in comprehending written materials. Then, they participated in semi-structured interviews that allowed them to elaborate on their choices and convey opinions about potential benefits and detriments associated with preferred and non-preferred materials.

All participants preferred high-context photographs rather than iconic images or portraits as potential supports to facilitate reading activities. Differences in opinions emerged across participants regarding the amount of preferred content included in high context images.