Language and Communication Laboratory

Description

Research within the Language and Communication Lab focuses on three main themes:

• the Mental Lexicon: understanding the mechanisms underlying word processing (recognition, comprehension and production) across the adult lifespan, in unilingual, bilingual and multilingual individuals.
• the study of language limitations accompanying acquired (stroke and TBI) and degenerative (Alzheimer’s disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment) neurological conditions.
• the assessment on how to overcome the effect of language limitations on individuals’ daily life and participation in the community.

A number of different quantitative and qualitative methods are used. These include behavioural psycholinguistic methods (e.g. lexical decision, naming), electrophysiological methods (ERPs), surveys, interviews and focus groups. Research is carried out within the scope of a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Partnership Initiative, Words in the World, with additional funding from the INTER network. Over the past years, members of the lab have acquired expertise in the Living Lab methodology.  Specifically, Eva Kehayia has been co-leading, with Bonnie Swaine, the Strategic Innovation Project entitled: “A rehabilitation living lab : Creating enabling environments for social participation and inclusion for individuals with physical, sensory and cognitive disabilities”. This project was funded by the FRQS and is the precursor of the FRQ funded Intersectoral Initiative entitled “Towards a more inclusive Quebec society”. Research within the latter, in conjunction with the Words in the World initiative, addresses issues pertaining to accessibility of language and communication in the real world (e.g., communities, museums, and libraries) by individuals with language limitations.

Key-words

Psycholinguistics, neurolinguistics, mental lexicon, language breakdown, aphasia, Alzheimer’s disease, living lab methodology, participation, inclusion, accessibility,unilingual, bilingual, multilingual processing in individuals with or without language limitations..

Axis and research theme

AXIS 1 – Sensory, Motor and Cognitive Functions and Activities
THEME 1 – Functional Mechanisms

Research team

Eva Kehayia, Ph.D., Director
Nancy Azevedo, Ph.D., Postdoctoral fellow 
Christie Brien, Ph.D., Postdoctoral fellow
Roya Khalili, Ph.D., Doctoral student

Contact information

Language and Communication Laboratory
CRIR–Jewish Rehabilitation Hospital
CISSS de Laval
3205, Alton-Goldbloom Place
Laval QC H7V 1R2