Introduction:
Imagine you were deaf, and you were given
the chance to hear. Would you do it? Would it be an easy decision? In recent
years, medical and technological advances have resulted in the invention of
cochlear implants (CI): medical devices created to give partial hearing
abilities to those who are hard of hearing or completely deaf (Mayo Clinic,
2016). This new invention has led a multitude of people to abandon their old
way of life for a new one in the hearing community. However, the decision about
whether to use cochlear implants is not that simple, and has aroused heated
debate between d/Deaf[1]
and hearing people. Researchers in support of implants (Tucker and Teagle) reason
that the main benefit of cochlear implants is that they give the individual the
ability to join the hearing society, creating a better quality of life through
new opportunities (1998, 2012). Tucker conjectures that communication,
specifically through hearing, is inseparable from and intimately tied to
quality of life (2012). Other
researchers (Hallberg, Ringdahl, Holmes, Carver; Warner-Czyz, Loy, Tobey,
Nakonezny, Roland) accredit implants with improved voice perception of others
and the own individual’s ability to mimic speech (2005, 2011).
For those who identify as
Deaf, their deafness is an intrinsically invaluable part of their identity (Levy
2002 p. 134). They consider Deafness as an identity, the foundation of Deaf
communities, not just a diagnosable condition (Levy 2002). Other scholars
reason that those in Deaf Culture do not have to worry about barriers in
communication or understanding and instead they can enjoy a “rich history,
language, and value system of [their]
own” (Crouch 1997). Furthermore, researchers reason that this inability to
fully assimilate to the hearing world while leaving the Deaf community creates
confusion for the recipient, leaving them in “Limbo” (Ramsey, 2000 p. 79). Although both have strong opinions about
implantation, there are also clear gaps in research and discussions for both
that need to be addressed. Currently, the only scholars in the discussion about
CI are privileged, hearing men and women who have not been deaf or gotten a CI.
They make their arguments without the benefit of personal experience.
Interviews should be conducted with individuals who were old enough to
experience life both d/Deaf and then with cochlear implants. This gap will be
addressed through new research in this report. The research was conducted by
interview and survey, asking the community of people who have had implants what
their biggest obstacle was for transitioning from d/Deaf to hearing culture.
Methods
Participants
A total of 102 participants were surveyed
in this study, and one individual was interviewed. Only individuals of all ages
who had cochlear implants could participate. All submissions were anonymous.
Procedures
The
survey was conducted online, and the interview was conducted over email.
Professor Hem Paudel and fellow peers approved the survey. The 10-question
survey was conducted on SurveyMonkey and was worded as follows:
1.
Before
getting cochlear implants, what type of hearing loss did you have?
Slight
Mild
Moderate
Moderately
severe
Severe
Profound
2.
Before
cochlear implants, did you identify with hearing or Deaf culture?
Hearing
culture
Deaf
culture
Other
(please specifiy)
3.
Before
cochlear implants, did you use signed language to communicate?
Signed
language
Voice
Other
(please specify)
4.
What
age did you get your cochlear implant(s)?
Under
16
16-25
26-49
50-65
Over
65 years
5.
When
using your cochlear implants, what type of hearing loss do you have?
Slight
Mild
Moderate
Severe
Profound
6.
After
the implantation, how do you communicate?
Signed
language
Voice
Signed
language and voice
Other
(please specify)
7.
The transition from Deaf Culture to hearing
culture was difficult.
Strongly
agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly
disagree
N/A
8.
I
still struggle daily with participating in the hearing world.
Strongly
agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly
disagree
9.
I
have no regrets in getting the implants
Strongly
agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly
disagree
10. What was the most difficult part of
transition after cochlear implants?
(Open-ended
question)
Data
Analysis
The
data from the survey was analyzed through SurveyMonkey. The analyzing of
results provided percentages of which respondents chose what for each question.
The author of this paper analyzed the free response question and interview.
[1]deaf: refers to the condition of having partial or
complete inability to hear
Deaf: refers to those
who are deaf and embrace cultural norms, beliefs, and values of the Deaf Community
(National Association for the Deaf, 2016)
The topic of how the gap between the transition from being deaf/Deaf to living with cochlear implants was to be identified and justified as important through appropriate, scholarly language. The tone and language were kept formal throughout, unwavering. The research was to interview one person and then survey other people on their greatest obstacle within the transition from being d/Deaf to living with cochlear implants and joining hearing culture.
ReplyDeleteThe formatting followed appropriate guidelines, using all headings necessary. Participants were identified as people with cochlear implants. Procedures touched on how the online survey was conducted and distributed. Data was analyzed and related back to the survey.
Suggested improvements could be to not include the hook at the beginning of the paper, as this format follows more of a research genre as opposed to an argumentative article. The only other suggestions would be small language improvements. Otherwise, this is a great piece.
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