Learning to listen with a cochlear implant is an exciting journey for you or your child. Advanced Bionics supports your journey to better hearing by providing live and recorded webinars on a variety of topics related to hearing loss and cochlear implants. These courses will provide you with information and resources to better understand the process of learning to hear with a cochlear implant.
Hear Your World
AB’s Course Catalog
To view a recorded webinar select from the topics listed below and click on the course title of interest:
Cochlear Implant Candidacy Courses
This section provides you with the current information on cochlear implant candidacy and a basic overview of cochlear implants.
Bilateral Cochlear Implants
Learn why listening with two ears provides the natural hearing choice for children and adults through one of the online courses listed below.
- Hear More Now and in the Future with Bilateral Harmony Cochlear Implants
- Bilateral Cochlear Implants: The Natural Choice for Adults
- Bilateral Cochlear Implants: The Natural Choice for Children
- Hear Confidently: Bilateral Hearing and AutoSound
- The Real World: Bilateral Hearing and HiRes
- Bilateral Hearing with the Harmony and T-Mic
- Bilateral Hearing - Navigating the Insurance Maze
AB Product Information Courses
Learn the latest information about our products, including the features and benefits of our system, how to connect to assistive listening devices, and how to troubleshoot your equipment.
Grand Rounds in Cochlear Implants
- Middle Ear Dysfunction Can’t Affect Cochlear Implant Function..Or Can it?
CEUs: Certificate available upon request.
Many professionals who work with cochlear implants are under the impression that middle-ear dysfunction does not impact the function of the cochlear implant, which bypasses the conductive portion of the auditory mechanism. However, anecdotally, there are some indications that this piece of conventional wisdom may not be entirely accurate. This presentation will detail a case in which changes in middle-ear status were closely associated with changes in the function of a cochlear implant in use on the affected ear.
About the Presenter:
Jeffrey Simmons, MA, CCC-A, is Cochlear Implant Clinical Coordinator in the Lied Learning and Technology Center at Boys Town National Research Hospital, in Omaha, Nebraska, where he has been on staff since receiving his master’s degree from the University of Northern Colorado, in 1996. His duties include newborn hearing screening, audiological diagnostics, and the fitting of hearing aids and cochlear implants with both pediatric and adult populations. Jeffrey has been involved in research, publications, and/or presentations involving a variety of topics related to cochlear implants, pediatric amplification, newborn hearing screening, and auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder.
- Best Practices for Speech and Hearing Testing with Cochlear Implants
CEUs: Certificate available upon request at Education.Training@AdvancedBionics.com.
This course provides professionals with information on the best practices for speech perception testing with cochlear implant candidates and recipients. This presentation addresses current protocols, available speech perception tools, and relevant research.
About the Presenter:
Sarah Zlomke, Au.D., CCC-A, specializes in cochlear implantsat Midwest Midwest Ear Institute in Kansas City. She completed her fourth yearexternship at Midwest Ear Institute in 2007 and received her Doctor of Audiologydegree from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis in 2008. AtMidwest Ear Institute, she works with all three cochlear implant manufacturersand has participated in over 10 investigator initiated and sponsor initiated studiesinvolving cochlear implant technology.
Professionals in Hearing
The Professionals in Hearing online curriculum was created by AB to provide cochlear implant resources to educators, audiologists, therapists, hearing aid dispensers and others working in the field of hearing loss. These interactive courses describe how cochlear implants work, candidacy, outcomes, and the unique benefits of the HiResolutionTM Bionic Ear System. Each 15-30 minute course includes a written notes page of the recording and opportunity to connect with an experienced cochlear implant clinician from Advanced Bionics.
Your comments and questions are welcomed at 1.866.844.HEAR or hear@AdvancedBionics.com.
Neptune Tutorials
Introduction to Neptune
Neptune™ is the world’s first and only SWIMMABLE, waterproof sound processor for cochlear implant recipients. This tutorial showcases the flexibility of the freestyle™ wearing design, beauty, useability, durability, and performance capability that Neptune delivers.
