Aphasia Talks: Photography as a Means of Communication, Self-Expression, and Empowerment in Persons With Aphasia
By Levin, Tal; Scott, Billie M.; Borders, Brigette; Hart, Katie; Lee, Jasmine; Decanini, Anthony; Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation, Vol. 14, No. 1, pp. 72-84Publication Date: January/February 2007
Article focuses on a photography class called Aphasia Talks, which was created to facilitate self-expression among people with aphasia resulting from a stroke. Aphasia Talks is based on Photovoice, which is a method in which participants take photographs of their everyday lives, and reflect on the photographs during interviews. Five people with aphasia participated in the study, as a two- to three-hour class was held once a week for a period of five weeks. In the first class session, Canon Powershot A410 cameras were handed out to participants. The participants were then asked to take pictures based on the themes of past, present, and future in their lives. Each individual was given the opportunity to stand up in front of the group and present photos, explain the content, and discuss why it was important. Participant satisfaction was measured in exit interviews that asked the participants to rate the general features of the class. The class rated very highly among the participants, as it encouraged self-expression and empowerment among the participants, who enjoyed gaining insight into the problems faced by other people living with stroke. Interested parties can visit the Aphasia Talks project online (http://www.aphasiatalks.org) for more information.
Published by: Thomas Land Publishers, Inc. (Website:http://www.thomasland.com)
National Stroke Association (Web Site: http://www.stroke.org )
