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Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Systematic Hearing Performance Evaluation Process for Adolescents with Cochlear Implantation at Early Ages
Published on: March 24, 2023
Exploring perspectives on cochlear implants and language acquisition within the deaf community
1Hunter College, City University of New York, 695 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA. egale@hunter.cuny.edu
Abstract:
Cochlear implants generated intense debate almost immediately following their introduction in the 1980s. Today, with a vast number of deaf individuals with cochlear implants, the debate about the cochlear implant device and mode of communication continues. Q-methodology was used in this study to explore cochlear implants and language acquisition perspectives within the deaf community. Thirty respondents sorted 33 statements, which were collected from professional literature and mainstream media, into a forced-choice, quasi-normal template. A by-person factor analysis of the Q-sorts revealed 5 model viewpoints: (a) American Sign Language advocate, (b) bilingual advocate, (c) cochlear implant advocate, (d) diverse options advocate, and (e) English visually advocate. Even though the results indicate 5 distinct perspectives, the Q-method also revealed similarities among them. The results also show that there seems to be some agreement on using a bilingual approach, although the perspectives seem to disagree on which language should be acquired first.
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