Traditional deaf schools in the United States face an ‘uncertain future’ as more parents (and children) choose cochlear implants, with a correlating 85% of deaf children now attending their local mainstream schools and fully participating in their own local communities.
Read: Cochlear Implants Redefine What It Means To Be Deaf
Statistically in the US, over half of all children with hearing issues now have a cochlear implant, with one in four deaf adults also taking the same route. One inspiring story is the child of deaf adults, who chose to have an implant despite mixed feelings within her family.
Ireland’s path is similar, with about 600 children and adults having received cochlear implants at the national centre (NAR, 2011) since 1995. A NCSE policy paper (Feb 2012) also recommends that deaf/hard of hearing children attend their local mainstream schools as possible, with appropriate supports.
Educators, policy-makers, parents and students need to know the life-changing impact of technologies like cochlear implants and soundfields on educating students who are deaf or hard of hearing, and to reset their educational expectations for all students, no matter what (if any) technologies are used.
Further Reading
- Technology Has Revolutionised Deaf Education
- New York Times: Budget Cuts Polarising Deaf Education
- After A Cochlear Implant – The Real Work Begins
- Cochlear Implants: Balanced Views Are Important
- NTID Expects Deaf Students Who Can Speak – And Sign
- Words-App For Children With Hearing-Devices
- New Study: Babies Learn Language By Lip-Reading
