RESEARCH INTERESTS

My research program explores the development of communication and language. Within this broad area, my current research focuses on the role of the face in the perception of speech. I use a lifespan approach to examine the development of audiovisual speech perception in typically developing children and adults. Recently, I have begun extending my basic research on typical individuals to assess individual differences in audiovisual speech perception in special populations, including children with autism spectrum disorders and speech sound disorders. My work makes use of multiple methodologies, including eye-tracking, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and event related potentials (ERP) to assess key factors that underlie perception of seen and heard speech and their spatial and temporal signatures.

If you think that you might be interested in participating in one of our studies you can call us at 203-865-6163, extension 337 for more information.

All information is confidential. We do not share or sell our contact information with any businesses or outside agencies.

EDUCATION

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND POSITIONS

GRANTS AND HONORS

2011-2013 - Principal Investigator, National Institutes of Health (NIDCD) "Neurobiological signatures of audiovisual speech perception in children with autism spectrum disorders".

2006-2009 - Principal Investigator, National Institutes of Health (NIDCD) R03, "Audiovisual speech integration in children with autism spectrum disorders".

2006-2011 - Investigator, National Institutes of Health (NICHD) P01, "Nature of the speech code and reading", C. Fowler, PI.

2003-2008 - Investigator, National Institutes of Health (NICHD) R01, "Early ontogeny of attunement to the language environment", C. Best, PI.

2000-2001 - Principal Investigator, "A prospective longitudinal study of early social-emotional problems and competencies in Autism/PDD-NOS" from the Autism Society of America Foundation. Co-Investigators Alice S. Carter and Fred Volkmar.

1998-2001 - Recipient, National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) Training Grant in Childhood Neurobiological Disorder, Yale University Child Study Center.

1996 - Recipient, University of Connecticut Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship Award.

1993 - Recipient, University of Connecticut Child and Developmental Division Summer Research Fellowship.

PUBLICATIONS

Irwin, J.R., Moore, D.L., Tornatore, L.A., Fowler, A.E. (2012). Expanding on Early Literacy: Promoting Emerging Language and Literacy during Storytime. Children and Libraries, Summer/Fall 2012, pp. 20-23, cont. on 28.

Mirman, D. Irwin, J.R. & Stephen, D. (2012). Eye Movement Dynamics and Cognitive Self-Organization in Typical and Atypical Development. Cognitive Neurodynamics, 6(1), 61-73.

Irwin, J.R., Mencl, W.E., Frost, S.J., Chen, H. & Fowler, C. (2011). Functional activation for imitation of seen and heard speech. Journal of Neurolinguistics, 24, 611-618.

Irwin, J.R., Tornatore, L.A., Brancazio., L & Whalen, D.H. (2011). Can children with autism spectrum disorders “hear” a speaking face? Child Development, 82(5) 1397-1403.

Katz, L., Brancazio, L, Irwin, J., Katz, S., Magnuson, J., Scarborough, H. & Whalen, D. (2011) What Lexical Decision and Naming Tell Us About Reading. Reading and Writing. DOI 10.1007/s11145-011-9316-9

Mongillo, E.A., Irwin, J.R., Whalen, D.H., Klaiman, C., Carter, A.S. & Schultz, R.T. (2008). Audiovisual processing in children with and without autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 38, 1439-58.

Irwin, J.R. (2007). Auditory and audiovisual speech perception in children with autism spectrum disorders. Acoustics Today, 8-15. [PDF]

Irwin, J.R., Whalen, D.H., & Fowler, C.A.  (2006). A sex difference in visual influence on heard speech. Perception & Psychophysics, 68, 582-592.[PDF]

Irwin, J.R. (2003). Parent and non-parent perception of the multimodal infant cry. Infancy, 4, 503-516.

Irwin, J.R., Carter, A.S., & Briggs-Gowan, M. (2003). Reply to Fitzgerald. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 42, 1142.

Irwin, J.R., Carter, A.S., & Briggs-Gowan, M. (2002). The social-emotional development of late-talking toddlers. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 41(11), 1324-1332.

Briggs-Gowan, M.J., Carter, A.S., Irwin, J.R., Wachtel, K., & Cicchetti, D. (2004). The Brief Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment: Screening for social-emotional problems and delays in competence. Pediatric Psychology, 29, 143-155

Horwitz, S.M., Irwin, J.R, Briggs-Gowan, M.J., Heenan, J. B., Mendoza, J. & Carter, A.S. (2003). Language Delay in a Community Cohort of Young Children. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 42, 932-940

Green, J.A., Irwin, J. R. & Gustafson, G.E. (1999). Acoustic cry analysis, neonatal status, and long -term developmental outcomes. Barr, R.G., Hopkins, B., & Green, J. (Eds.). Crying as a signal, a sign and a symptom: Developmental, emotional and clinical aspects of crying behavior in infants and toddlers. MacKeith Press.

Whalen, D.H., Best, C.T. & Irwin, J. (1997). Lexical effects in the perception and production of American English /p/ allophones. Journal of Phonetics, Volume 25, 501- 528. (PDF)

Green, J.A., Gustafson, G.E., Irwin, J.R., Kalinowski, L. L. & Wood, R.M. (1995). Infant crying: acoustics, perception and communication. Early Development and Parenting, Vol. 4, 1-15.