Deaf-led and Deaf-staffed Research Centers

Whether you are considering a PhD, aiming to develop your career in a research center, or planning a visit to a country and want to explore Deaf-led research institutions, this page provides a curated list of Deaf-led and Deaf-staffed research centers worldwide. Use the filters to find centers by country or fields of research interest, and discover opportunities to connect with cutting-edge research and the global Deaf academic community.

Disclaimer: Although every effort is made to provide accurate information, errors may occur, or data about centers may change. Please verify directly with the center before making plans or commitments. Last update: 2025-09-26.

Legend

Sign Linguistics & Language Documentation

Education & Pedagogy

Community Empowerment & Advocacy

Science, Technology & Innovation

Health & Wellbeing

Psychology, Cognition & Neuroscience

Deaf Culture & Deaf Studies

Employment, Policy & Data

Filters

Advanced Research Group in Deaf Studies (GRUPES)

Brazil

Federal University of Santa Catarina

Unknown

ASL for Second Language Learners Research Lab (ASL2Ed)

United States

Rochester Institute of Technology (NTID)

Unknown

Center for Education Advancement of the Deaf (CEAD)

Philippines

De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde

2016

Center for Research in Sign Language and Vocal Language Interpretation and Translation (NINTER)

Brazil

Federal University of Santa Catarina

Unknown

Center for Science & Technology Research (CSTR)

United States

Gallaudet University

Unknown

Centre for Deaf Studies

Ireland

Trinity College Dublin

2001

Centre for Deaf Studies

South Africa

University of the Witwatersrand

~2000s

Centre for Sign Linguistics & Deaf Studies (CSLDS)

Hong Kong

Chinese University of Hong Kong

2003

Centre for the Language Normalization of the Spanish Sign Language (CNLSE)

Spain

Government

2010

Center of Deaf Health Excellence

United States

Gallaudet University

Unknown

China Sign Language and Deaf Studies Centre

China

Shanghai University

2019

Corina Cognitive Neurolinguistics Lab

United States

University of California, Davis

Unknown

Visit

Cultivating Research and Equity in Sign-related Technology (CREST)

United States

Gallaudet University

2021

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (DHH-RERC)

United States

Gallaudet University / Partners

2019

Deaf Health Laboratory (DHL)

United States

Rochester Institute of Technology (NTID)

2016

Deaf Research Center (PUPET)

Indonesia

Independent

2014

Deaf Studies Educational Content Development Project

Japan

University of Tsukuba

2009

Deaf Studies Laboratory (DSL)

United States

Rochester Institute of Technology (NTID)

2003

Deaf Studies Research Unit (DSRU)

New Zealand

Victoria University of Wellington

Unknown

Deafness Cognition and Language Research Centre (DCAL)

United Kingdom

University College London

2006

Global Deaf Research Institute (GDRI)

United States

Independent

~2023

Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC)

India

Indira Gandhi National Open University

2011

Institute of German Sign Language and Communication of the Deaf (IDGS)

Germany

University of Hamburg

1987

International Institute for Sign Languages & Deaf Studies (iSLanDS)

United Kingdom

University of Central Lancashire

2006

Laboratory for Research in Information and Communication Sciences (LISIC)

France

University of Lille Nord de France

Unknown

Motion Light Lab (ML2)

United States

Gallaudet University

Unknown

National Center for Deaf Health Research (NCDHR)

United States

University of Rochester

Unknown

National Deaf Center (NDC)

United States

University of Texas at Austin

Unknown

National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) – Research Center on Culture and Language (CCL)

United States

Rochester Institute of Technology

2003

National Sign Language Training Center

Japan

Independent (associated with national Deaf organisations)

Unknown

Philippine Deaf Resource Center (PDRC)

Philippines

Independent

Unknown

Psycho-Education & Applied Research Centre for the Deaf (PARD)

Vietnam

Independent

2019

Sign Change Research Group

United States

University of Texas at Austin

Unknown

Visit

Sign Language Acquisition Center (NALS)

Brazil

Federal University of Santa Catarina

Unknown

Sign Language and Cognition Research Lab (LiSCo)

Brazil

University of São Paulo

2010

Sign Language Research Center and Promotion of National Sign Language

China

Tianjin University

2023

Sign Language Section

Sweden

Stockholm University

Unknown

Sign Language Study Group (GELIS)

Brazil

Federal University of Bahia

Unknown

Sign Language Research Lab

United States

Georgetown University

Unknown

Visit

Sign Language Research Lab

United States

University of Wisconsin–Madison

Unknown

Visit

SIGNS@HWU

United Kingdom

Heriot-Watt University

Unknown

Visit

Taiwan Sign Language Research Centre / Taiwan Sign Linguistics initiatives

Taiwan

National Chung Cheng University

2001

Thai Deaf People Foundation / Thai Sign Language Centre

Thailand

Independent

Unknown

XR Accessibility Solutions Laboratory (XR-ASL)

United States

Rochester Institute of Technology (NTID)

Unknown

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