Research

We have conducted extensive research evaluating our products with individuals who have severe cognitive impairments due to acquired brain injury, stroke, and developmental conditions. Participants in our longitudinal study of the CogLink email application were able to easily learn and independently use the program to communicate with friends and family for at least one to two years. In addition, participants expressed high satisfaction in using the program, stating that they felt less socially isolated and had increased confidence in their ability to learn a new skill (see www.think-and-link.org/researchers for more information).

Currently we are working side-by-side with people from the community with a range of acquired and developmental conditions to develop new and exciting products including a mobile version of the CogLink Email program that people can take with them on an auto-playing USB drive called the PACK.

We're also researching new ways of using the TV to deliver reminders, therapy and travel information to people with cognitive disabilities. By using the TAP TV system, we can give people reminders about appointments, speech therapy lessons, and travel information through their existing television.
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Publications

Lemoncello, R., Sohlberg, M.M., Fickas, S., Albin, R., & Harn, B.E. Evaluation of the Television Assisted Prompting (TAP) system to increase completion of home exercises among brain injury survivors. Manuscript submitted.

Fox, L.E., Griffiths, G., Fickas, S., Sohlberg, M. M., Lemoncello, R. (2010). Designing the Public Access Computer Key: An Evidence-Based Approach. Proceedings, 2010 Biennial Conference of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC), Barcelona, Spain.

Lemoncello, R., Sohlberg, M.M., & Fickas, S. (2010). How best to orient travelers with acquired brain injury: A comparison of three directional prompts. Brain Injury, 24, 541-549.

Lemoncello, R., Sohlberg, M.M., & Fickas, S. (2010). When directions fail: Investigation of getting lost behaviour in adults with acquired brain injury. Brain Injury, 24, 550-559.

Sohlberg, M. M., Fickas, S., Lemoncello, R., & Hung, P-F. (2009). Validation of the Activities of Community Transportation (ACTs) model of community navigation for individuals with cognitive impairments. Disability & Rehabilitation, 31, 887-897.

Fox, L.E., Sohlberg, M.M, Fickas, S., Lemoncello, R., Prideaux, J. (2009). Public Computing Options for Individuals with Cognitive Impairments: Survey Outcomes. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 5 (4), 311-320.

Sohlberg, M.M., Fickas, S., Hung, P.F., Fortier, A. (2007). A comparison of four prompt modes for route finding with community travelers with severe cognitive impairments. Brain Injury. 21(5), 531-538.

Sohlberg, M. M., Todis, B., Fickas, S., Hung, P., Lemoncello, R. (2006) A profile of community navigation in adults with chronic cognitive impairments. Brain Injury,19(14), 1249-1260.

Sutcliffe, A., Fickas, S., & Sohlberg, M.M. (2006). PC-RE: A method for personal and contextual requirements engineering with some experience. Requirements Engineering, 1432-010X(online)

Sohlberg, M. M., Fickas, S., Ehlhardt, L., & Todis, B (2005). The longitudinal effects of accessible email for individuals with severe cognitive impairments. Aphasiology, 19 (7), 651-81.

Sutcliffe, A., Fickas, S., Sohlberg, M, Personal and Contextual Requirements Engineering, 13th IEEE International Conference on Requirements Engineering, Paris, September 2005

Fickas, S., Robinson, W., Sohlberg, M, The Role of Deferred Requirements in a Longitudinal Study of Email, 13th IEEE International Conference on Requirements Engineering, Paris, September 2005

Todis, B., Sohlberg, M.M., Hood, D., & Fickas, S. (2005). Making electronic mail accessible: Perspectives of people with acquired cognitive impairments, caregivers and professionals. Brain Injury, 19 (6), 389-402.

Sohlberg, M.M., Ehlhardt, L., Fickas, S., & Sutcliffe, A. (2003) A pilot study exploring electronic mail in users with cognitive-linguistic impairments, Brain Injury, 17 (7), 609-629.

Sutcliffe, A., Fickas, S., Sohlberg, M., Ehlhardt, L., Investigating the usability of assistive user interfaces, Interacting with Computers, Volume 15, Issue 4 , 1 August 2003, Pages 577-602