OSU Aphasia Initiative

Ohio State Interprofessional Practice and Education Experience


Title of the Interprofessional Practice and Education Experience

OSU Aphasia Initiative


Experience Status

Approved


Approval Date Range

2/26/2026 - 2/26/2027


Registration Details for Learners

Undergraduate students can register for SPHHRNG 3370S. Graduate students can reach out to Dr. Brello to discuss their personalized learning experience.

Criteria for Registering the IPE Experience

  • Involvement of learners from two or more professions, disciplines, degree programs, and/or community sectors.
  • Learner performance next to at least one objective related to Ohio State’s interprofessional collaborative practice competencies is assessed, and learners are provided feedback.
  • Learners actively learn about, from, and with each other, to improve health and healthcare outcomes for individuals, populations, and/or communities.
  • Learning objectives are directly related to one or more of Ohio State’s interprofessional collaborative practice competencies (Values/Ethics for Interprofessional Practice, Roles/Responsibilities, Interprofessional Communication, Teams & Teamwork, Collaborative Leadership, Evidence-based Practice).

Type of IPE Experience

  • Immersive clinical
  • Service learning
  • Research project
  • Capstone

IPEC Core Competencies Targeted by this IPE Experience

  • Communication: Communicate in a responsive, responsible, respectful, and compassionate manner with team members.
  • Evidence-based Practice: Utilize evidence to inform all aspects of interprofessional teamwork.
  • Roles and Responsibilities: Use the knowledge of one’s own role and team members’ expertise to address individual and population health outcomes.
  • Teams and Teamwork: Apply values and principles of the science of teamwork to adapt one's own role in a variety of team settings.
  • Values and Ethics: Work with team members to maintain a climate of shared values, ethical conduct, and mutual respect.

Quintuple Aim Strategic Goals Discussed in this IPE Experience

  • Improved health care team experience
  • Improved health equity
  • Improved patient / client experience
  • Reduced costs

Detailed Description and Purpose of the IPE Experience

The OSU Aphasia Initiative (AI) is a community-engaged clinical and learning program that provides students with hands-on experience working with adults who have chronic aphasia and other cognitive-communication disabilities. Founded in 2015, the Initiative blends interprofessional education (IPE), clinical training, and community service into a single learning environment. Students from Speech-Language Pathology, Occupational Therapy, Social Work, Medical Dietetics, and related disciplines participate in group sessions where they interact directly with “members”-adults living with long-term communication disabilities. These interactions give students practical experience in adapting communication, building rapport, and supporting meaningful participation. The AI also functions as a “live lab” for practicing assessment, communication-support strategies, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The purpose of this IPE experience is to help future clinicians learn how to effectively accommodate communication disabilities within their own professional roles, while promoting holistic, person-centered care. Students gain experience that many health-professional curricula do not typically provide, such as learning how aphasia affects daily living, health management, and access to services. Students completing this experience will be able to:

1.) Describe how aphasia impacts communication, participation, and well-being.
2.) Apply communication-support strategies during discipline-specific interactions.
3.) Recognize the complementary roles of various health professions in serving individuals with chronic communication disabilities.
4.) Participate collaboratively in a community-based, person-centered environment

This experience is ideal for students seeking meaningful engagement with adults with communication disabilities, interdisciplinary teamwork, and real-world application of communication-support skills.


Level of IPE Integration

  • 1. Foundations: Consists of introductory learning experience that equips learners with new knowledge and skills that enable them to interact and learn from professions, disciplines, and community sectors outside their own.
  • 2. Immersion: Participants learn about, with, and from others in an active learning situation while applying new knowledge and skills during the experience. The desired outcome for experiences offered at the immersion level is that learners will develop critical thinking skills as part of an interprofessional view that incorporates multiple perspectives, and acknowledges and encourages diversity in providing quality health and human services.
  • 3. Entry-to-Practice: Learners integrate their Interprofessional Education and collaborative knowledge and skills in experiential settings. These experiences may include but are not limited to learners actively engaged in team decision-making while filling gaps in care or services.

