THIS IS THE WEB PAGE FOR THE GRADUATE COURSE ENTITLED
CODI 508
APHASIA IN ADULTS

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JACK S. DAMICO
FALL 2003

This page is designed to handle the material presented by Dr. Damico under the course rubric of CODI 508.  The course is listed as "Aphasia in Adults" and it is the clinical course in the graduate program at the University of Louisiana Lafayette that provides theoretical, empirical, and clinical considerations of the disability of aphasia and its implications.  There are several sets of buttons below that will link to information pertinent to the course and to some of Dr. Damico's research and writings on this topic.  Click on the topic that you seek.  Please note that I no longer place cursory notes on this website.  Rather, they are now placed in a BLACKBOARD system for registered students.

Click here to return to Dr. Damico's Home Page

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         Graduate Catalogue Description of the Course

A clinical study of speech and language disorders associated with aphasia in adults with emphasis on etiology, pathology, evaluation, and managment. Prereq: CODI 118, 219, 374

The study of aphasia is an extremely interesting exercise. It is richly clinical and strikingly theoretical in a very enlightening way. The main issues revolve around four questions (Rogers, Alarcon, & Olswang (1999):
    What is the nature and scope of the impairment with respect to speech, language,
            and  cognition?
    What are the limitations experienced by the individual with respect to communication?
    What are the emotional, psychological, and social consequences of living with aphasia
            for the individual as well as those playing significant roles in his or her life?
    What do we do on Monday morning to help overcome the impairments, limitations,
            and consequences?

The nature of aphasia will be investigated from a clinical case studies perspective. The aim is to allow student to see videos of individuals with aphasia and to enter into a learning exercise that will enable you to become an effective practitioner in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, community-based clinics, and various types of long-term care facilities.  As mentioned earlier, I believe that we are currently undergoing a metamorphosis in the neuropathologies.  We are moving away from a fairly simplistic medical model and dealing with a much more complex systems-theory/social model.  This model better approximates the needs of individuals in the neuropathologies but will require some sort of new framework.  This approach will be handled by recognizing the important conceptual issues and then by employing the World Health Organization's newest tripartite classification system of impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions.

      Some Linkages to other Web Sites of Interest