Current Research and Interests

We explore the neural basis of language processing in people who are born profoundly deaf. Our research focuses on sign language, speechreading and reading of written English. Exploring the brains of adults who have had very different sensory and language experience from the norm allows a unique perspective on how experience shapes the brain. For example, we have shown that parts of auditory cortex can be used to process visual information in people who are born deaf. Advances in this field are not only of theoretical interest, but are likely to also have important practical implications for how we educate deaf children, since the vast majority of deaf children find it very difficult to learn to read.

Visual Communication Group