Research targeting therapy over-a-distance through the use of technology, or telepractice, encompasses a wide range of communication disorders in adults and children; however, studies that examine online service delivery to individuals diagnosed with aphasia—a neurological disorder caused by damage to the portions of the brain that are responsible for language production or processing—are limited (NINDS, 2017). Unfortunately, once persons with aphasia (PWA) are homebound, the intensive rehabilitation required to restore language skills may not be realistic. As such, Internet technology has the promise of extending frequent treatment to stroke patients in their homes. The purpose of this investigation was to further the evidence base by investigating two evidence-based prompting techniques used in aphasia treatment—semantic versus phonological cueing—via telepractice to one participant. Accordingly, this investigation utilized a single-subject comparison design to measure picture naming accuracy. While the participant demonstrated a minimal increase in performance following baseline for both semantic cueing treatment (SCT) and phonological cueing treatment (PCT) approaches, there was a slightly higher level of accuracy following the PCT approach. In addition, improved response time was observed following intervention for both SCT and PCT.
Keywords: telehealth, telerehabilitation, videoconferencing, stroke
