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Cochlear implanted pupils in Scottish schools: 4-year school attainment data (2000-2004).
1Department of Educational Studies, The University of Edinburgh, Simon Laurie House, Holyrood Road, Edinburgh EH8 8AQ, United Kingdom. ernst@ed.ac.uk
Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education
|February 3, 2006
Summary
Deaf pupils with cochlear implants in Scotland show improved educational attainment, particularly in math. However, placement patterns suggest mainstreaming alone may not fully explain these gains, impacting cost-utility analyses.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Educational Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- The Achievements of Deaf Pupils in Scotland (ADPS) project monitors deaf student educational progress.
- Data from 1,752 deaf pupils (2000-2005) are available, with a focus on cochlear implant recipients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the educational attainment of deaf pupils with cochlear implants in Scotland.
- To examine the relationship between cochlear implants, educational placement, and academic performance.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 4-year aggregate educational data for 152 deaf pupils with cochlear implants (2000-2004).
- Assessment of primary and secondary school results in reading, writing, and math.
- Evaluation of pupil placement and communication characteristics.
Main Results:
- Deaf pupils with cochlear implants demonstrated higher average attainment in 5-14 Curriculum National Tests and Standard Grades compared to the general deaf population.
- The performance gap between deaf pupils with cochlear implants and the national average narrowed but persisted at higher achievement levels.
- Most cochlear implant users were in mainstream placements, but there was no trend towards increased mainstreaming.
Conclusions:
- Cochlear implantation is associated with improved educational outcomes for deaf pupils in Scotland.
- Placement in mainstream schools does not appear to be the sole driver of these gains.
- Findings have implications for health-economic assessments of cochlear implant benefits, particularly regarding placement costs.