Considerations for the Future

1
Considerations for the Future

• Putting It All Together
• Patricia Elizabeth Spencer
• April 12, 2002

2
What We Know

• Cochlear implants provide better/more information
  than hearing aids--but sound information is
  fragmented, not complete.
• CI technology continues to improve, and so will
  outcomes.
• Audition speech language
• Profoundly deaf children with CI function like
  hard of hearing children.

3
Enormous individual differences
4
Receptive Vocabulary Scores

• (with and without signing)

5
Grammar-based Assessment Scores

• (Age-Equivalent Score/Chronological Age)

6
Factors Influencing Language Outcomes

• Child
• Family
• School
• Mary Koch A cochlear implant is potential.

7
Child Factors

• Age at implantation (younger is potentially
  better)
• Alternatively, length of profound deafness
• Population will change as current late
  implantees graduate.
• Cognitive/attention skills
• With additional disabilities, visual language
  even more important as an aid.
• Length of time using implant
• Catch up period is at least 5 years.

8
Family Factors

• Family support for language development
• Provision of oral language experiences
• Agreement between parents
• Parents decision-making style
• Accessing data taking time to decide

9
School Factors

• Languages and language modalities
• Traditional sign/oral arguments continue
• Most studies indicate oral programs best support
  oral language skills
• Early implantation neutralizes this factor
• Oral/sign comparisons rarely conducted in a valid
  way
• Extensive exposure to oral language critical,
  regardless of program type

10
School Factors

• Language curriculum must support oral language
  skills.
• Structured activities supplement natural learning
  experiences
• Therapy/structure not as difficult as without CI
• Oral approaches may need revision--Where are
  new approaches ?
• Sign supported speech may have a new role.
• Evidence that CI children can combine the modes.

11
School Factors

• Multi- Transdisciplinary approaches needed.
• Study groups or representatives needed to keep
  information up to date.
• Education, audiology, speech therapy, social
  work/counseling/psychology must team.

12
This is a new ballgame!

• Arguments from the past are not productive.
• The student population is changing.
• What we know about deaf children is changing.

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• We must be open to new methods and procedures
  to educate children with increased ability to
  hear--but with continuing social, linguistic, and
  educational needs.