UHP and AquaMic
Neptune is compatible with two headpieces: the Universal Headpiece and the AquaMic. The Universal Headpiece (UHP), which works with all AB sound processors, is intended for use with the Neptune processor during everyday activities outside of water environments. The AquaMic is designed for use during swimming and bathing. This tutorial explains the system’s flexibility in headpiece options.
Neptune Connect
Advanced Bionics has the only removable controller on the market today! The Neptune Connect is an easy-to-use module allowing recipients to make adjustments to programs, volume, and sensitivity settings or to easily verify settings of these controls. It also enables use of wireless FM systems and the ability to connect to battery-operated consumer electronics devices. The Neptune Connect is not needed for daily operation and can be removed from the processor to enable swimmability and prevent tampering by very young children. This tutorial presents Neptune Connect.
Durability and Style
Neptune is robust and durable. Beyond ratings to everyday life, Neptune is designed for all ages, lifestyles, weather and terrain. This tutorial demonstrates Neptune’s Built Kid Tough™ durability and flexible freestyle™ design.
Connectivity
Neptune sound processor has superior technology and offers easy access to a variety of connectivity options, including FM use. This tutorial demonstrates how easy it is to connect Neptune to a Dynamic FM system as well as battery-operated consumer electronic devices, such as MP3 players and other handheld devices.
Methods for Listening Practice
Bringing Music to Life with Christine Barton
This series is designed to raise participants’ awareness of the connection and similarities between music and speech and language development in children with cochlear implants. Additionally, our final course in this series offers information to teens and adults on how to enhance their music appreciation skills with the cochlear implant. This course is captioned.
AB Live Chat with Chris Barton
Bringing Music to Life for Young Children with Cochlear Implants. Captioned
About the presenter: Chris Barton MM, MT-BC, is an award-winning composer and performer. She began her musical career at age eight with a German concert pianist who pulled her students' ears when mistakes were made! Despite the rough start, Chris has retained her love of music. As a board certified music therapist, she has worked in child and adolescent psychiatry, hospice settings, school programs for autistic and brain-injured children and in private practice. She currently directs Central Canal Creative Arts Therapies in Indianapolis and primarily sees young children with autistic spectrum and speech and hearing disorders. Many of the children she works with have cochlear implants. Chris is the mother of a teenage son with Asperger's Syndrome.
Tuesdays with Mary
This series contains courses designed to familiarize you with the principles and practices of cochlear implant rehabilitation in young children. Specifically, the presenter provides you with a systematic approach to learning how to listen and understanding that connection between sound and its meaning.
- Making Therapy Fun - Motivation, Expectation and Structure
How do you make therapy FUN but at the same time provide structure? Take this course and find out! Web class, 60 minutes. - Tool Time: Listening Activities for Infants and Toddlers
Learn about the components to listening and how to integrate them into your therapy session with young children. Web class, 60 minutes. - Tool Time: Listening Activities for School-Age Children
Learn about the components to listening and how to integrate them into your therapy session with school age children. Web class, 60 minutes.
Mary Koch has been working with children with cochlear implants since 1983. In 1994, she began the cochlear implant rehabilitation program at the Listening Center at Johns Hopkins. Mary currently provides cochlear implant rehab training nationally and internationally and serves as a consultant to Advanced Bionics.
Listening for Littles with Dave Sindrey
This series is designed to provide participants with strategies for targeting language development through parent and child interactions throughout their daily routines.
- Sound Foundations to Early Speech Skills
Understanding what those principles are to develop early speech skills will be discussed during this 60 minute web class. - Language, Vocabulary, Sentences, Stories and Beyond
How do you increase your child's listening and comprehension skills? Find out by participating in this 60 minute web class.
About the presenter: Dave Sindrey is the creator of many beloved materials for children with hearing loss, including Listening Games for Littles and the Cochlear Implant Auditory Training Guide. Dave is known for inventive and effective games that work on both listening and language, and his lighthearted illustrations are loved by both parents and children around the world. He established his own publishing company in 1990, Wordplay Publications, which he continues to operate from his home town. Dave was trained as a Speech Language Pathologist at the University of Western Ontario and during his undergraduate degree in Communicative Disorders, studied under Dr. Daniel Ling. Dave is certified as an Auditory-Verbal Therapist and has given more than one hundred lectures internationally on parent centered treatment, creating fun and effective lesson plans, strategies for developing listening skills and techniques for promoting active listening behaviors in children. He lives in London Ontario Canada with his son Liam and their dog Tugs.
