National Science Foundation Funding For Research and Education Projects Related to Cognitive Disabil

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National Science Foundation Funding
ForResearch and Education Projects Related to
Cognitive Disabilities

• Lawrence ParsonsNational Science Foundation

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• Cognition Understanding world and
  others
• Distinct Component Processes and
  Representations
• Cognitive Disabilities
• Dysfunctions in Processes or
  Representations
• Effects
• Difficulties in
• Acquiring and storing sensory, language, social
  information
• Reasoning
• Planning
• Attending, etc.

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• Examples of Kinds of Cognitive Disabilities
• Dementia
• Stroke (Hemifield Neglect)
• Learning Disabled
• Mentally Retarded
• Autistic
• Head Injury
• Computational Disability
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
• Language disorders (Dyslexias, Aphasias,
  Dysgraphia)
• Tourettes Syndrome

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• NSF Programs Relevant To
• Cognitive Disabilities
• Research/Education Programs on Basic Mechanisms
  of Cognition, Perception, Motor Control, Affect
• Research/Education Programs on Biomedical
  Engineering to Aid Persons with Disabilities
• Programs for Researchers/Educators with
  Disabilities

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• Research/Education Programs on
• Basic Mechanisms of Cognition and Brain

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• How does such Basic Research relate to Cognitive
  Disabilities?
• Basic Understanding of Healthy Cognition and
  Brain is Critical to Understanding Disabilities
• Basic Understanding of Healthy Cognition and
  Brain is Critical to Understanding Compensation
  for Disabilities via Strategic Use of Spared
  Abilities
• Most generally, we all have some disabilities
• (e.g., limits for math, language learning)

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• Human Cognition and Perception Program
• Visual, auditory, tactile perception
• Perceptual and conceptual development
• Attention
• Memory
• Spatial cognition
• Learning
• Language processing
• Reading
• Motor control
• Reasoning
• Studies of normal or cognitively impaired adults
  or children

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• Linguistics Program
• Language structure (syntax, semantics, phonetics,
  phonology, acoustics)
• Psychological processes involved in the use of
  language and speech
• Development of linguistic capacities in children
• Social and cultural factors in language use,
  variation, and change
• Biological bases of language

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• Developmental and Learning Sciences Program
• Cognitive processes
• Social processes
• Biological processes
• in children and adolescents learning and
  development in formal and informal settings.

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• Social Psychology Program
• Cultural differences
• Social development over the life span
• Attitude formation and change
• Social cognition
• Personality processes
• Emotion,
• Social psychology of health
• Psychophysiological correlates of social behavior

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• Cognitive Neuroscience Program
• Brain basis of
• Sensory processes
• Higher perceptual processes
• Higher cognitive functions
• Language
• Affect
• Social processes
• Learning, memory, attention, motor
• Executive functions
• Recovery of function, plasticity, development
• Uses neuroimaging, brain stimulation, neurology,
  computational methods, experimental psychology,
  cross-species comparison

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• Education and Human Resources Programs
• Supports education and education research in all
  areas of science, mathematics, and engineering.
• K-12, Undergraduate, Graduate
• Educators

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• Special Funding Mechanisms or Initiatives
• CAREER Faculty Early Career Development
• IGERT Integrative Graduate Education Research
  Traineeships
• SBIR Small Business Integrative Research
• ITR Information Technology Research
• NANO Partnerships in Nanotechnology
• REU Research Experience for Undergraduates

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• Research/Education Program on Biomedical
• Engineering to Aid Persons with Disabilities

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• Biomedical Engineering/Research to Aid Persons
  with Disabilities Program
• Engineering principles applied biology and
  medicine problems to both advance the engineering
  knowledge base and to achieve diagnosis or
  treatment-related goals.
• Some new areas of particular interest are
• Biomedical photonics
• New cellular and tissue engineering concepts
• Innovative integration of multi-disciplinary
  technologies for new imaging and biosensing
  systems
• Home care technologies

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• Programs for Researchers/Educators
• with Disabilities

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• Program for Persons with Disabilities
• Achieve full participation of disabled students
  in science and mathematics education
• Develop/test innovative techniques of teaching
  science and mathematics that are appropriate for
  all students
• Increase the awareness and recognition of the
  needs and capabilities of students with
  disabilities
• Promote the accessibility and appropriateness of
  instructional materials and learning technologies
• Increase the availability of mentoring resources.