Research / Survey Opportunities

Agencies, Organizations, Universities and others are often looking for participation of families and professionals for current research and survey projects. Each opportunity listed below has contact information if you would like to participate. Please contact the specific entity that is sponsoring each research/survey opportunity if you would like more information.

Unless otherwise noted, Hands & Voices does not necessarily promote the goals and objectives of listed research/survey opportunities and participants are advised to clarify any questions/concerns prior to participation with contacts listed for each research/survey opportunity.

For information on submitting your project for inclusion on this page please read our Submittal Request Sheet.

DATES	NAME OF OPPORTUNITY	TARGET POPULATION
Ongoing	How Do Social and Linguistic Experiences Affect the Social and Emotional Well-Being of Young People with Hearing Loss?	Nationwide
Ongoing	The Learning to Look and Listen Project	Nationwide
Sept - Dec. 2026	Parental viewpoints: potential medical intervention with gene therapy for deafness in children	Nationwide
Thru Feb 2027	The Impact of Auditory Access on the Development of Speech Perception	Colorado/nearby states
Thru Dec 2027	Auditory Function in Children	Colorado/nearby states; also locations in Ohio and North Carolina
Thru Dec 31st, 2026	Language Access for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Adults	Nationwide
Thru January 2027	Dyads Study	Nationwide
Thru September 2027	Parent-Child Interaction in Deaf Families with Autistic Children (Ages 3–6)	Nationwide (United States) — fully remote study
Thru Dec 31st, 2026	GeneTIC Patient Perspectives Study	Nationwide
Ongoing	Early Childhood Trajectories and Barriers for Bilingual Children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing: A Mixed-Methods Study	Nationwide
Ongoing	Measuring Auditory Brain Responses in Children with Cochlear Implants	Colorado and nearby states
Thru June 30th, 2029	Sign Language Psychological Processing in deaf/HoH individuals	Nationwide
March 23, 2026 – November 23, 2026	Preferred interactions of multilingual parents with deaf/hard of hearing children using arts-based research: A pilot study	Washington D.C.
Ongoing	Paid Study – Test a New Learning App for Parents of DHH Children!	Nationwide
Thru 2027	The Impact of Auditory Access on the Development of Speech Perception	Colorado
Thru 2026	Advancing Hearing Healthcare and Outcomes for Individuals with Down Syndrome Across the Lifespan	Omaha, Nebraska. Available to coordinate with partner sites across the US.
Ongoing	The DIVERSE Collective: Combatting Ableism and Other Oppression for the Health and Well-being of Children with Disabilities	Nationwide
Ongoing	Listening and Literacy Among Children With Cochlear Implants	Worldwide

Parent Research / Survey Opportunities

- Descriptions of Studies -

Deaf Experience,
Deaf Expression Project

How Do Social and Linguistic Experiences Affect the Social and Emotional Well-Being of Young People with Hearing Loss?

The Deaf Experience, Deaf Expression Project is a long-term, nationwide research project exploring the lived experiences of d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing people, their families, and related professionals.

The project collects interviews about experiences with hearing loss, communication, and education. These interviews will be compiled into a publicly available audio-video collection to provide parents and educators with firsthand perspectives that may help them better understand the experiences and outcomes of different communication and educational choices for children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Who Can Participate?

We want to reach individuals with hearing loss or families of those with hearing loss.

We are especially looking for:

People with hearing loss age 10 and older who sign
Parents of children who sign
Parents of boys who use speech or sign

What Will I Do?

Participants will take part in an approximately one-hour interview via Zoom. During the interview, participants will talk about their experiences with hearing loss.

Is There Compensation?

Participants will receive a $20 Amazon gift card after completing the interview.

When and Where?

Start/End Date: Ongoing
Location: Nationwide
Interview Format: Online via Zoom
Interview Length: Approximately 1 hour

How Do I Participate?

Interested in sharing your experiences? Email us at sophon@okstate.edu for more information.

