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Our Training Curriculum & Courses – Aphasia Institute
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The Aphasia Institute’s Supported Conversation for Adults with Aphasia (SCA™) education curriculum is designed specifically for healthcare professionals seeking to enhance their skills in working with clients with aphasia. Our institute is renowned as a premier teaching and learning center, committed to empowering individuals with aphasia and enabling effective communication.

The Aphasia Institute’s exceptional reputation is acknowledged in the International Journal of Aphasiology, as a place founded on values of autonomy, joint enterprise, empowerment, dignity, information evaluation, socialization, and access, all encapsulated in the fundamental concept of “conversational” partnership. With unwavering dedication, we strive daily to uphold this commitment throughout our courses.

Elevate your professional capabilities and make a profound impact in the lives of individuals with aphasia. Enroll in the SCA™ education courses and embark on a transformative learning experience that will shape your career in healthcare. From the novice student to the experienced clinician, the Aphasia institute has something fresh and exciting for everyone!

ASHA CE Provider approval and use of the Brand Block does not imply endorsement of course content, specific products or clinical procedures.

You know your clients are competent, intelligent individuals. With Supported Conversation for Adults with Aphasia (SCA™) techniques, you will learn how to work with clients to overcome the communication barriers aphasia creates, and then help them re-engage in everyday life. Best of all, you can teach clients and their loved ones how to communicate again.

During our comprehensive training sessions, you will acquire practical techniques and strategies applicable to various clinical scenarios such as assessment, counseling, group therapy, and working with both clients and their communication partners. We also teach you how to develop SCA™ -based programs at your own organization. To support your learning journey, we provide valuable resources, materials, and manuals. If you’d like to get a glimpse of SCA™ and Communicative Access, click here.

Our training courses are divided into three levels, each building on the previous.

  1. Introduction to SCA™ (eLearning)
  2. SCA™ CORE Training (2-day)
  3. Advanced/Applied SCA™ Training

*DISCOUNT: If signing up for two or more courses, there is a 10% discount. Please use discount code: ‘d10’

All our training programs are delivered online through the Community Hub platform and Zoom. If you would like us to conduct an off-site training at your location, please email us at: training@aphasia.ca

This module provides an overview of the basic concepts of Supported Conversation for Adults with Aphasia (SCA™). Participants will develop an understanding of aphasia and how it affects communication and learn techniques to decrease language barriers and improve access to healthcare for individuals with aphasia. This training is open to All Healthcare Professionals.

Upcoming Sessions: Available as a self-paced eLearning program 24/7
Fees: Free of charge
Pre-requisites: None

You need to have a Community Hub account to complete this eLearning.

In this 2-day online course: Participants develop an understanding of Supported Conversation for Adults with Aphasia (SCATM) theory, and demonstrate skill in SCATM techniques through role-play. Participants then expand knowledge of SCATM by practicing techniques with clients; demonstrate skills relative to SCATM applications; and develop an implementation plan to enable communicative access in their workplace. This training is open to All Healthcare Professionals.

Satisfactory completion of the course will require (to qualify for ASHA CEU credits):

  • Attending the course in full
  • Submitting a course evaluation which includes self-assessment and intent to change

Upcoming Sessions:

  • Jan 20 & 21, 2025 (9am to 4:30pm ET)
  • May 5 & 6, 2025 (9am to 4:30pm ET)


Fees: $888 CAD

ASHA CEUs: 1.15 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate level; Professional area)

Pre-requisites: Introduction to SCA™ (eLearning)

You must be logged in to Community Hub to request to join. Don’t have an account?
Sign-up here.

Free Spots for Ontario Healthcare professionals

The Aphasia Institute in partnership with Ontario Health is pleased to provide Free training spots for the SCA™ Core (A2 & A3) Course for all healthcare professionals in Ontario. Our system will randomly choose eligible candidates on a rolling basis for each free spot available and if you’re chosen, we will reach out to you to confirm your availability for the next training date. Please click here to apply.

