A cochlear implant is a medical device that is implanted into the head behind the ear of a deaf person. It is very different from a hearing aid. Hearing aids magnify sounds so damaged ears may identify them. Cochlear implants escape damaged areas of the ear and activate the auditory nerve directly. Signals made by the implant are sent from the auditory nerve to the brain, which recognizes the signals as sound. Hearing through a cochlear implant is not the same as normal hearing and takes time and practice to learn or relearn. On the other hand, it allows many people to identify warning signals, recognize other noises in the surroundings, and enjoy a talk in person or by phone.(National Institute on Deafness, 1)
When the device was first developed …show more content…
Schools for the deaf are unique and provide a community for many deaf children. But Schools for the deaf have been considered during state budget cut. Many of them are shutting down and deaf students are starting to attend to their local public schools. For these students to be able to understand and communicate in mainstream it is a very appropriate decision to get a cochlear implant. Even though many deaf children who have the implant still don’t achieve grades as high as hearing peers do but still do better in mainstream than a deaf student with no C.I. It is more difficult for a deaf student at a mainstream than a hearing student but there are examples of students with C.I. who achieved great accomplishments during their high school years. Heather Artinian from the documentary of “Sound and fury” received the implant when she turned 10. Heather was asked about how her cochlear implant made a difference in her life. She responded saying “I learned how to communicate with hearing people. I was able to take on leadership positions at school; I’m more prepared to take on the hearing world. I feel as if I am a deaf, and a hearing person.” (Heather) During her high school years Heather became the President of DECA, a business and community service chapter. She was also the President of her Junior Class. Plus Captain of volleyball, basketball and