The perspectives of Jordanian speech-language pathologists towards the use of augmentative and alternative communication for persons with aphasia.

PURPOSE: Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) has been shown to support communication and quality of life for persons with aphasia (PWA), yet its use in Jordan remains underexplored. This mixed-methods study aimed to investigate the perspectives of Jordanian speech-language pathologists (SLPs) towards the use of AAC for PWA.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Phase 1 involved a nationwide survey of 142 SLPs, with 101 responses analysed descriptively. Phase 2 of the study comprised two focus group discussions with 10 SLPs whose caseloads predominantly included PWA.

RESULTS

From Phase 1 of the study, it was noted that only 18.8% of respondents had introduced AAC to PWA, most commonly via mobile applications and gestures. While the majority believed AAC to be beneficial, some SLPs continued to have misconceptions about AAC. Qualitative content analysis of the transcripts from the focus group discussions revealed three themes, which were: (i) views about AAC, (ii) challenges faced when using AAC, and (iii) hopes for the future.

CONCLUSION

Jordanian SLPs expressed a strong interest in learning more about AAC and called for its inclusion in pre-service education and ongoing professional development. Findings highlight the need for culturally and linguistically appropriate AAC resources, caregiver training, and professional capacity building to promote AAC adoption in Jordan.