Sign up now and watch at your leisure between February 28, 2026 and February 28, 2031.

Or sign up for the live version of this program: airing February 26, 2026, 1:00–2:00 p.m. Eastern time, available through the ASHA Learning Pass subscription or as an a la carte purchase.

Description:

This webinar will provide research-based background and guidance for audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and others who serve adults and children who may be candidates for cochlear implantation. The presenters will highlight candidacy criteria, key challenges and barriers, patient and provider perspectives, and specific strategies to improve awareness, access, and referrals.

Learning Outcomes    
You will be able to:

• Discuss how to meaningfully review candidacy criteria and outcomes for cochlear implants with patients and families
• Discuss reluctance and misconceptions about cochlear implants with patients and families
• Discuss approaches for overcoming insurance/payment barriers and other issues that may hinder access to cochlear implantation

Related Courses

This is one of three courses in the ASHA Audiology 2026: Cochlear Implants webinar series. See all the courses in this series.

Presenter Information

Donna Sorkin, MA, is executive director of the American Cochlear Implant Alliance, a national organization devoted to expanding access to cochlear implantation for all who may benefit. She has had a long career in advocacy for people with hearing loss at for-profit and nonprofit entities. She was previously executive director of two U.S. organizations: Hearing Loss Association of America and Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Ms. Sorkin served for 11 years as Vice President, Consumer Affairs at Cochlear Americas, where she led public policy initiatives and other activities aimed at the broad life needs of cochlear implant users, including insurance coverage and reimbursement, habilitation for children and adults, and educational needs of children with cochlear implants. She has served on federal, corporate, and university boards, including the U.S. Access Board as a presidential appointee and the National Institute on Deafness, NIH Advisory Board. She previously served on the Advisory Board of Gallaudet University. She holds a Master's degree in Public Policy from the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

Disclosures:

• American Cochlear Implant Alliance
• Financial compensation for this presentation

Susan Yaffe-Oziel, MMS, CCC-A, earned her Master of Medical Science degree at Emory University. Susan has dedicated her professional career to supporting individuals, both pediatrics and adults, with hearing loss. She recently retired as the Director of Audiology at TLC’s Family Hearing Center in Rockville, MD, and was formerly a Clinical Audiologist and Graduate Student Supervisor at George Washington University.

Disclosures:

• Financial compensation from ASHA for this presentation

Assessment Type

Self-assessment—Think about what you learned and report on the Completion Form how you will use your new knowledge.

To earn continuing education credit, you must complete and submit the learning assessment by 11:59 p.m. ET on the end date below.

Program History and CE Information

Live webinar date: February 26, 2026   
End date: February 28, 2031

This course is offered for 0.1 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate level, Professional area). 
Subject code 5030 Hearing Assistive Technology