CSD Research Facilities

Aging and Communication Laboratory

Orange, Dr. J.B.
Studies conducted in the Aging and Communication Laboratory address language, discourse, pragmatics, and cognitive-communication of adults and older adults. Current research projects include the analyses of language, discourse, conversation, and pragmatics of individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and persons with Alzheimer's disease, frontal lobe dementia, primary progressive aphasia, traumatic brain injury, and right brain damage.

Aging and Physiological Assessment Laboratory

The general research mandate for this laboratory is to seek and understand the contribution of occupational activities, both biological and psychosocial, in advancing active life expectancy (independent living) for older adults. This laboratory also strives to develop and evaluate programs that target the prehabilitation and rehabilitation needs of frail older adults. Current research directives involve co-development of a physical activity telephone survey for use with seniors and ongoing analysis of a longitudinal fitness assessment database collected on a large sample of older adults attending community-based exercise programs.

Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Clinic (Thames Valley Children's Centre)

This Clinic is designed to provide assessment and management for children with craniofacial disorders. Through funding by the Ministry of Health, it employs a variety of medical, surgical and behavioral consultants to manage individuals with craniofacial problems. Individuals from the Southwestern region of the province are served by this clinic.

Oro-Facial Rehabilitation Unit (London Health Sciences Centre: University Campus)

This unit is a collaborative effort of the School of Dentistry, School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, and Department of Dentistry-LHSC. It is designed to provide dental and speech assessment and management of patients with oral and maxillofacial problems related to all aspects of oral function. Proesthetic management of these oral problems is a primary function of the Unit.

Laryngeal Endoscopy and Vocal Function Laboratory (London Health Sciences Centre: Victoria Campus)

This Laboratory is a collaborative effort of the Department of Otolaryngology, School of Communication Sciences and Disorders (Western) and Speech Pathology Unit, LHSC. It is designed to provide assessment and management of individuals with a variety of voice and resonance problems. It serves as a clinical, research and educational centre for medical and behavioral science students and medical residents.

Speech and Hearing Clinic

The mandate of the Clinic is to provide a high quality of speech, language and hearing services to individuals with a wide range of communication problems and their families, to provide clinical education experiences for students enrolled in graduate programs in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, and to support research in the area of communication disorders.

Child Language Laboratories

Skarakis-Doyle, Dr. E., Kertoy, Dr. M. K., Warr-Leeper, Dr. G.
Our goal is to increase the knowledge of language acquisition and language abilities/processes in normal and atypical language learners. By so doing, we seek to understand the nature of language impairments, disabilities and handicaps in children from infancy through adolescence. Fundamental to our efforts is the development of procedures to measure the language of atypical learners for the dual purposes of: 1) Identification of such children and 2) Documentation of outcomes of innovative intervention programs we have developed to enable their participation in society. Lab facilities include state-of-the-art video recording/editing suite with portable capabilities, computerized linguistic analyses capabilities, high and low tech materials for innovative intervention programs.

Voice Production Laboratory

Doyle, Dr. P. C.
Work conducted in the laboratory addresses a variety of questions related to normal and disordered voice production, in addition to perceptual evaluation of disordered voice. Three particular areas of research are currently being conducted. This includes an on-going program focusing on the perceptual evaluation of voice, determination of perceptual and productive characteristics of voice following treatment for laryngeal cancer, and finally, glottographic evaluation of the normal voice. Due to our interest in communication following treatment for head and neck cancers, we have also been conducting several studies addressing domains related to quality of life in these individuals.

Fluency Laboratory

Yovetich, Dr. W.S.
The Fluency lab is used to carry out clinical studies and collect data on the more experimental type research. Equipped with video camera vcr and monitor, PC for data analysis and computer based equipment for the treatment of stuttering. The lab also is outfitted with a "two-way mirror" for observation.

Stuttering Lab

Yovetich, Dr. W.S.

Auditory Research Laboratory

Booth, Dr. J.C.

Oral Physiology Laboratories

Martin, Dr. R.

Speech Physiology Laboratory

National Centre for Audiology

The National Centre for Audiology, located in the Elborn College Building, is a state-of-the-art audiology and hearing science teaching, research, and clinical service facility. Research at the NCA is supported by grants from the Ontario Rehabilitation Technology Consortium, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Ontario Research and Development Challenge Fund and the Networks of Centres of Excellence Program (CLLRnet), as well as through contracts and grants from private companies and other sources.

At present, the Centre has five primary laboratories, plus an active community hearing clinic. Later this year, we will open several new research laboratories and related facilities. This expansion has been funded by grants from the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Ontario Investment Trust, with significant support from private sector donors (more information).

