Disparities Among Cochlear Implant Users

Language, Service Providers, and Locale

Authors

  • Karen Engler Missouri State University
  • Sonia Arora Illinois State University
  • Kennedy Rice Missouri State University
  • Dani Willhite Missouri State University
  • Allison Baker Missouri State University
  • Jill Oswalt Missouri State University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3776/tpre.2023.v13n1p99-126

Keywords:

cochlear implants, deaf or hard of hearing, hearing loss, modes of communication, rural education, public schools, language performance

Abstract

This descriptive study aims to delineate the characteristics of select students with cochlear implants in Midwest public school districts and the professionals who received consultation services. Researchers analyzed nine years of archival grant data focused on communication modality, school district locales, and types of service providers. Findings yielded that the largest group of students communicated primarily using gestures and vocalizations followed by students using spoken English. Of the service providers, almost all Deaf educators and interpreters had a communication match with their students. Results also revealed a disproportionate number of students directly served by a deaf educator in city/suburb locales compared to rural/town. These findings suggest some students with cochlear implants may be underserved by deaf educators, especially in rural areas.

Author Biographies

Karen Engler, Missouri State University

Karen Engler, Ed.D., is a clinical professor in the Department of Counseling, Leadership, and Special Education at Missouri State University.  She is the coordinator of the graduate Special Education - Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing program and was the Director of Secondary Education, Office of the Provost from 2016–2022. Karen has over 30 years of service to MSU and for the past 15 years, has been the principal investigator of a statewide cochlear implant consultation grant. Her decades of field experience primarily focused on children who are deaf and hard of hearing and their families and cochlear implant habilitation. Her research includes deaf education teacher preparation as well as learners who are deaf or hard of hearing, especially in underserved areas. karenengler@missouristate.edu

Sonia Arora, Illinois State University

Sonia Arora, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Deaf/Hard of Hearing program within the Department of Special Education at Illinois State University. Prior to Illinois State University, she was a visiting assistant professor at Missouri State University from 2018–2021 and served as an itinerant teacher in Kansas. Sonia earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas, a master’s degree from Missouri State University, and a PhD from Teachers College, Columbia University. Her primary areas of research focus on children who are deaf and hard of hearing as well as teacher preparation. sbarora@ilstu.edu

Kennedy Rice, Missouri State University

Kennedy Rice, M.S., earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing from Missouri State University. She has worked as a teacher of the Deaf since 2018. knconn@ssdmo.org

Dani Willhite, Missouri State University

Dani Willhite, M.S., earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Communication Sciences and Disorders - Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing from Missouri State University. She has been a teacher of the Deaf since 2018. Currently, she is a doctoral student studying Curriculum Development and Instruction at Kansas State University.  Her current research focuses on an autoethnographic exploration of perceived interpersonal working relationships among teachers of the Deaf and American Sign Language interpreters. dwillhite@ssdmo.org

Allison Baker, Missouri State University

Allison Baker, M.S., earned a bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Worcester State University and a master’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders - Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing from Missouri State University. She has been a teacher of the Deaf since 2020. abaker@missouristate.edu

Jill Oswalt, Missouri State University

Jill Oswalt, M.A., CCC-SLP, is Emeritus Faculty at Missouri State University. She served as the Clinic Director in Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders for the audiology, education of deaf and hard hearing, and speech pathology graduate programs, with over 40 years of clinical experience in home, school, hospital, and clinical settings, across the life span of the individual. Her areas of interest and specialization include assessment and intervention of children with cochlear implants, assessment of graduate student learning and collaboration, and pediatric dysphagia. JillOswalt@missouristate.edu

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Published

2023-06-19

How to Cite

Engler, K., Arora, S., Rice, K., Willhite, D., Baker, A., & Oswalt, J. (2023). Disparities Among Cochlear Implant Users: Language, Service Providers, and Locale. Theory & Practice in Rural Education, 13(1), 99–126. https://doi.org/10.3776/tpre.2023.v13n1p99-126

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 1 (2023): Elevating Voices within our Diverse Tapestry of Rurality

Section

Research Forum

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Copyright (c) 2023 Karen Engler, Sonia Arora, Kennedy Rice, Dani Willhite, Allison Baker, Jill Oswalt

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