Learn More

Learn more about the Deaf Experience, Deaf Expression Project at https://dxdx.okstate.edu.

[ Download Project Flyer ]

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophonokstate/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sophonokstate

The Learning to Look and Listen Project

Dear Parents,

We are a research group at Stanford University interested in learning about how children who are d/Deaf and/or Hard-of-Hearing learn language and use language at home! Participation is completely remote, and families receive personalized feedback about their home auditory environment and their child’s speech and language skills, both spoken and signed.

Who can participate?

To be eligible, your family must:
- Have a child from birth through age 6 who has any degree of hearing difference
- Use any language (spoken, signed, or both)
- Live anywhere in the United States

What will I do?

2 t-shirts If your family uses any spoken language at home, we invite you to complete a day-long audio recording using a small, child-safe auditory recorder. The device is like a “talk pedometer” – it sits in a pocket of a provided shirt and counts different measures of your child’s auditory environment (including adult words, conversational turns, child vocalizations, child’s vocal productivity/length of utterance, etc.) We analyze this data using a private, secure algorithm and send this information to you in a parent-friendly report! The device and shirt are mailed to you and we provide a prepaid return mailer.

Video eye glasses If your family uses any sign language at home, we invite you to complete a few play sessions at home with your child wearing video eyeglasses, a child-safe device that looks at where in your child’s visual environment they are paying attention and the sign language your child is exposed to. The device is mailed to you and return postage is provided. This phase of the study is still in a pilot stage, so currently we are looking for families to give us feedback as we improve!

All families will also be invited to take language surveys/interviews for English and/or ASL and feedback will be provided about your child’s language development!

You can learn more about the project here: https://spoglab.stanford.edu/studies/learning-to-look-and-listen

What is the compensation?

Families receive a $50 visa gift card for each daylong audio recording
Families receive a $50 visa gift card for initial 45 minutes of video recording and $25 per additional half hour up to $200 a week
Families receive $50 per completed vocabulary survey/interview

How do I sign up?

You can fill out this interest survey to be contacted with more information: https://spoglab.stanford.edu/entry-survey

Researcher Contact

For more information, please visit our website at https://spoglab.stanford.edu/. For questions, please contact our research team at spoglabstanford@stanford.edu or text us at (323) 639-0119.

Parental viewpoints: potential medical intervention with gene therapy for deafness in children

To the parents of deaf children,

My name is Emily Bober and I am a genetic counseling Master’s student at Case Western Reserve University. I am actively collecting survey responses for my Master’s thesis project on the viewpoints of non-hearing and hearing parents who have children born deaf. This study seeks understanding of what parents think about in deciding whether to pursue medical intervention for their child’s deafness with gene therapy in comparison to a cochlear implant. New gene therapy treatments are developing for certain kinds of deafness, but there is limited research into what parents are thinking about in this decision-making process for their child. This research will determine what important factors families are considering to provide insight for genetic counselors, genetic counseling students, and other healthcare professionals in supporting families. Below, I have included details about my study. Your experience and insight are highly valued and I greatly appreciate your consideration in participating in my study.

Thank you,
Emily Bober

What is the purpose of this study?

To explore the parental perceptions and decision-making process in pursuing medical intervention for pre-lingual deafness in children

Who can participate in this study?

Any parent (non-hearing or hearing) who has a child born with severe to profound hearing loss

The child had genetic testing related to their hearing loss
The child is currently at or under 18 years old

What does participation look like?

This study involves an online survey that should take around 10-15 minutes to complete that can be done on an electronic device. The survey will consist of a consent form, demographic information, and questions about your perspective to different statements or questions.
Your responses will be kept anonymous and confidential.
Link to participate in study: https://cwru.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_56mvSw0A7RyQ1sG

Additional Project Information:

Case Western Reserve University Institutional Review Board (#STUDY20261233)
For any further questions about the study, please contact Master’s student Emily Bober at emily.bober@case.edu or Genetic Counseling Program Co-Director Rebecca Darrah at rjm11@case.edu .

