Research Themes (2006-2010)
1. Normative Data and Assessment Tools for British Sign Language
The aim of this crossgroup theme was to collect normative data about BSL signs and to use these data to develop assessment tools for BSL. This helped us to create a thorough description of the vocabulary and grammar of BSL.
Leaders: Dr. Kearsy Cormier and Dr. Adam Schembri.
2. Language Development
In the developmental group we were concerned with language, cognition
and the development of deaf children. The themes of DCAL: modality and
experience are very important in contexts of the developing deaf child.
For example how does sign language unfold in early and late sign
learners? What are the effects of delayed language exposure on wider
cognitive abilities? How do deaf children learn spoken and written
language? How does the developing deaf brain process signed an spoken
language. Our work aimed to feed into policy making and practice in the
education and support of deaf children in the UK.
Leader: Professor Gary Morgan
3. Face-to-Face Communication
There were two projects in this theme. The first was developing a test of speechreading for Deaf children. Current tests of speechreading arent designed for Deaf people, but for people with spoken English as a first language. We developed an adult test of speechreading for Deaf people which is very sensitive to differences between people (Deaf people are better speechreaders than hearing on this test), and so is helpful in understanding how useful watching speech may be for any Deaf individual.
Leader:
Professor Ruth Campbell
(retired)
4. Atypical Language
For over 100 years, insights into the brain
and its functions have come from the study of individuals with language
and communication impairments. Here we applied this approach to the
study of signers with language impairment, in order to explore (1) the
relationship between impairments in the channels of production and
perception and central processing of language; and
(2) the relationship between impairments in non-linguistic cognitive
functions and sign language function.
Leader: Professor Bencie Woll
5. Language Processing
We were interested in how all of language, but especially signs are
stored in your head, how they are accessed when you want to sign
something and how you understand them when someone else signs to you.
We cannot fully understand language processing until both signed and
spoken languages are studied.
Leader: Professor Gabriella Vigliocco
6. The Deaf Individual and the Community
This final theme was built on the work from the other themes. It
extended the scope of DCAL to issues in the study of language use in
the BSL signing community. There were two main areas within this
theme: (1) unimodal and bimodal bilingualism in the BSL community and
(2) the development of a sign language interpreter aptitude test.
Leader: Dr Adam Schembri
Page last modified on 28 feb 12 16:54
