Very Early Rehabilitation in Speech in patients with aphasia following stroke.

None listed

Trial Objectives To demonstrate that a standardised and prescribed intensive speech therapy regimen for aphasia is more effective and cost saving than non-standardised usual care training methods in the very early post-stroke recovery period. Primary Hypothesis: Very early aphasia therapy will result in greater improvement in communication at 12 weeks post-stroke, as measured by the Western Aphasia Battery-Revised; Aphasia Quotient (WAB-R (AQ)). Secondary Hypotheses: 1. VERSE aphasia therapy will result in a greater improvement in communication than UC-Plus aphasia therapy at 12 and 26 weeks post stroke, as measured by the WAB-R (AQ). 2. VERSE aphasia therapy and UC-Plus will each result in greater improvements in communication than U C alone, as measured by the WAB-R(AQ), at 12 weeks and 26 weeks post stroke. 3. VERSE aphasia therapy will result in greater improvements in connected speech than UC-Plus, as measured by Discourse Analysis, at 12 weeks and 26 weeks post stroke. 4. VERSE aphasia therapy and UC-Plus will each result in greater improvements in connected speech than UC alone, as measured by Discourse Analysis, at 12 weeks and 26 weeks post stroke. 5. Very early aphasia therapy (UC-Plus and VERSE) will result in better quality of life at 12 and 26 weeks post stroke than UC control. 6. Very early aphasia therapy (UC-Plus and VERSE) will be more cost-effective than UC at 12 and 26 weeks post stroke.