DCAL (Deafness, Cognition and Language Research Centre)

We're pleased to share a recent talk by Dr Kate Rowley, delivered at Deaf Village Ireland.

The presentation explores research on deaf people and reading, challenging some widely held assumptions about literacy and considering how a Deaf Gain perspective can contribute to our understanding of reading development.

The recording is available below. Please note that there were technical issues at the beginning of the livestream, so the presentation starts at approximately 33 minutes.

New research from DCAL explores how reading ability in both deaf and hearing adults is linked to brain representations of speech derived from visual speech (speechreading).

The study found that stronger links between speechreading and language processing in the brain were associated with better reading ability.

Read the open access paper: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2535704123

Hi, I’m Zahra, a deaf PhD student at UCL. I’m looking for deaf adults in the UK to take part in my PhD research about BSL and thinking skills. They need to be born deaf, not an university graduate and can either be born in the UK or born abroad and learnt sign language before 5 years old.

If you're interested or know someone who might be, please email me at [email protected]

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DCAL’s Calum Medlock recently attended in Vienna as part of the SignGPT project.

During the conference, he gave a sponsor talk, presented a poster, and met researchers, developers and deaf professionals from around the world to discuss the future of sign language technologies.

Watch Calum’s short video reflecting on his experience at DeafTech 2026. 🤟

Ever wonder how your brain works?

We are looking for volunteers for a new brain scanning study!

Are you:
* Deaf (without a cochlear implant)?
* Right-handed?
* Between 18 and 60 years old?

Help us push science forward!

Email us today at [email protected] to join the study!

🚨 DCAL Paid Internship Opportunities 🚨

There’s still time to apply!
⏰ Deadline: Friday 29 May

Interested in gaining experience with DCAL?

Don’t miss this opportunity — apply now!
Find the application criteria and details here:

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-sciences/news/2026/mar/dcal-paid-internship-opportunities

ApplyNow

DCAL has submitted its response to the Government’s SEND reforms consultation.

Our response raises concerns that deaf children and young people are being overlooked within the proposed reforms, including issues around BSL recognition, language access, specialist support, and Qualified Teachers of the Deaf.

Read more via the link: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-sciences/news/2026/may/dcal-submits-response-government-send-reforms-consultation

DCAL’s paid internship applications are closing soon ⏳

If you’re deaf or deafblind and interested in research, psychology, linguistics, neuroscience, communications, accessibility, events, or community engagement, this is a great opportunity to gain paid experience at UCL.

We’re offering both:
• Research internships
• Professional Services internships

📅 Deadline: 29 May 2026 at 5pm

Find out more and apply:
🔗 Link in bio / visit:
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-sciences/news/2026/mar/dcal-paid-internship-opportunities