Research

Television Assisted Prompting (TAP). This collaborative, interdisciplinary research project was funded by the US Department of Education, National Institute on Disability & Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). In this two-year project (2008-2010), Dr. Lemoncello collaborated with cognitive rehabilitation and computer science colleagues at Personal Technologies, LLC and the University of Oregon to refine a novel assistive technology tool used to deliver automated in-home reminders and rehabilitation programs via a person’s home television. This project involved refining of the technology tools (with computer science colleagues), development of a variety of in-home rehabilitation programs (with rehabilitation professional colleagues), and evaluation of the TAP system to improve completion of home rehabilitation. Results of a randomized crossover trial revealed that participants with acquired brain injury completed more tasks when prompted by the TAP system in their home than without prompts. In addition, we learned about factors that can influence compliance with in-home rehabilitation using direct attention training. 

Evidence-Based Practice Surveys. Dr. Lemoncello has collaborated with PSU colleagues and master's students to conduct a variety of surveys to best understand current implementation and barriers to using evidence-based practices or practice-based evidence in speech-language pathology. In 2009, Dr. Lemoncello collaborated with Dr. Shelly Chabon (SPHR) to investigate PSU gradautes and their clinical feloowship supervisors to investigate factors that contribute to EBP (funded by PSU Provost's Faculty Development Grant). In 2010, Drs. Lemoncello and Chabon again collaborated to investigate EBP facilitation and barriers among SLPs in school settings. In 2011, Dr. Lemoncello collaborated with gradaute student DebraLee Grey on her culminating experience projects to investigate EBP among SLPs in cognitive assessment. 

Teaching with Technology. Dr. Lemoncello is very interested in development of online resources to assist student learning, including videos, podcasting, interactive study sites, and use of laptops or smart phones in the classroom.

Future Projects. Future research projects that Dr. Lemoncello hopes to investigate with additional funding include: the potential benefits of online computerized cognitive training; development of empirically-validated cognitive assessment tools; development and evaluation of new technology applications to facilitate reminders, goal-setting, and self-efficacy; and the potential benefits of group therapy in cognitive rehabilitation.