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This document was developed as part of KidsWorld Deaf Net (KWDN), a national communication network sponsored by the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center at Gallaudet University with support from the AT&T Foundation. Growing numbers of children and families from a variety of backgrounds and using a variety of communication methodologies are choosing use of cochlear implant technology.
During its early history, a cochlear implant was felt to be most beneficial for adults, especially adults who had lost their hearing later in life. As the technology has improved and the risks related to the surgery have lessened, use of this technology is increasing for a growing population of persons with hearing loss, specifically young children who are implanted prior to learning language. As the number of implanted children has increased, so has the variability in student outcomes related to the use of spoken language. Many long-term outcomes continue to be unknown due to the changing characteristics of both the cochlear implants themselves and the children who are receiving them. Cochlear Implants are improving in their potential to provide implant users with increasingly sophisticated sound-processing systems. In addition, the pool of children receiving cochlear implants is growing quickly in number and diversity and now includes greater numbers of students implanted at younger ages than in the past. All of these factors make early research difficult to apply to the outcomes for the new generation of students obtaining cochlear implants. Variability in student outcomes with cochlear implants necessitates a look at educational and communication programming for these students through the same lens that we look at variability in the population of deaf children who do not use cochlear implants. Just as there is no single profile of a "deaf" child, there is no single profile of a deaf child with a cochlear implant. As professionals provide information and families make decisions about cochlear implant technology, there are many things to consider ranging from the medical aspects of the procedure and educational and communication aspects of the technology, to the practical, day-to-day life issues surrounding the implant. As coordinator of the Cochlear Implant Education Center at Gallaudet University's Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center and an audiologist by training, I have been working since 1977 with deaf children and their families. Through my direct experiences and the opportunities to network—with families, audiologists, doctors, speech-language pathologists, school administrators, teachers, and cochlear implant users throughout the country—I have had the opportunity to discover and evaluate the wealth of excellent (and not so excellent) available resources on cochlear implants for children and adolescents. This Web document is designed to assist parents and educators in navigating the way through this extensive "forest" of information. It additionally provides insights into topics where the Web has limited information—specifically educational considerations related to the diverse group of children with cochlear implants now assimilating into our schools. As you read this document, keep in mind that while cochlear implants provide a range of opportunities, they are not appropriate for every deaf child. It is important that decisions to utilize this technology be made looking at the whole child within the family unit and with respect for individual choice. Hopefully, my hours of investigating resources can cut down on the time needed for others to find their way through the often dense forest of information on cochlear implants, as well as provide a few new insights into this topic. Let's navigate the path one tree at a time. Note: These modules are not in a specific order. |
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Copyright
© 2003 by Gallaudet University
Laurent Clerc National Deaf
Education Center |
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