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A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of - Queen Margaret University

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experience <strong>in</strong> different ways and choose methods most suited to their particular<br />

learn<strong>in</strong>g techniques, support<strong>in</strong>g the literature advocat<strong>in</strong>g s<strong>in</strong>gle case studies.<br />

Therefore although the same stimuli might be used <strong>in</strong> rehabilitation, the differ<strong>in</strong>g<br />

approaches to learn<strong>in</strong>g may provide an explanation for the differences found <strong>in</strong><br />

the recovery <strong>of</strong> aphasia. This <strong>in</strong>formation could be fundamental to the success<br />

<strong>of</strong> language rehabilitation <strong>in</strong> that problems <strong>in</strong> facilitat<strong>in</strong>g restitution <strong>of</strong> language<br />

may not be caused by the particular tasks employed but rather the manner <strong>in</strong><br />

which they are presented to <strong>in</strong>dividual patients. Perhaps discover<strong>in</strong>g the<br />

optimum learn<strong>in</strong>g strategy for each <strong>in</strong>dividual before embark<strong>in</strong>g on the<br />

therapeutic process would identify the best methods and processes to use<br />

dur<strong>in</strong>g their rehabilitation process. The use <strong>of</strong> learn<strong>in</strong>g concepts could<br />

revolutionise the rehabilitation <strong>of</strong> aphasia and promote the identification and<br />

establishment <strong>of</strong> optimum methods <strong>of</strong> learn<strong>in</strong>g to facilitate the highest potential<br />

restitution <strong>of</strong> language and thereby the reduction <strong>of</strong> any harmful or redundant<br />

therapy tools or methods, hav<strong>in</strong>g a correspond<strong>in</strong>g effect on the reduction <strong>of</strong><br />

maladaptive neuronal connections. The <strong>in</strong>corporation <strong>of</strong> learn<strong>in</strong>g theory <strong>in</strong> future<br />

<strong>in</strong>vestigations could exam<strong>in</strong>e the constra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g factors <strong>of</strong> new learn<strong>in</strong>g by people<br />

with aphasia, which appear to reflect the constra<strong>in</strong>ts experienced by those<br />

people whose language is not restored as completely as others.<br />

The literature has demonstrated that without therapeutic <strong>in</strong>tervention<br />

maladaptive cortical connections can be made (see section 2.5.4). The<br />

rehabilitation <strong>of</strong> aphasia may therefore be that structured experience-dependent<br />

process required for provid<strong>in</strong>g the optimal experiential guidance for language<br />

recovery. It has been previously suggested that language rehabilitation does not<br />

address this neurological level (Davis, 1993). However <strong>in</strong> order to elim<strong>in</strong>ate such<br />

possible maladaptive cortical connections <strong>in</strong> the language area <strong>of</strong> the bra<strong>in</strong><br />

which would impact upon functional communication and possibly create<br />

connections that block or prevent further successful restitution, aphasia<br />

rehabilitation must beg<strong>in</strong> to address the impact <strong>of</strong> its processes on the creation<br />

278

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