Spartan Aphasia Research Clinic (SPARC)

SPARC Spring 2026

SPARC Fall 2025 Team

SPARC in Spring 2026 (top) and Fall 2025 (bottom).

The Spartan Aphasia Research Clinic (SPARC) was founded in June 2017 by Dr. Nidhi Mahendra and is a part of the Kay Armstead Center for Communicative Disorders in the Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences. SPARC is modeled on the Life Participation Approach for Aphasia (LPAA), which centers the rights of persons with aphasia to communicate, engage actively, and to be included in all life roles and contexts. 

SPARC integrates three priorities for providing individual and group aphasia therapy, advancing clinical research on evidence-based aphasia assessment and intervention, and investing in training future speech-language pathologists. SPARC brings LPAA to life through a rich combination of individual evidence-based therapy, varied aphasia groups, client-centered clinical research, and organizing community-based aphasia awareness and advocacy events. 

Aphasia Awareness Videos

In Spring 2026, SPARC members and their loved ones collaborated on a project to spread aphasia awareness. They recorded videos for June, aphasia awareness month. We encourage people to watch and share these videos widely to help educate the public on aphasia and how it affects lives.

In June 2026, one new video will be posted each week beginning Tuesday, June 9 and ending on Tuesday, June 30.

SPARC Team Lead by:

Examples of SPARC Aphasia Groups

  • Aphasia Book Club
  • Aphasia Choir
  • Art Group
  • Conversation Groups
  • Gaming Group
  • Everyday Technology for Aphasia Care 
  • Variety Group (a little bit of everything!)

NOTE: Groups change every semester. Not all groups listed here. 

Media Spotlight on SPARC and Aphasia

Funding Support

  • El Camino Hospital and Healthcare District 
  • Mary and Gary West Foundation
  • Philanthropic Gifts (Jindia family)
  • Kay Armstead Center for Communicative Disorders (KACCD)

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