The Cochlear Implant School Toolkit

6 - Hearing and Language Challenges

Speech and language challenges: American Sign Language & English as a second language

Some children with cochlear implants may use American Sign Language (ASL) as a first language rather than spoken English.

This situation is more likely if the child received his or her cochlear implant at a later age or if he or she previously attended a program or school for the deaf that used American Sign Language.