Cultural and linguistic adaptation of script training

Aphasia is a debilitating communication disorder resulting from damage to brain regions that support language.1 Due to their communication impairments, people with aphasia experience significant barriers to participation in daily life activities and decreased quality of life.2 These barriers are magnified in Spanish speakers with aphasia (SSWA) in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) To address these barriers, this proposal aims to develop and implement cultural- and language-specific adaptations of an evidence-based aphasia treatment, script training, to be delivered via open-source technology. Script training is an efficacious aphasia treatment that helps people with aphasia learn functional scripted sentences to increase daily life communication and improve well-being.7-12 However, this treatment has been applied almost exclusively to English speakers with aphasia using proprietary software. Open-source technology (Anki) offers an innovative solution to implement script training for SSWA in LMIC: it is low-cost, allows a participatory design for cultural and linguistic adaptations,13, 14 and can increase access to aphasia rehabilitation in LMIC.15 In addition, Anki uses an adaptive spaced practice algorithm based on theoretical learning accounts, which shows promise for scripted sentence learning.15}