Bridging the Digital Divide: Building Health Self-Efficacy through Communication-Accessible Online Environments

Aphasia is a communication disability that can affect speaking, reading, writing, and/or understanding. It affects approximately one third of stroke survivors. Increasingly, the Internet is needed to access information and essential services such as healthcare and support. Using the Internet requires skills in reading, writing, and understanding. This can be difficult for people with aphasia. 

This research aims to co-design a software pack, called the Communication Accessibility Plug-in Pack (CAP-Pack), that will make it easier for people with aphasia to use the Internet. 

CAP-Pack will consist of:  

1. A Communication Accessibility Plug-in (CAP) that will make websites aphasia-friendly. 
2. Training materials to support people with aphasia and health professionals to use the software.
3. Guidelines for designing communication accessible websites. 

CAP-Pack will also help family members and carers and health professionals working with people with aphasia to provide support for using the Internet.

How to be involved

1. Participate in a focus group: We are inviting people with aphasia, their families and friends, and health professionals to talk to us about using the Internet with aphasia. 
2. Join our co-design team: We are inviting people with aphasia, their families and friends, and health professionals to work with us to co-design CAP-Pack. 

You can participate in-person at the University of Queensland or online using Zoom. 

If you would like to participate in this research project, please fill out this form.