Current Projects
What makes listening hard work?
Have you ever noticed that following a conversation in a noisy restaurant or airplane can be tiring? We know that children experience a similar type of ‘effortful listening’ when listening in their classrooms. We are evaluating different environmental characteristics that make listening challenging. In this study, participants are asked to listen and repeat words and to tell us how they feel when they are listening. Adults and children who have typical hearing are invited to participate in this study.
What happens when we get distracted?
Imagine trying to follow a conversation in a really busy environment that is full of distractions. We are interested in how people resist and recover from distractions when trying to listen. In this study, participants are asked to judge sounds they hear through earphones while we measure their brain responses. Brain responses are recorded from a net of tiny sponges worn on the head. Adults and children who have typical hearing are invited to participate in this study.
Do cochlear implants reduce listening-related fatigue?
Adults and children with hearing loss face repeated listening challenges and communication stress that can lead to listening-related fatigue. We are interested in understanding if listeners with hearing loss who receive a cochlear implant experience a reduction in listening-related fatigue after their new cochlear implant is activated. In this study, participants are asked to complete a series of surveys about listening-related fatigue at various times before and after receiving a cochlear implant. Enrollment for this study is currently closed.
Teamwork makes the dream work!
Children with hearing differences are served by a variety of professionals in the school system. Educational audiologists and teachers of the deaf are two of the most important service providers for school-age children with hearing differences. Using a survey, we are interested in understanding what works and what does not work for these professionals when collaborating to serve children with hearing differences. Enrollment for this study has closed.