Virtual Reality

Aphasia is a communication disorder caused by brain injury, resulting in difficulties understanding or producing language. People living with aphasia often face significant challenges in their social interactions, despite undergoing speech therapy.

To address these challenges, Eve Nadeau, a speech therapist in the stroke and other acquired non-traumatic brain injury program at the Centre de réadaptation en déficience physique Lucie-Bruneau, explored the use of virtual reality as a speech therapy tool for people with aphasia.

The REA Foundation supported this project by granting $6,798 for the purchase of a virtual reality headset (Meta Quest 2), access to therapeutic virtual reality software, and training on these tools and their therapeutic applications. Offering several scenarios for public speaking (auditorium, conference room, etc.), the software developed by C2Care allowed Eve Nadeau to experiment with the application of speech therapy techniques in immersive virtual environments.

To learn more about this project, the REA Foundation met with Eve Nadeau and Christian, a patient with aphasia, who introduced us to this approach. With Eve Nadeau’s guidance, Christian was able to practice communication through various virtual simulations, such as speaking in front of an auditorium, interacting in a conference room, or reading written materials.

“I sometimes have difficulty expressing myself when dealing with someone who is stressed or in a hurry. For example, there was a time when a delivery driver, unaware of my aphasia, was rude to me over the phone because he had trouble accessing my apartment. When he saw me in person and realized I had a disability, he understood the situation and apologized. These misunderstandings can happen, especially when my disability is less visible, like over the phone. Being able to practice these kinds of interactions in a virtual environment would help me a lot in expressing myself better and handling these situations.”

Testimony of Christian, a patient with aphasia.

Although there is not yet software that perfectly simulates human interactions, such as the ability to create a conversation with an avatar, exploring the C2Care software has paved the way for new research to better understand the needs for developing more advanced virtual reality tools, specifically designed to assist people with communication disorders.

“People with aphasia need to regain confidence in their ability to express themselves. This is why developing virtual reality tools tailored to their specific needs could be an effective way for them to practice communicating in real-life simulations, moving beyond the confines of the office while still remaining in a safe environment.”

Eve Nadeau, Speech-Language Pathologist in the Stroke and Acquired Non-Traumatic Brain Injury Program

Photo credit: Elisa Gallot