Existing laboratories include:

Robert B. Johnston Aural Rehabilitation Laboratory and Bernafon Innovative Hearing Solutions Assistive Devices Laboratory (Dr. Mary Beth Jennings). Research in these laboratories is focused on the aural rehabilitation needs of older adults. The Devices Laboratory is equipped with the latest in assistive technologies for persons who are Deaf, deafened, and hard of hearing. Both laboratories are used in research, student training, assistive device consultation, and group intervention programs for older adults with hearing loss and their significant others through the H.A. Leeper Speech and Hearing clinic. Current research topics in Adult Aural Rehabiliation include: The role of health behaviour change models and perceived self-efficacy in adult aural rehabilitation; The application of Goal Attainment Scaling in adult aural rehabilitation; Determining readiness for aural rehabilitation; The benefits of group aural rehabilitation programs; Barriers and facilitators to the use of assistive technologies by older adults.
The Amplification Systems Laboratory (Drs. Jamieson, Parsa and Seewald) supports research to evaluate and improve hearing aids and other assistive listening devices. In one long-term project, we are developing improved procedures to characterize the electroacoustic performance of advanced, signal-processing hearing aids. In another continuing project, we are evaluating both existing hearing aids and pre-production hearing aid prototypes. This testing is undertaken under computer control using a battery of assessment and speech testing protocols developed at the NCA.
The Child Amplification Laboratory (Dr. Richard Seewald), undertakes research relating to the process of selecting and fitting hearing aids and assistive listening devices, with a particular focus on children. Topics of study include improved techniques for measuring residual auditory ability and for measuring and controlling physical acoustical characteristics and other factors affecting the accuracy of hearing aid selection. The techniques developed in this laboratory are now being applied to select and fit hearing aids in clinics throughout the world. The results of this research are disseminated to the broad community of audiologists and hearing aid specialists through scientific publications and the distribution of the Desired Sensation Level (DSL) software system for hearing aid selection. (more information)
The Child Hearing Research Laboratory (Dr. Prudence Allen), is the site for studies on the development of hearing and listening abilities in young children. Projects supported in the laboratory address how normally developing children process auditory information and how those abilities change with maturation, how processing may be disrupted in children with language and/or learning disorders, how auditory and learning skills may be affected by poor acoustic environments, and how performance on behavioural tests correlates with physiologic development as derived from evoked potential studies. While the development of research protocols takes place in-house, much of the data collection with younger children takes place at their day care centres and schools using equipment specially developed for field applications.
The Hearing Science Laboratory (Dr. Margaret Cheesman) houses studies focusing on improving understanding of hearing and hearing loss, particularly in the aging population and as it may be affected by environmental noise. This includes studies of the effects of aging on speech perception, growth of masking and other aspects of auditory ability and the relation between speech perception and more basic auditory abilities. The laboratory has developed a number of improved techniques for assessing speech understanding abilities in both hearing impaired clients and normal-hearing subjects. Tests developed in this laboratory include our Adaptive Speech Reception Threshold (ASRT) test and our Distinctive Features Differences (DFD) test, both of which are used in evaluation studies in our ASL, SCL, and elsewhere.
The Speech Communication Laboratory (Dr. Don Jamieson) supports research to improve our knowledge of how humans learn, understand and use spoken language. A broad range of studies are undertaken to investigate the acquisition of spoken language by young children, the influence of language experience, and the effects of the listening environment and of various auditory, cognitive and other disorders on spoken language understanding and use. Applications include improved training protocols for English-as-a-second language groups, and novel interventions for children who have an auditory processing disorder, hearing impairment, specific language impairment, or phonological disorder. The laboratory is also recognized internationally for the development of innovative software and hardware systems to support spoken language research, including advanced tools for speech and voice analysis, synthesis, and processing.
Clinical Research Laboratory containing a fully functional, state of the art audiology clinic and research center. Suitable for research in diagnostic audiology using both behavioural and electrophysiologic measures.
Anechoic Chamber and Laboratory housing a large (18x23x12 foot /interior dimensions) anechoic chamber with a 125 Hz cut-off wedge system on the walls and ceiling and removable sound absorbing panels for the floor. This facility will support a wide range of research projects requiring a highly-controlled sound field environment.
Electrophysiology Laboratory containing a new, RF shielded sound booth and spacious work and equipment areas.
Software Development Laboratory a joint undertaking of the NCA and CLLRnet, this facility will facilitate the efficient development of measurement and experimentation software for use throughout both organizations.
Acoustic Test and Measurement Laboratory with full capabilities for signal generation, recording, and analysis using the latest in sound and vibration technology.

Other NCA facilities:

Clinical Teaching Laboratory providing students with increased opportunity for hands on experience with audiologic equipment and protocols. Supported by Starkey Laboratories.
Assistive Devices Laboratory equipped with the latest in hearing instrument and other assistive listening technologies. Supported by Dahlberg, Canada.
Library and Reference Room with a wide selection of hearing literature in a quiet work environment directly within the NCA and containing multiple workstations to access digital resources. This space also facilitates research meetings involving up to 20 participants, supported by advanced audio/visual capabilities.
Siemens Seminar Room with comfortable seating for smaller research groups, this seminar room houses up to date audio/visual presentation capabilities in an acoustically well controlled environment.

Affiliated Research Laboratories:

NCA researchers collaborate on a range of projects with researchers from other programs. Facilities supporting such collaborations on the Western campus include the Voice, Child Language and Adult Language labs of several faculty members in Western’s Speech-Language Pathology program (see details above), as well as with researchers elsewhere on the Western campus. One such NCA-funded laboratory is:

the Reverberation and Acoustical Project Studio, housed in Talbot College (Dr. James McKay, Don Wright Faculty of Music) which enables advanced simulations of various acoustical room environments, in support of studies of musical acoustics.