Center for Aphasia Research and Treatment
Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
- My Products
AphasiaScripts™ Player
$110
AphasiaScripts™ Editor & Player
$299
- Center for Aphasia Research and Treatment
Script training is aimed at helping people with aphasia use short self-chosen monologues and dialogues in natural, conversational contexts. Intensive practice leads to more automatic and accurate production of the sentences within the script. Practice can be accomplished in a cost-effective manner by using computers. AphasiaScripts™ is a software program that was designed specifically for script practice. It is unique in that it uses an animated agent that serves as a virtual therapist. The virtual therapist produces natural speech with correct movements of the speech articulators and assists with the practice similar to a real speech-language pathologist. An extensive research project that evaluates the efficacy of AphasiaScripts™ has been completed with positive results.
(See reference list below)
- Custom Services Offered
AphasiaScripts™ Player
The PLAYER is simple and easily operated by most individuals with aphasia. It allows for repetitive practice of pre-recorded individualized scripts with varying degrees of support for the person with aphasia. The player interface has three components: first, the user listens silently to the whole conversation; second, the user practices each sentence of the conversation repeatedly; and third, the entire conversation is rehearsed in turn-taking with the virtual therapist. Various forms of assistance are provided including highlighting the written word, observing the virtual therapist’s corresponding mouth movements, and speaking the sentence in a choral manner. The person with aphasia also has an opportunity to play back and listen to his or her utterances recorded by the computer.
The player includes 20 prerecorded scripts (10 basic and 10 more advanced) that can be practiced by the person with aphasia. Scripts that have been created and recorded by a family member or speech-language pathologist using the EDITOR can be added to the person with aphasia’s PLAYER on their home computer for home practice.
File size: 15.83MB (Player only)Price: $110
AphasiaScripts™ Editor
The EDITOR allows for the generation of personally relevant individualized scripts. Each script is typed into the program and recorded by the clinician or family member. The program automatically aligns each spoken word with the mouth movements of the virtual therapist and the corresponding written word. The editor also generates practice logs that summarize how much practice was completed within each step of the program and captures selected recordings of the person’s sentence productions during practice.
Scripts that have been created and recorded in the clinic by the speech-language pathologist using the EDITOR can be added to the person with aphasia’s PLAYER on their home computer for home practice.
The Editor is available for sale with the Player.
File Size: 20.35 MB (Editor and Player)
Price: $299
Minimum System Requirements:
-Computer/Processor: 1.6Ghz 32bit (x86) or faster processor.
-Monitor: 1024x768 screen resolution or higher.
-RAM: Minimum 512 MB (Windows XP); Minimum 1 GB (Windows Vista or Windows 7).
-Operating System: Windows XP Home/Media Center Edition/Professional with SP2 or higher; Windows Vista Home Basic/Premium/Business/Ultimate; Windows 7. Administrative rights required.
-Internet Connection: Broadband connection to download and install the software.
-Hard Disk Space: 50 MB minimum.
-Third Party Software: Web browser to download and install the software (e.g. Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 or higher, Firefox, Chrome, or Safari); Java Runtime Environment JRE 1.5 or higher (standard on most computers or available for free at http://www.java.com).
-Speakers or headphones (close-talking microphone headset recommended but not required).
-Mouse or keyboard.
Reference List
• Cherney, L. R., Halper, A. S., Holland, A. L. & Cole, R. (2008). Computerized Script Training for Aphasia: Preliminary Results.American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology,17, 19 - 34.
• Cherney, L. R. & Halper, A. S. (2008). Novel Technology for Treating Individuals with Aphasia and Concomitant Cognitive Deficits.Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation, 15(6), 542-554.
• Holland, A. L., Halper, A. S., & Cherney, L. R. (2010). Tell me your story: Analysis of Script topics selected by persons with aphasia.American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 19, 198-203.
• Lee, J. B. & Cherney, L. R. (2008). The Changing "Face" of Aphasia Therapy. Perspectives on Neurophysiology and Neurogenic Speech and Language Disorders, 18, 15-23.
• Lee, J. B., Kaye, R. C., Cherney, L. R. (2009). Conversational script performance in adults with non-fluent aphasia: Treatment intensity and aphasia severity.Aphasiology, 23(7), 885-897.
• Mannheim, L., Halper, A. S. & Cherney, L. R. (2009). Patient-Reported Changes in Communication after Computer-Based Script Training for Aphasia. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 90(4), 623-627.
- Contact Us
Center for Aphasia Research and TreatmentRehabilitation Institute of ChicagoPhone: 312-238-6163
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