title: Schooling and educational performance in children and adolescents wearing cochlear implants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to assess the impact of cochlear implant use on schooling.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study which examined the educational characteristics, gap between chronological age and class attended, learning skills and quality of social interaction with peers and adults in 50 children with cochlear implants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Structured interviews with parents, questionnaires for teachers, school report cards and psychometric tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Majority of children attended state schools in mainstreamed classes; 88% had a support teacher and 86% followed Oral Communication. These children showed a smaller disparity (0.4 years) between their chronological age and class attended. No insufficient performers were seen in learning skills. Greater competence in linguistic and logical areas tended to correspond to more intensive rehabilitation. Children were cooperative, assertive with peers and grew fond of teachers and communication assistants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Schooling proved to be satisfactory in prelingually deafened children and adolescents wearing cochlear implants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Otolaryngology, University La Sapienza of Rome, Italy. centroic@libero.it
authors.forename: Ersilia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bosco
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mancini
authors.forename: Luciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: D'Agosta
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ballantyne
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Filipo