ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the relationship between aphasia therapy and treatment software. Treatment of the communication problems resulting from aphasia is usually a long and expensive process. Good theory is always clinically relevant. Models of rehabilitation should imply approaches to treatment. Recovery from aphasia appears to follow a basic pattern, subject to a number of different physical, psychological, and environmental factors. Clinicians designing treatment software cannot anticipate all possible patient behaviors, and programmers can code only a limited number of contingencies. Treatment software may eventually be organized much like treatment plans and lesson plans, consisting of task paradigms or “shells.” The clinician is responsible for treatment efficacy, not the microcomputer, software, programmer, designer, or publisher. Treatment conditions were randomly assigned to morning and afternoon sessions, five days a week, over a five month period. Powerful treatment programs are needed to allow clinicians to easily control task parameters and content for each patient.
