DCAL Research Data Archive 2006-2016

DCAL is the largest deafness and sign language research centre in Europe, bringing together leading Deaf and hearing researchers in the fields of sign linguistics, psychology, and neuroscience. Based at University College London (UCL) and funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), DCAL places sign languages and Deaf people in the centre of the general understanding of how language and communication work within linguistics, psychology, and child development.

Deafness is an important model for exploring questions in linguistics, cognitive sciences, and in neuroscience, and this is now much more widely recognised (thanks in large part to DCAL's research efforts over the last five years). The vast majority of research studies on language and thought are based on languages which are spoken and heard, and DCAL's research provides a unique perspective on language and thought based on Deaf people's communication.

DCAL is committed to knowledge-exchange relating to its research agenda with professional groups who work with d/Deaf individuals and organisations of and for the d/Deaf. The research programme also follows clinical developments in relation to hearing intervention, especially cochlear implantation, as this changes the experience of deafness.

Two overarching themes drive DCAL's research:
(1) How is communication shaped by deafness and the use of sign language?; and
(2) How does deafness and early language experience impact on cognitive functions beyond language?

Both themes consider the effects of deafness, delayed language development, and sign language use across the lifespan by studying children, adolescents, and adults, including those with impaired signing, and compare this to both hearing and deaf non-signers and behavioural and neural levels.

The DCAL Research Data Archive retains and archives all DCAL-funded and some DCAL-associated research data; this includes stimuli, generated data, demographic information, etc. Where permissions allow, this research data can be reused for further research – please contact the DCAL Data Manager for access information.<p>The vast majority of research studies on language and cognition are based on languages which are spoken and heard. DCAL's research provides a unique perspective on language and thought by placing sign languages and Deaf people in the centre of our understanding of language and communication.

DCAL’s research since 2006 has contributed substantially to the recognition that deafness is an important model for exploring questions in linguistics, cognitive sciences and neuroscience.</p>

DCAL是欧洲规模最大的耳聋与手语研究中心，汇聚了手语语言学、心理学、神经科学领域的顶尖聋人研究者与健听研究者。该中心依托伦敦大学学院（University College London，UCL）设立，由经济与社会研究理事会（Economic and Social Research Council，ESRC）资助，致力于将手语与聋人群体置于语言学、心理学及儿童发展领域中关于语言与沟通本质的核心认知框架之中。

耳聋是探索语言学、认知科学及神经科学相关问题的重要模型，这一观点如今已获得更广泛的认可——这在很大程度上得益于DCAL近五年来的研究成果。目前绝大多数语言与思维相关的研究均以口头及听觉语言为基础，而DCAL的研究则基于聋人群体的沟通方式，为语言与思维的探索提供了独特视角。

DCAL承诺与服务聋人群体（d/Deaf）的专业团体、聋人相关组织及为聋人群体服务的机构开展研究议程相关的知识转化工作。其研究计划同时关注听力干预领域的临床进展，尤其是人工耳蜗植入（cochlear implantation）技术，因为该技术正改变着人们对耳聋的体验。

DCAL的研究由两大统领性研究主题驱动：
(1) 耳聋与手语的使用如何塑造沟通？
(2) 耳聋及早期语言经验如何对语言之外的认知功能产生影响？

两大主题均通过研究儿童、青少年及成人（包括手语能力受损者），从行为与神经层面展开分析，探讨耳聋、语言发展延迟及手语使用在个体整个生命周期中的影响，并将结果与健听非手语使用者、聋人非手语使用者进行对比。

DCAL研究数据档案馆留存并归档所有由DCAL资助的研究数据，以及部分DCAL关联研究数据，内容涵盖实验刺激材料、生成数据、人口统计学信息等。在许可允许的范围内，此类研究数据可被再次用于后续研究——如需获取数据，请联系DCAL数据管理员咨询相关事宜。

绝大多数语言与认知相关研究均以口头及听觉语言为基础，DCAL的研究将手语与聋人群体置于我们理解语言与沟通的核心位置，从而为语言与思维的探索提供了独特视角。

自2006年以来，DCAL的研究极大推动了"耳聋是探索语言学、认知科学及神经科学相关问题的重要模型"这一认知的普及。