01
Museum Exploratory Behaviors Study
As a postdoctoral researcher with Dr. Rain Bosworth's NTID PLAY Lab, I am working on the MEBS project, spearheaded by Dr. Rain Bosworth and Dr. Ali Fitch. The Museum Exploratory Behaviors Study examines how deaf and hearing children explore objects in a museum environment. We aim to understand children's natural tactile exploration patterns and how exploratory behaviors connect to language skills, cognition, and other factors.Want to learn more? Visit the MEBS project page at the NTID PLAY Lab Website!
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(MEBS is funded by NIH Grant #1R15DC021349-01)
02
Embodied Learning in Immersive Virtual Reality for DHH Adults and/or Sign Language Users
** I will be giving a talk about this project at the 2025 International Congress on the Education of the Deaf in Rome, Italy on July 7-11, 2025 **
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Working with the Action & Brain Lab from Gallaudet University, our research explores how virtual reality (VR) can enhance learning for deaf and hard-of-hearing people who use American Sign Language. We are investigating whether interactive VR creates better learning experiences than watching videos, particularly for STEM subjects like chemistry. Sign language is naturally visual and physical, making VR a powerful tool that aligns with how deaf people communicate and process information. I used EEG technology to measure brain activity in sensorimotor regions—areas that activate when we perform or observe physical movements—while participants learned chemistry concepts. We also used psychological measures to investigate learning gains and user motivation.
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This is my dissertation research, which I successfully defended in May 2024. My published dissertation can be found here. If you have any difficulties accessing the document, please don't hesitate to reach out for a PDF copy!
