Research List: Sign Language Benefits for Children with Cochlear Implants

A common worry is that learning sign language will hold back spoken language, especially for a child with a cochlear implant, a surgically placed device that gives access to sound. Use this reading list to ground that conversation in evidence. It gathers peer-reviewed studies showing that early access to sign language in the first three years supports, rather than hinders, language, thinking, and development, including for children who use cochlear implants.