Cochlear Implant University provides web-based self-advocacy training for high school and college students with CIs and their parents to support a successful academic and social transition to college.
Challenge
For school-age children who are profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing, cochlear implants (CIs) have opened new doors of academic achievement. Since the first implant surgeries in 1990, over 38,000 children in the United States have received CIs.
In Kindergarten through 12th grade, parents, school staff, and implant specialists typically collaborate to advocate for the needs of students with CIs, resulting in good academic and social outcomes.
However, the transition to college marks a departure from these supports, and students with CIs lack a common set of self-advocacy knowledge and skills required for a successful college transition.
Approach
KDHRC developed Cochlear Implant University (CIU) as a web-based resource that provides self-advocacy training for high school and college students with CIs and their parents. The goal of CIU is to provide students and parents with knowledge and skills that support a successful academic and social transition to college.
Findings
Students and parents exposed to the CIU website gained knowledge and skills to advocate for and manage the accommodations they need in college.
Participant Feedback
“This website was very useful to learn. It taught me things I did not know I could do.” – Student
“The information contain at the CIU page was excellent. I wish I had this information years ago.” – Student
“This is an excellent and well designed website! It was very easy to navigate and search for information. I truly appreciate the time and effort put into this website, it is an incredibly valuable resource that I will certainly use to help me in the future. Thank you!” – Student
“The website has been extremely helpful and I will definitely be referring to it in the very near future. I am so thankful to have it as a resource” – Parent
“Thank you for providing this service to students with cochlear implants and their parents! Most parents understand how important it is for our children to self-advocate, but we often struggle to get the specific information and resources we need.” – Parent
“This website is amazing! It is very easy to understand and simple to navigate. There is a ton of great information but the way it is organized does not make it overwhelming.” – Parent
Product
CIU’s password protected site is available here. To request access to this site, please contact Nicole Wanty at nwanty@kdhrc.com.
Related Research
To learn more about the methodology and outcomes of the CIU evaluation, please review here.
