BLOGGER TEMPLATES - TWITTER BACKGROUNDS »

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

The Diving Bell and The Butterfly Trailer (Friday November 30)



City Cinemas Angelika Film Center (add to My Theaters)
(City Cinemas) 18 W. Houston St., New York, NY 10012, 212-995-2000

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
PG-13 1 hr 54 mins 8.1/10 (650 votes)

Showtimes: 12:15pm | 2:45 | 5:15 | 7:45 | 10:15 | 12:30am


Lincoln Plaza Cinemas (add to My Theaters)
(Independent) 1886 Broadway, New York, NY 10023, 212-757-2280

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
PG-13 1 hr 54 mins 8.1/10 (650 votes)

Showtimes: 11:05am | 1:15pm | 3:30 | 5:50 | 8:10 | 10:30

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

AAC: Augmentative and Alternative Communication






Until recently, people with complex communication needs have had no access to professional interpreters. The Swedish Speech Interpretation Service (SSIS) is attempting to address this problem. This qualitative study reports on how 12 persons with aphasia experienced the services of a professional interpreter from the SSIS. The results are presented in two themes: (a) The purpose of using an interpreter, which addresses issues relating to autonomy, privacy, and burden on family members; and (b) perceptions of quality of service, which addresses issues relating to the skills and professionalism of and accessibility to interpreters. Results highlight the ongoing need for the SSIS and its importance to the participants. The professional interpreter as an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) “tool” that could be used to enhance the participation of people with aphasia in the community-at-large, is also discussed; as is whether relatives and other non-professionals or professional interpreters should interpret for people with aphasia.next....

Aphasia sufferer writes of his struggle


While working as an insurance agent in the morning of March 10, 2000, Tsuneo Kojima suffered a brain hemorrhage. The hemorrhage caused aphasia--which damages the part of the brain responsible for language and communication--leaving him unable to speak.

In his book, "Ki ga Tsuitara Shitsugosho --Tonikaku...Shibutoku Iko" (When I Came To, I Had Aphasia--Anyway...I'll Never Give Up), Kojima, of Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture, says he felt as if "his head had been struck by a hammer," and recalls his struggle with rehabilitation over a seven-year period.

Kojima, 66, was unconscious when he arrived at hospital by ambulance. But despite overcoming his brush with death, he was left unable to utter a single word, and was unable to tell doctors his name and address or pronounce numbers.

After being diagnosed with aphasia, his wife bought him books written for 4- and 5-year-old children who are just starting to read hiragana. He took a long time to recognize the characters, and he could not remember how to write them at all.

Difficulties with numbers compounded his struggles. For example, he did not know what number comes after one. "I wondered what I would do if I could not regain my speaking ability," he said.

next....