Co-designing solutions to the challenges speech pathologists and interpreters encounter when they collaborate to...

Aphasia caseloads worldwide are becoming increasingly diverse. Both speech pathologists and professional interpreters have identified challenges when working together in the delivery of aphasia rehabilitation to culturally and linguistically diverse people with aphasia. In this study we aimed to co-design solutions to the challenges that speech pathologists and interpreters encounter when they collaborate to adapt and deliver aphasia rehabilitation.

A series of five co-design workshops were conducted online via Zoom with 4 Australian speech pathologists and 4 certified interpreters, purposively sampled across language, workplace, gender, and experience levels.

The co-designers generated a total of 23 solutions to address issues of inadequate training, lack of culturally and linguistically appropriate therapy materials, variability in briefing practices, navigating debriefing and feedback, difficulty accessing interpreters, and insufficient time. The solutions were rated for perceived impact and feasibility. Furthermore, the co-designers proposed potential avenues for implementation of these solutions through the consideration of agencies responsible for change.

This co-design study identified solutions that have the potential to enhance aphasia rehabilitation practices for culturally and linguistically diverse clients. However, achieving change in this area is complex. This research highlights the need for a whole-of-system approach with collaborative engagement from multiple organisations.