Manual communication skills in aphasia

Area of Science:

• Neurolinguistics
• Sign Language Studies
• Aphasia Research

Background:

• Aphasia, a language disorder resulting from brain damage, often impairs communication.
• Sign languages like American Sign Language (ASL) and gestural codes such as Amerind offer alternative communication modalities.
• Investigating sign language acquisition in aphasic individuals is crucial for understanding communication recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the acquisition ease of American Sign Language (ASL) and American Indian Gestural Code (Amerind) in adults with aphasia.
• To identify subject characteristics that influence the learning of signs in aphasic individuals.
• To explore the relationship between auditory comprehension, expressive language skills, and sign acquisition in aphasia.

Main Methods:

• Eight adults diagnosed with aphasia participated in the study.
• Subjects received structured instruction in 20 signs from both ASL and Amerind over a 4-week period (2 hours/week).
• Acquisition of signs from both systems was assessed, and correlations with subject characteristics were analyzed.

Main Results:

• No significant difference was found in the ease of acquiring ASL versus Amerind signs among the aphasic subjects.
• Auditory comprehension skills were significantly correlated with the ability to learn signs from both systems.
• Residual expressive language abilities did not show a significant relationship with the acquisition of either sign system.

Conclusions:

• Both American Sign Language (ASL) and Amerind are potentially viable communication systems for aphasic adults.
• Auditory comprehension is a key factor in the successful acquisition of sign language or gestural codes in aphasia.
• Further research should explore tailored sign-based interventions for individuals with aphasia based on their specific language profiles.