“Learning about aphasia from someone who lives with it”: Aligning academic-based service-learning with life participation approach to aphasia

As part of a collaborative academic-based service-learning experience, graduate students collaborated with individuals with aphasia to develop an educational training for community members. This study aimed to examine the impact of a collaborative academic-based service-learning experience on application of course content through community, academic, and interpersonal engagement. Participants included 36 graduate students in an aphasia course. In groups, they met twice and presented the training to the selected community members with the person with aphasia. After each meeting and the presentation, students wrote a reflective essay. Following the presentation, students completed the Three Aspects of Engagement Survey. Survey responses revealed increased community, academic, and interpersonal engagement. Thematic analysis of reflective essays (108 total) revealed five main themes: a) Evolving perceptions of aphasia, b) diverse characteristics of aphasia, c) communication strategies, d) collaboration, and e) outcomes of academic-based service-learning experience. Findings revealed that students applied course content and gained insight into the impact of aphasia on life participation. They felt empathy for individuals with aphasia and plan to implement holistic, individualised care as well as spread awareness in the community. This collaborative academic-based service-learning experience is linked to the framework for teaching the life participation approach to aphasia.