Upcoming Sessions:
– Dec 2 & 3, 2024 (9am to 4:30pm ET)
– Feb 3 & 4, 2025 (9am to 4:30pm ET)

Advanced/Applied SCA™ Training Options

We offer a variety of advanced/applied training programs that are specific to clinical scenarios.

SCA™ and Group

In this 2 half-day online course, participants who work with groups will learn to adapt SCA™ to a group setting. Trainees will have the opportunity to observe a live program with people living with aphasia and have a discussion afterwards. This training is open to All Healthcare Professionals.

Satisfactory completion of the course will require (to qualify for ASHA CEU credits):

  • Attending the course in full
  • Submitting a course evaluation which includes self-assessment and intent to change

Upcoming Sessions:

  • Nov 26 & 27, 2024 (9am to 1pm ET)
  • April 15 & 16, 2025 (9am to 1pm ET)


Fees: $362 CAD
ASHA CEUs: 0.70 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate level; Professional area)
Pre-requisites: SCA™ CORE Training

You must be logged in to Community Hub to request to join. Don’t have an account? Sign-up here.

It Takes Two to Tango: Helping Partners Communicate

In this full-day online course, Speech-Language Pathologists already proficient in Supported Conversation for Adults with Aphasia (SCA™) develop skills in helping people affected by aphasia become better communication partners. Through guided observation, participants acquire strategies for conducting conversation partner training. This training is open to Speech-Language Pathologists only.

Satisfactory completion of the course will require (to qualify for ASHA CEU credits):

  • Attending the course in full
  • Submitting a course evaluation which includes self-assessment and intent to change

Upcoming Sessions:

  • Nov 20, 2024 (9am to 4pm ET)
  • April 7, 2025 (9am to 4pm ET)


Fees: $613 CAD
ASHA CEUs: 0.55 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate level; Professional area)
Pre-requisites: SCA™ CORE Training

You must be logged in to Community Hub to request to join. Don’t have an account? Sign-up here.

Counselling for People with Aphasia

The focus of this half-day online course is to share the Life Participation Approach developed at the Aphasia Institute in the context of counselling for people with aphasia and their families. Counselling principles, themes and approaches utilized by Speech Language Pathologists and Social Workers at the Aphasia Institute will be introduced. Participants will learn how to make counselling accessible to people with aphasia through the use of SCA™ techniques. This training is open to All Healthcare Professionals.

Satisfactory completion of the course will require (to qualify for ASHA CEU credits):

  • Attending the course in full
  • Submitting a course evaluation which includes self-assessment and intent to change

Upcoming Sessions:

  • Nov 12, 2024 (9am to 1pm ET) – REGISTRATION CLOSED
  • May 13, 2025 (9am to 1pm ET)


Fees: $272 CAD
ASHA CEUs: 0.35 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate level; Professional area)
Pre-requisites: SCA™ CORE Training

You must be logged in to Community Hub to request to join. Don’t have an account? Sign-up here.

Train the Trainer: Bringing SCA™ to the World

In this full-day online course, Speech-Language Pathologists develop an understanding about teaching methodology in Supported Conversation for Adults with Aphasia (SCATM) and develop skills to teach the training to other healthcare professionals. This training is open to Speech-Language Pathologists only.

Satisfactory completion of the course will require (to qualify for ASHA CEU credits):

  • Attending the course in full
  • Submitting a course evaluation which includes self-assessment and intent to change

Upcoming Sessions:

  • Nov 4, 2024 (9am to 4pm ET)
  • March 3, 2025 (9am to 4pm ET)


Fees: $613 CAD
ASHA CEUs: 0.55 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate level; Professional area)
Pre-requisites: SCA™ CORE Training

You must be logged in to Community Hub to request to join. Don’t have an account? Sign-up here.

Our Instructors Disclosures are available here

Aphasia Institute is committed to providing universal access to all of our trainings. Please contact us at training@aphasia.ca or call us at 416-226-3636 ext. 123 if you require any accommodations.

If you have questions regarding any of the training programs, please reach out to us at: training@aphasia.ca



"Invaluable experience and education. Beautiful opportunity to provide the ability to use conversation with all people. Inspired to continue to make a difference in others’ lives. "
- Anonymous
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