Listening is a vehicle for us to share information on cochlear implants and hearing loss with hearing healthcare providers, adult CI recipients (and those exploring CI), parents and family members interested in CI, educators who work with deaf and hard of hearing children, and anyone wanting to learn more about cochlear implants. 

ACI Alliance is a not-for-profit organization created with the purpose of eliminating barriers to cochlear implantation by sponsoring research, driving heightened awareness and advocating for improved access to cochlear implants for people of all ages. There is a wealth of information on our website. 

Our work at ACI Alliance follows our mission encompassing research, advocacy, and awareness. Accordingly, Listening covers all three.

We encourage you to share sign-up details for this free e-newsletter with patients, family members, colleagues or anyone who may be interested.

The conference will foster dissemination of multi-disciplinary scientific information applicable to audiologists, physicians, speech pathologists, psychologists, scientists, engineers, educators, students, advocates, and others involved in cochlear implantation. The conference will provide attendees with opportunities to explore current global topics for CI patients across the lifespan.

Conference Themes:

Amy Popp, an early cochlear implant audiologist and educator and trainer of hundreds of CI audiologists, died on June 15 after suffering cardiac arrest five weeks earlier. Amy will be remembered for her love of family, extensive web of friendships, and significant contributions to our field.

The field still has many unanswered questions relative to gene therapy as a treatment for profound levels of hearing. Much is still unknown about how gene therapy will impact treatment of hearing loss. Follow our page to know the latest. 

Also - check out this resource video provided by Hearing First. Gene Therapy and Childhood Hearing Loss: What Parents Need to Know

Are you or someone you know struggling with hearing loss? Hearing loss treatments have advanced beyond hearing aids to include cochlear implants and robotic assistance.  Learn more about these technologies and potential benefits in this upcoming free webinar on July 23 at 1 pm ET. This webinar will provide more details on cochlear implants, candidacy and the benefits of robotic-assistance for cochlear implant surgery. 

There are a few spots remaining for the fall Institute for Cochlear Implant Training Advanced Surgeons Course (ASC).  This course includes 12 weeks of didactic learning, which culminates in a Temporal Bone Lab experience. Current fellows and practicing cochlear implant surgeons are encouraged to apply. 

The Power of Parents in Fostering Language in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children

Dana Suskind MD Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics  Co-Director TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health  University of Chicago  Title of Presentation Leveraging New Technology to Help Parents Foster Rich Language Environments 

Karl R. White PhD  Director, National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management Emma Eccles Jones Endowed Chair in Early Childhood Education Professor of Psychology Utah State University Title of Presentation What’s Past is Prologue: Engaging Families in Continuing to Improve EHDI Programs

Cochlear Implant Best Practices for Adults and Children with Single-Sided Deafness

Allison M. Biever AuD, CCC-A Rocky Mountain Ear Center PC Title of Presentation Best Practices for Adult SSD CI Candidates and Recipients

Lisa Park AuD CCC-A Associate Professor Division Chief, The Children's Cochlear Implant Center at UNC Research Audiologist, Division of Auditory Research UNC Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery Title of Presentation Cochlear Implants as an Option for Children with Single-Sided Deafness

ACI Alliance was pleased to submit the following comments the World Health Organization on the connection between mental health and unaided or underaided hearing loss. 

ACI Alliance, as part of the ITEM Coalition, provided comments in 2022 and 2023 to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on proposed rules on expanding accessibility and nondiscriminatory policies for people with disabilities. The final rules have recently been announced and we are pleased with the outcomes that lock in real improvements to the health care system. The key takeaways are: 

For more information, you can review the final rules on Section 1557 and Section 504 on the HHS website.

ACI Alliance filed documentation in February 2024 supporting the ACLU-DE complaint to the US Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights. ACLU-DE documented discrimination in Delaware in the lack of support services for listening and spoken language for children in early intervention and beyond. ACI Alliance staff spoke early on to ACLU-DE staff to provide background that was used in their complaint. We will continue to support efforts to improve educational services in DE and in other states.

According to 1-3-6 guidelines, all babies should have their hearing screened by one month of age, those who do not pass have a diagnostic evaluation by three months of age, and those who are identified as deaf and hard of hearing be enrolled in appropriate early intervention by six months of age. However, as a country, we are not meeting all three of these milestones.