Qualitative changes following application of modified response elaborationtraining with apraxic-aphasic speakers

The purpose of this study was to examine the qualitative changes in verbal productions of two apraxic-aphasic speakers who had exhibited positive chan ges in content production following application of Response Elaboration Tra ining (RET). Picture descriptions and personal recounts were analysed utili sing a modification of the procedures developed by Saffran, Berndt, & Schwa rtz, 1989. Results revealed that the use of nouns was predominately greater than any other lexical type at the beginning and the end of treatment for both participants. The majority of the gains made in increased production o f content took the form of nouns. One speaker showed increases in other lex ical types (i.e., verbs, articles, personal pronouns) as well. Increased us e of constructions such as noun phrases and verb phrases were also noted.