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The proposed research aims to explore the lived experiences of individuals with dual sensory loss (DSL), also known as deafblindness, in Scotland, addressing critical gaps in policy, academic understanding, and service provision. DSL, characterised by combined vision and hearing impairment, ranges from mild loss to total deafness and blindness (Jaiswal et al., 2018; Wittich et al., 2013). Despite being a distinct condition with unique challenges that exceed those of single sensory loss (Dammeyer, 2014; Möller, 2003), DSL currently lacks legal recognition or a formal definition in Scotland. This absence potentially leads to inadequate support and misunderstanding of the specific needs of people who experience DSL. The prevalence of DSL increases with age, affecting between 1.3% and 55.6% of adults over 65 (Bright et al., 2023), making it a significant public health concern in an aging population. Through in-depth qualitative research, this study will document and analyse the daily realities, challenges, and coping strategies of people with DSL. Additionally, it will examine the impact of a proposed shift towards holistic service provision for deafblindness in Scotland, exploring how this change will affect both service users and service providers. The findings will contribute to the academic discourse on disability studies, provide evidence-based insights to inform policy development, and offer practical recommendations for improving service delivery. This research is timely and crucial for enhancing the lives of individuals with DSL, advancing disability rights, and optimising support services in the Scottish context. 

Supervisors: Christine Johnson and Rachel Mapson 

This topic encompasses a range of potential specific PhD research proposals in speech production. The applicant should propose how they would address a theoretical issue in Laboratory Phonology or Sociophonetics using ultrasound as a central analytic technique. For examples of relevant issues and phenomena that have been studied to date, see publications by the lead supervisor. Relevant publications have involved vowel and approximants in phonetics and phonology, socially-structured variation, phonological patterning, reaction-time and speech preparation, as well as descriptive work on lesser-studied languages. Current topics of research also include conscious accent variation and the kinematic analysis of diphthongs.  A specific proposal in any one of these areas would be suitable for this general topic. 

Supervisors: Prof James M Scobbie 

 Candidates with a degree or previous research experience in Phonetics/Linguistics or Psychology. 

 Contact for enquiries: Prof James M Scobbie jscobbie@qmu.ac.uk