Differentiating globally aphasic patients: Data from in-depth language assessments and production training using C-VIC

Abstract

It is commonly assumed that globally aphasic patients retain little or no propositional language abilities. Data are presented from six patients classified as globally aphasic who participated in a computer-based language production training program (C-VIC). Utilization of the C-VIC training program allowed for assessment of language skills, such as sentence production, that previously have been difficult to measure in globally aphasic patients. The results from language assessments and training data indicate some residual language skills in these patients, both in language comprehension and production. Implications as to the usefulness of augmentative communication systems for globally aphasic patients are discussed.