Using eye-tracking to study anaphoric relations processing in European Portuguese

In this study we evaluate processing costs of different types of anaphoric expressions during reading. We consider three types of anaphoric expressions in Subject sentential position: a null pronoun (pro), and two gaps produced by syntactic movement: a WHvariable and a NP copy. Given that coreferential pro exhibits more referential weight than wh- and NP-gaps, and grounded on theories of referential processing based on relations of hierarchy and accessibility of the antecedent, we raise the hypothesis that the more dependent on its antecedent the anaphoric null constituent is, and the more minimal is the distance in terms of hierarchical structure between the anaphoric null element and its antecedent, the lower are the cognitive costs in processing. To test our hypothesis, we registered the eye movements with R6-HS ASL system of 20 Portuguese adult native speakers. Text regions including the selected anaphoric expressions were delimited and tagged. We analyzed the reading time of each region taking into account the number and duration of eye fixations per region; we used the reading time by character in milliseconds in order to compare values between regions of different length. We found a significant advantage in the reading time of the gaps arising from movement over the reading time of pro.

Evaluating the efficacy of monaural vs. binaural FM fittings in children with auditory processing disorders

The purpose of this project was to determine whether a monaural FM or binaural FM fitting strategy is more appropriate for children with Auditory Processing Disorders.

Effect of auditory processing on the preference of monaural amplification for adults with symmetrical hearing loss

The purpose of this project was to determine if subjects with symmetrical hearing loss who prefer a monaural hearing aid fit to a binaural hearing aid fit may demonstrate an auditory processing disorder causing them to experience binaural interference when fit binaurally.

Are distortion levels a problem with digital signal processing hearing aids and frequency modulation (FM) systems?

The purpose of this study was to examine objective and subjective distortion present when frequency modulation (FM) systems were coupled with four digital signal processing (DSP) hearing aids. Electroacoustic analysis and subjective listening tests by experienced audiologists revealed that distortion levels varied across hearing aids and channels.

The reassessment of central auditory processing disorders in children 7 to 12 years of age

This paper provides a review of central auditory processing disorders in children.

Central auditory processing: a current literature review and summary of interviews with researchers on controversial issues related to auditory processing disorders

This paper discusses issues related to Auditory Processing Disorders (ADP) evaluation and management, focusing mainly on the disorder in children.

Phonological processing in the reading of deaf and normally hearing children

This paper reviews measurement of phonological processes in reading among deaf children and children who are of normal hearing.