The Impact of Auditory Access on the Development of Speech Perception

Paid research opportunity! This study investigates how infants perceive different speech sounds. The ability to differentiate between different speech sounds is necessary for language-learning. Our goal is to better understand how maturation and auditory experience shape speech perception abilities. We are seeking infants ages 3-12 months old with either bilateral sensorineural hearing loss OR normal hearing sensitivity.
Testing takes place at various timepoints: 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months. During these visits, the baby’s response to speech sounds from brain waves that are measured while they sleep.

Testing may take place at the University of Colorado Anschutz campus in Aurora, at a Children’s Hospital facility, or in home. Researchers in the University of Colorado Anschutz’s Speech Perception Over Time (SPOT) lab are happy to answer any questions! Email us at spot@ucdenver.edu

[ Download Flyer ]

Auditory Function in Children

Paid research opportunity! This study investigates how to improve the diagnosis of Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder (ANSD) to help with the selection of intervention. We are seeking children ages 5-18 with the following in one or both ears:

Clinical diagnosis of auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder or sensorineural hearing loss
Use of hearing aids or cochlear implants

Testing takes place over several visits, with each visit lasting from 30 minutes to 4 hours. Sessions can be scheduled on different days and breaks are provided. During the visits, the brain’s response to sounds will be recorded while the child sits and watches a silent movie or plays a silent game on an iPad. There may also be tests of sound detection, speech understanding, and/or cognitive function tests. Programming settings of devices will not be changed!

Click to download
info sheet

In Colorado, testing takes place at the University of Colorado Anschutz campus in Aurora. Researchers in the University of Colorado Anschutz’s Speech Perception Over Time (SPOT) lab are happy to answer any questions! Email us at spot@ucdenver.edu

[ Download info sheet for parents ]

Download Flyers Below:

[Flyer 1][ Flyer 2][ Flyer 3]

Language Access for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Adults

The Communication and Language Acquisition Lab at Chapman University is conducting a research study to learn more about deaf and hard of hearing people’s experiences with communication planning and language access. Procedures will include an online, 1-hour survey asking about basic demographic information, your hearing and language history, and your experiences with communication planning and language access.

Requirements:

18 years or older
Deaf or hard-of-hearing
Read and write in English
Use American Sign Language and/or Spoken English
Currently reside in the United States

If you are interested in participating in this study, please complete the screener at https://tinyurl.com/copla-survey to see if you qualify. Please contact britlee@chapman.edu if you have any questions. [ Download Flyer ]

DYADS Study

Are you a female carrier of a genetic condition?

We are conducting a sample collection study to help develop and validate an investigational non-invasive prenatal genetic screening test. Participation involves collecting blood samples and health information from both the biological female parent who has screened positive as a carrier and their biological child.

The investigational test is being developed to be used during pregnancy for people who are carriers of certain genetic conditions who want to help determine whether their unborn baby may have inherited a genetic condition. With your contribution, we can help more people in planning for their child’s future.

Study Aim

This study is to help develop an investigational non-invasive test that could assess whether an unborn baby may be affected by non-syndromic hearing loss (GJB2), Pendred Syndrome, or Usher Syndrome Type 2A for the purpose of providing better care for a child when born.

Visit www.natera.com/dyads to learn more about the study and how to get started.

You may qualify for this study, if the following apply:

Biological Female Parent

You must reside in the United States
You are 18 years or older
You have screened positive as a carrier for one or more inherited genetic conditions
You are able and willing to sign informed consent

Biological Child

You must reside in the United States
For children who are 17 years or younger:
- You are able and willing to provide assent, when applicable
- You weigh 10 kg (22 lbs) or higher

What to expect: After consenting and obtaining some health data, the single blood draw from you and your child can be scheduled at your home or during any routinely scheduled blood draw at your clinic.

