Estudio de caso de educandos sordos con implante coclear para el desarrollo de la comunicación oral

Abstract

The development of oral communication in deaf students with cochlear implants remains a challenge, half a century after the first surgery worldwide. Theoretical systematization and speech therapy practice reveal shortcomings: predominance of auditory rehabilitation, limited progress in oral language components, and insufficient resources and support for oral communication.  This article presents a case study of three deaf primary school students with cochlear implants in Havana, involving their educational agents, with the aim of implementing and evaluating a speech therapy intervention program to foster oral communication. A longitudinal study was conducted from 2019 to 2024, applying methods and techniques such as the Language Exploration Battery for Deaf Students in their Diversity (BELES-IC), observation, and interviews. Four dimensions were defined: auditory comprehension, linguistic development, cognitive growth, and motivational aspects. The results show progress in the correspondence between auditory-verbal levels and oral communication across all dimensions. The applied case study facilitated the initial characterization and the design of a speech therapy intervention program to develop oral language in deaf students with cochlear implants. In turn, this program contributed to teacher professionalization, expanded resources and support, and strengthened oral communication through the processes of speaking and listening.