Deaf Education: The Impact of Cochlear Implantation?

This paper reviews the impact that cochlear implantation has had on the practice of deaf education in terms of educational placement, communication choices, and educational attainments. Although there is variation in outcome, more children with implants are going to mainstream schools, and using spoken language as their primary means of communication, and the evidence to date suggests that cochlear implantation early in life has led to improved levels of spoken language and educational attainments. However, there is also evidence that providing an appropriate educational environment for these learners remains a challenge - from parents making choices in the early years to students managing the complexity of the secondary and post-secondary setting. Managing the technology effectively in the classroom remains an issue in many schools, and ongoing training of teachers and other educational workers needs to include its management. While the positive benefits of cochlear implantation are clear, we must also be mindful of the attendant challenges in providing flexibility of choice in meeting the needs of this increasingly diverse population.