Our Research

Children learn new words when they can connect the language they hear to the objects and events they see and touch in the surrounding world.  For deaf children learning sign language, both language input and information about the world are perceived through the visual modality. This means that deaf children must learn to skillfully alternate their gaze between people and things.  Our research aims to understand how deaf children acquire the ability to alternate visual attention in a way that maximizes language learning.   We are also studying how the amount and quality of parents’ language input impacts children’s sign language acquisition.  Read more about our ongoing projects here.