How do you sign up: Call (650) 674-4662 or email DYADS@natera.com and a certified genetic counselor from the Natera Site Team will reach out to you to discuss eligibility and enrollment. View our website for further information: https://www.natera.com/info/dyads-study/

[ Download Flyer ]

Parent-Child Interaction in Deaf Families with Autistic Children
(Ages 3–6)

Dear Parents,
The research team at Miami University led by Dr. Aaron Shield is conducting a study on how Deaf parents support their autistic children during everyday play activities at home. Their goal is to better understand parent-child interaction in Deaf families so that future research and support can be more inclusive of your experiences.
They are specifically inviting two groups of families to participate:

Deaf parents with a deaf autistic child (ages 3–6)
Deaf parents with a hearing autistic child (ages 3–6)

The study is fully remote and conducted entirely from your home. Participation involves:

Completing online questionnaires (30–60 minutes)
Receiving a package of toys, a book, a beanbag toss game, and a tripod (yours to keep)
Recording a 15–30 minute natural play session with your child
Uploading the video through a secure portal

Eligibility:

Parent or legal guardian of a child aged 3–6
Child has a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Family fits one of the two hearing-status groups listed above
Child does not have severe intellectual disability, genetic syndromes, significant motor impairment, or significant vision impairment
Access to a smartphone or recording device with internet access

Families receive up to $100 in compensation for their participation.
To learn more or to see if you may be eligible, please visit:
https://www.clinicontact.com/miami-university/asd-and-deafness-bridge
Questions can also be directed to our outreach team at outreach@clinicontact.com.
Thank you for considering this opportunity. Your participation can help shape research that better understands and supports Deaf families.

GeneTIC Patient Perspectives Study

Study aims [ Flyer ]:

The purpose of the study is to better understand, through questionnaires and brief open-ended questions, the experiences of genetics patients and their parents or caregivers, including how stressful or traumatic events may affect their care and relationships with healthcare providers and systems. This study also aims to assess families’ current understanding of trauma-informed care and perspectives on a new trauma-informed care protocol designed for pediatric medical genetics care settings.

Participant Information:

Participants are invited to take a 30-minute online survey regarding their experiences and perspectives as a parental caregiver to a child with a genetic condition. They will have the option to opt in for a one-hour Zoom interview. In this interview, caregivers and children will be asked a series of open-ended questions by research personnel who have received relevant training in interviewing methodology with children and families and trauma-informed care. The survey can be found at this link: https://redcap.link/20qy99n7

Eligibility:

Survey: Must be a parent or caregiver of a child with a genetic condition, English-speaking, and living in the United States.
Interview: Caregiver/parent participants must be a parent or caregiver of a child with a genetic condition, English-speaking, living in the United States, and have completed the previous survey before participation. Child participants must be children with a genetic condition between the ages of 7 to 17.

Investigator:

Name: Kelsey Sala-Hamrick
Title: Assistant Professor, Ph.D., LP
Institution/Company: Eastern Michigan University

Address: Mark Jefferson Complex
Department of Psychology
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197

Email: ksalaham@emich.edu
Phone: (734) 219-9340

Early Childhood Trajectories and Barriers for Bilingual Children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing: A Mixed-Methods Study

Dear parents and guardians of deaf and hard of hearing children who use spoken language,

The Child Hearing, Language, Literacy and Deafness (CHLLD) Laboratory from Texas Christian University is conducting a research study to better understand the experiences of families as they navigate healthcare and educational system during the early years of raining a child who is deaf or hard of hearing.

Purpose of this Study

The purpose of this study is to explore the experiences of families of Spanish-English bilingual children who are Deaf and Hard of hearing (DHH) as they navigate the early hearing healthcare and intervention process. Specifically, this study seeks to understand families’ experiences through the stages of identification, diagnosis, amplification, and early intervention of a hearing loss. We also want to know how these experiences influence a child’s overall bilingual language outcomes later in life.