Using Virtual Technology to Promote Functional Communication in Aphasia: Preliminary Evidence From Interactive Dialogues With Human and Virtual Clinicians
Open accessAbstract
Purpose: We investigated the feasibility of using a virtual clinician (VC) to promote functional communication abilities of persons with aphasia (PWAs). We aimed to determine whether the quantity and quality of verbal output in dialogues with a VC would be the same or greater than those with a human clinician (HC). Method: Four PWAs practiced dialogues for 2 sessions each with a HC and VC. Dialogues from before and after practice were transcribed and analyzed for content. We compared measures taken before and after practice in the VC and HC conditions. Results: Results were mixed. Participants either produced more verbal output with the VC or showed no difference on this measure between the VC and HC conditions. Participants also showed some improvement in postpractice narratives. Conclusion: Results provide support for the feasibility and applicability of virtual technology to real-life communication contexts to improve functional communication in PWAs. Supplemental Material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.6170252
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Kalinyak-Fliszar et al. (2015) introduced a virtual clinician to guide participants through scripted dialogues aimed at supporting functional communication.
“Kalinyak‐Fliszar et al. (2015), introduced a virtual clinician (VC) to guide participants through scripted dialogues aimed at supporting functional communication.”
From Exploring the Effectiveness of Technology‐Based Interventions in Aphasia Rehabilitation: A Systematic Review (2026) · cites this paper as Kalinyak‐Fliszar et al. 2015
VR allows patients to engage in simulated environments that imitate real-world communication scenarios, unlike face-to-face therapy approaches.
“Unlike face‐to‐face therapy approaches, VR allows patients to engage in simulated environments that imitate real‐world communication scenarios (Kalinyak‐Fliszar et al. 2015).”
From Exploring the Effectiveness of Technology‐Based Interventions in Aphasia Rehabilitation: A Systematic Review (2026) · cites this paper as Kalinyak‐Fliszar et al. 2015
Practising everyday dialogues with a virtual clinician produced outcomes comparable to face-to-face SLT sessions, with improvements in both informativeness and communicative efficiency.
“Practising everyday dialogues with a virtual clinician produced outcomes comparable to face‐to‐face SLT sessions, with improvements in both informativeness and communicative efficiency (Kalinyak‐Fliszar et al. 2015).”
From Exploring the Effectiveness of Technology‐Based Interventions in Aphasia Rehabilitation: A Systematic Review (2026) · cites this paper as Kalinyak‐Fliszar et al. 2015
Cites
Young, V., & Mihailidis, A. (2010) · Assistive Technology · doi:10.1080/10400435.2010.483646 · Cited by 149 · see citing works
Lee, J. B., Kaye, R. C., & Cherney, L. R. (2009) · Aphasiology · doi:10.1080/02687030802669534 · Cited by 92 · see citing works
Sentactics®: Computer-automated treatment of underlying forms
Thompson, C. K., Choy, J. J., Holland, A., & Cole, R. (2010) · Aphasiology · doi:10.1080/02687030903474255 · Cited by 82 · see citing works
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Technology-Based Rehabilitation to Improve Communication after Acquired Brain Injury
Des Roches, C. A., & Kiran, S. (2017) · Frontiers in Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnins.2017.00382 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Alhejji, B., Cunningham, S., Dorney, S., & Palmer, R. (2026) · International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders · doi:10.1111/1460-6984.70322 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
- Authors
- Kalinyak-Fliszar, M., Martin, N., Keshner, E., Rudnicky, A., Shi, J., & Teodoro, G.
- Affiliations
- Temple University (US)
- Carnegie Mellon University (US)
- Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
- Venue
- American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology
- Published
- 2015-11
- Volume
- 24
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- S974-89
- ISSN
- 1058-0360 (ISSN-L)
- 1558-9110
- PMC
- PMC4698476
- OpenAlex
- W1943477500
- Cited by
- 16
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 3
- FWCI
- 3.90
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Temple University
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (R21DC012245, R01DC013196, R01DC001924)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Occupational Therapy › Assistive Technology in Communication and Mobility
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Voice and Speech Disorders
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Social Robot Interaction and HRI
- Keywords
- aphasia, functional communication, speech therapy, virtual reality, verbal output, interactive dialogue
- MeSH terms
- Aphasia, Broca, Communication, Feasibility Studies, Female, Humans, Language Therapy, Male, Middle Aged, Neuropsychological Tests, Practice, Psychological, Therapy, Computer-Assisted, User-Computer Interface, Narration
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