....RESEARCH

The permanent academic faculty of the Department have been and/or are currently engaged in the following research areas:

• Neurogenic speech and language disorders.
  Development and application of diagnostic and treatment methods for aphasic individuals.
  Neuroscience of treatment of speech and language disorders.

• The syntax of the clausal structure (subjunctive clauses, Control theory).
  The syntax of clitics and their acquisition.
  The syntax of Prepositions and their acquisition.
  Issues in the syntax of SLI and Parkinson’s.
  Balkan languages, Cypriot Greek

• Speech Signal Processing using advanced moment enhanced spectrogram
  techniques.
  Differential Diagnosis using Fuzzy Cognitive Maps and Case Based Reasoning.
  AAC (augmentative alternative communication) technology.
  Development of special software for the field of Speech Language Pathology.

• Bilingual aphasia with emphasis on the Lexicon.
  Broca’s aphasia, anomia and the role of inflection.

• Learning disabilities and hearing impairment. Central Auditory Processing
  Disorders.
  Speech and language development of cochlear implanted children.
  Standardization of articulation tests for Greek.
  

Research Grants

The following research projects are being funded by the grant:

“Archimedes: Empowerment of Research groups in the Technological Educational Institutes.”

• Knowledge Based Reasoning Tools for Decision Support in Speech and
  Language Pathology
  Principal investigator: Voula Georgopoulos
  
  Speech and language disorders may have a serious impact on a number of aspects of daily life. The objective of this research program is the development of new knowledge-based methodologies of decision support in the diagnosis and treatment, what will be used in the designing of effective computing tools of support of critical decisions in speech and language pathology. These tools will function complementary and in support of existing methods and processes of decision-making in communication disorders for both diagnosis and intervention as well prognosis. They will be based on the intelligent methodologies of Fuzzy Cognitive Maps, Case Based Reasoning. The selected methodologies are based on the human way of reasoning and management of knowledge and experience. The development of methodologies and tools will follow the way of thinking and the process of decision-making used by speech pathologists. Also they will be applied in the clinical practice.
  (1/2/2004-31/12/2007)

• The Structure of Prepositions in Normal, Early and Impaired Language
  Principal investigator: Arhonto Terzi
  
  The project investigates the linguistic properties of prepositions/prepositional phrases, in Greek and crosslinguistically, within the framework of generative grammar. It aims at a thorough understanding of the syntactic and semantic structure of prepositions and their historical relationship and structural similarities with other grammatical categories.

  It also studies:
  a) the acquisition of prepositions by native speakers of Greek with normal language development.
  b) the behavior of native speakers of Greek with impaired language, in particular, of speakers with SLI and agrammatism in the same domai.

  Τhe findings of the above populations are compared with the aim to:
  a) contribute to the theoretical claims concerning the status of prepositions in grammar.
  b) understand the process of acquisition and maturation of the structure of prepositions, as well as the similarities and differences of this process with language breakdown.
  (1/2/2004-31/12/2007)