Abstract
This article describes an Aphasia Communication Enhancement program in a university teaching clinic in which traditional therapeutic roles are expanded to include roles associated with a Life Participation Approach to Aphasia (LPAA Project Group, 2001). By stressing the importance of personal relevance, meaningfulness, and life purpose, graduate clinicians in speech-language pathology are taught to value the importance of communication priorities of individuals with aphasia and to develop collaborative skills for bringing them to the forefront. Examples of therapy planning strategies from the perspective of client choice and personal advocacy integrate the body structure/body process or impairment level, activity level, and participation level associated with the World Health Organization-International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (WHO-ICF; WHO, 2001) guidelines for people with disabilities. Clinical outcomes for individuals with aphasia are reported on the basis of therapy goals and objectives guided by the LPAA and the WHO-ICF. Learning outcomes for graduate clinicians are also presented.