Attendance or Participation in the IPE Experience

  • Stand-alone for-credit course
  • Degree, program, and/or school requirement, but not within a course
  • Unit, module, or experience embedded within a for-credit course

Attendance or Participation is Voluntary or Required

  • Combination of required and elective or voluntary

Preparation Work Hours

  • 01. up to 1 hour
  • 03. 4 to 5 hours
  • 05. 8 to 10 hours
  • 02. 1 to 3 hours
  • 04. 6 to 7 hours
  • 06. greater than 11 hours

Frequency of the IPE Experience

  • 02. Semesterly – occurs each semester - AU/SP/SU

Duration and/or Timeline of the IPE Experience

  • Depends on the type of enrollment ( i.e., service-learning, practicum, capstone)

Campus and/or Location of the IPE Experience

  • Campus - Columbus
  • Distance Education
  • Community - OSU East

Average Number of Learners Participating in the IPE Experience

  • 04. 51-100

Target Audiences

College of Arts and Sciences (ASC)

  • Speech-Language Pathology (MA)

College of Dentistry


College of Education and Human Ecology (EHE)


College of Engineering


College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES)


College of Medicine

  • Bachelor of Science in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences – Health Information Management and Systems (HIMS)
  • Clinical Doctorate in Occupational Therapy (DOT)
  • Master of Dietetics and Nutrition (MDN)
  • Clinical Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT)
  • Master of Science in Health and Rehabilitation (MS in HRS)
  • Doctor of Medicine (MD)

College of Nursing


College of Optometry


College of Pharmacy


College of Public Health (CPH)


College of Social Work (CSW)

  • Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSSW)
  • Master of Social Work (MSW)

College of Veterinary Medicine


Ohio Dominican University


Other

Neuroscience, Marriage & Family Counseling

IPEC Core Competencies for the Experience

IPEC Core Competency: Values and Ethics

  • VE04. Value diversity, identities, cultures, and differences.
  • VE05. Value the expertise of health professionals and its impacts on team functions and health outcomes.
  • VE06. Collaborate with honesty and integrity while striving for health equity and improvements in health outcomes.
  • VE07. Practice trust, empathy, respect, and compassion with persons, caregivers, health professionals, and populations.
  • VE11. Support a workplace where differences are respected, career satisfaction is supported, and wellbeing is prioritized.
  • VE10. Contribute to a just culture that fosters self-fulfillment, collegiality, and civility across the team.
  • VE09. Maintain competence in one’s own profession in order to contribute to interprofessional care.
  • VE08. Apply high standards of ethical conduct and quality in contributions to team-based care.
  • VE02. Advocate for social justice and health equity of persons and populations across the life span.

IPEC Core Competency: Roles and Responsibilities

  • RR03. Incorporate complementary expertise to meet health needs including the determinants of health.
  • RR05. Practice cultural humility in interprofessional teamwork.

IPEC Core Competency: Communication

  • C01. Communicate one’s roles and responsibilities clearly.
  • C02. Use communication tools, techniques, and technologies to enhance team function, well-being, and health outcomes.
  • C03. Communicate clearly with authenticity and cultural humility, avoiding discipline-specific terminology.
  • C05. Practice active listening that encourages ideas and opinions of other team members.
  • C07. Examine one’s position, power, role, unique experience, expertise, and culture towards improving communication and managing conflicts.
  • C04. Promote common understanding of shared goals.
  • C06. Use constructive feedback to connect, align, and accomplish team goals.

IPEC Core Competency: Teams and Teamwork

  • TT02. Appreciate team members’ diverse experiences, expertise, cultures, positions, power, and roles towards improving team function.
  • TT08. Facilitate team coordination to achieve safe, effective care and health outcomes.

Collaborative Leadership

  • CL 1. Employ leadership practices that support interprofessional collaborative practice and team effectiveness.

Evidence-Based Practice

  • EBP 1. Use available evidence to inform effective teamwork and team practices.

Contact Person(s) and Contact Information for the IPE Experience

Jennifer Brello, EdD, CCC-SLP
Clinical Professor & Director, OSU Aphasia Initiative
Department of Speech & Hearing Science
brello.1@osu.edu