She was recently the subject of an article in Deaf Life in the April 1995 issue. In my current work, I am combining my focus as a Cognitive Psychologist with my interests in ASL and language processes in the brain. This work is being conducted at National Institutes of Health and Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. with help from Gallaudet University. Essentially, we take a picture of the brain while an individual is watching a videotape of signing. The images from the ASL signers are then compared to similar fMRI images from hearing individuals processing English.
Current theory holds that spoken and visual languages stimulate very similar responses in the brain.
Another series of studies is investigating deaf individuals who have had strokes. A stroke is when a blood vessel breaks in the brain, often damaging the brain. People with strokes may have trouble understanding and producing language. Previously, little was known about the impact of strokes on deaf adults. Professionals have had little data on the effects of strokes and brain damage on signing.