Educating a Child Who Has a Cochlear Implant

As the parent of a child with a cochlear implant (CI), you need to become familiar with the Federal and state services that are available to provide your child with a free and appropriate education designed specifically to meet his or her needs. You should be aware of and take an active role in obtaining these services, which are available to your child either until he or she graduates from high school or reaches age 21, whichever comes first.

Background

The Federal law that supports special education and related services programming for children and youth with disabilities is called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Under this law, which was originally enacted in 1975, all eligible school- age children and youth with disabilities are entitled to receive a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment. The least restrictive environment entitles most children to be educated with nondisabled children, to the maximum extent possible, where they can benefit from the stimulation and social contact and where appropriate supplementary assistance is provided. In addition to this law, amendments were passed in 1986 that include:

• provisions to help states develop early intervention programs for infants and toddlers with disabilities, and
• special funding incentives for states that make a free appropriate public education available for all eligible preschool children with disabilities ages three through five.

It is important for you to become familiar with your state special education law. The IDEA is a Federal law and, as such, provides minimum requirements that states must meet to receive Federal funds to assist in providing special education and related services. Your state law and regulations may go beyond the Federal requirements, and it is important to know their specifics. You may want to contact your State Department of Education, Division of Special Education, in your state capital, and ask for a parent handbook on special education.

Obtaining Special Education Services for Your School-Age Child

The first step in obtaining special education services for your school-age child is to arrange for your child to receive an evaluation by the district's Committee on Special Education (CSE). This evaluation process gathers and uses information to determine whether a child has a disability and the nature and extent of the special education and related services that the child needs. The public schools are required to conduct this evaluation of your child at no cost to you.

The evaluation process should look at the "whole child" and include information about your child's total environment. Performed by a multidisciplinary team (including appropriate specialists, such as a school psychologist, speech-language pathologist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, medical specialist, educational diagnostician, classroom teacher, and others), the evaluation process includes observations by professionals who have worked with your child, your child's medical history, and information and observations from the family. 

There are at least three ways for your child to receive an evaluation: You can request an evaluation; the school may ask permission to evaluate your child; or a teacher or doctor may suggest that your child be evaluated.

Following the evaluation, if your child is found to be eligible, the evaluation results will form the basis for developing your child's Individualized Education Program (IEP). This is a written statement of the educational program designed to meet a child's special needs. It is designed to (1) establish the learning goals for your child; and (2) state the services that the school district will provide for your child. It is developed by a multi-disciplinary team that must include one teacher or other specialist who is knowledgeable about hearing impairment, along with the child's teacher(s), a representative of the school system, the parents, and the child (when appropriate).

A child's IEP should include statements of the child's strengths and weaknesses and should describe the instructional program developed specifically for him or her. This plan shows the child's current educational level, short- and long-term goals, and adaptive listening devices that may be required to achieve these goals. It should be provided at the district's expense, not yours. It also includes transportation and any related services your child will require. It is very important for parents to be entirely satisfied with the IEP prior to signing it as this document will direct the services your child will receive. Remember, however, that the IEP can be changed. You may request a review or revision of the IEP at any time. If the school system is reluctant to provide the proper training for your child, you need to be assertive and persistent. The rehabilitation team at the implant center may be able to assist you in working with the school to develop an appropriate program for your child.

Under the Federal and state special education regulations, a variety of services must be made available if needed by your child. These related services can include but are not limited to the following:

•  physical therapy
•  occupational therapy
•  speech/language therapy
•  adaptive physical education
•  vocational placement services
•  counseling
•  transportation
•  assistive technology and training necessary for professionals to use/teach with the device
•  rehabilitation counseling
•  orientation and mobility services

If you are unable to reach agreement with the school on the placement of your child, a specific procedure, called Due Process, is available, but you must ask for it. Due Process also is available if a disagreement arises concerning identification, assessment, or placement of a child. You should be notified of this process in writing when the school advises you about the recommended placement of your child.

Tips for Parents

There are a number of things you can do to ease your child's transition into the classroom.

•  Meet with your child's teachers to explain the cochlear implant and/or provide pamphlets and brochures about cochlear implants.
•   Some cochlear implant centers provide in-service training for teachers who will be working with cochlear implant children. This will be especially helpful if the child is mainstreamed in a hearing class where the teacher may not be familiar with cochlear implants.
•   Emphasize that the benefits gained by the child's participation in a regular school program.
•  Provide a telephone number should an emergency arise.
•  Ask the teacher to explain to the other children about why your child has a cochlear implant.
•  Explain to the teachers that it is best for your child to be treated the same as the other students, equally and without special favor or attention.
•  After your child turns 14, the IEP must include a statement of transition needs. Transition services are defined by the IDEA as a coordinated set of activities for a student that promotes movement from school to post-secondary activities, including education, vocational training, adult services, and independent living.

College

In most cases, the only deterrent facing a student with a cochlear implant in choosing a college is optimum accessibility of the facilities. Many colleges and universities have support services to assist in the accommodation of students with hearing impairment. Personnel providing these services can often be helpful in providing information to help prospective students determine whether the college will meet their needs. A visit to any college being considered is imperative to judge the degree of accessibility.

Reference:

Some of the information included in this fact sheet was abstracted from:
Estes, J.M. (1997). Advocating for your child's education. Atlanta: The Georgia Advocacy Office.
Additional Readings:
Anderson, W., Chitwood, S., & Hayden, D. (1997). Negotiating the special education maze: A guide for parents and teachers (3rd ed.). Bethesda, MD: Woodbine.
Apicella, R. (1993, Summer). Special education meetings. In CONTACT, Washington, DC: Cochlear Implant Association, Inc., p. 35.
Nevins, M.E., and Chute, P.M. (1996). Children with cochlear implants in educational settings. Florence, KY: Thompson Learning.
Development of this fact sheet was funded, in part, by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the Oberkotter Foundation, and The New York Community Trust.