Pragmatica: A VR Tool for Autonomous Practice During Language Therapy

Abstract

Aphasia is a communication disorder that affects millions worldwide, but those affected by aphasia have limited access to in-person therapy. They compensate for this with at-home practice, but existing tools are either ineffective or require a clinician to be present. We present Pragmatica, a VR platform that enables people with aphasia to practice their communication skills independently at home through immersive, context-rich activities. In an eight-week case study, we compared Pragmatica with traditional therapy (4 participants per group). With no detected difference in Quick Aphasia Battery (QAB) scores, VR participants engaged in substantial practice (31 hours, 366 activities) and described the VR experience as engaging, fun, and motivating, but had a limited variety of relevant and unique activities. Our study contributes empirical evidence of VR’s feasibility for autonomous language practice, as well as design insights and considerations for accessible, aphasia-friendly VR systems (flexible controls, multi-modal prompts and inputs).