Therapy Guideposts with Krista Heavner
This series provides information on how to create a unique rehabilitation plan for you or your child.
- Exploring Communication Options-Guiding Families and Professionals
This course explores communication options available to families with children who are affected by hearing loss. Web class, 60 minutes. - Exploring Auditory-Verbal Therapy-History and Theory
This course offers parents and professionals with information on the use of Auditory-Verbal Therapy techniques with children who have cochlear implants. Web class, 60 minutes. - Auditory Verbal Therapy- The Parent Component
This course focuses on the parents and the important role they play in the habilitation process of their child. Web class, 60 minutes. - Basic Audiology for the Educator and Therapist
This course provides basic information about how hearing is measured, including what tests are administered and the audiogram and how the therapist can be involved in this process. Web class, 60 minutes. - Exploring Normal Developmental Milestones for Treatment Planning
It is important to understand the normal developmental milestones for children so that they may be applied to a therapy plan for children with hearing loss. This information is reviewed in this course. Web class, 60 minutes. - Applying Normal Developmental Milestones to Therapy Planning: The Infant and Preschool Stages
Now that you understand normal development how do you apply that information to a young child with a hearing loss? Find out in this 60 minute web class. - Applying Normal Developmental Milestones to Therapy Planning: The School-Age Child
Now that you understand normal development, how do you apply that information to an older child with a hearing loss? Find out in this 60 minute web class. - Applying AVT Principles to the Child with Additional Disabilities
This course offers information on using an AVT approach with children with additional disabilities. Web class, 60 minutes. - Creating Partnerships between the Family, School, and CI Center
One way to maximize a child's success with a cochlear implant is through communication and collaboration with all of the members of the child's team. This course describes techniques to create a communicative and supportive environment. Web class, 60 minutes. - Making the Connection: Encouraging Self-Directed Listening Practice with Adolescents and Adults
As a teen or adult listening practice is an important part of learning to connect to your cochlear implant. This course offers techniques and strategies to practice your listening skills. Web class, 60 minutes.
About the presenter: Krista is a speech-language pathologist and Certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist who has been teaching spoken language to children who are deaf since 1999. She has worked in both the private practice setting and in the academic setting. Krista worked with the University of Michigan Cochlear Implant Program from 2001-2006 before working with Advanced Bionics as a consultant. Krista's research interest is spoken language outcomes with the Auditory-Verbal approach and she has presented at several national cochlear implant meetings on this topic. She now lives in North Carolina with her husband and 2 children.
Working with Infants and Toddlers by Amy Robbins
Working with very young children with cochlear implants can be tricky! Learn from one of the industry leaders in this area by viewing the following lesson. This lesson provides you with insightful techniques and strategies to improve your therapy sessions.
- Getting Ready to Work with Infants and Toddlers with Cochlear Implants
This course offers the participant with ideas and strategies to set the stage to work with very young children.
About the presenter: Amy McConkey Robbins, MS, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist in private practice in Indianapolis, Indiana, where she provides diagnostic and therapy services to children, often teaming with Chris Barton during intervention. She also advises school districts on the management of children with hearing loss and consults with Advanced Bionics. She has published in numerous books and journals and is the author or co-author of some widely-used assessment tools, such as the MAIS, IT-MAIS, and Mr. Potato Head Task.
Literacy and Cochlear Implants with Krista Heavner
This series explores literacy methods used with children with hearing loss and offers specific strategies that follow a normal developmental approach to reading.
- Read All About It! Listening Strategies for the Young Child with a Hearing Loss
How do you get a young child with a hearing loss to be enthusiastic about reading? View this web class to find out what strategies are effective. 60 minutes. - Read All About It! Listening Strategies for the Older Child with a Hearing Loss
How do you get an older child with a hearing loss to be enthusiastic about reading? View this web class to find out what strategies are effective. 60 minutes.
About the presenter: Krista is a speech-language pathologist and Certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist who has been teaching spoken language to children who are deaf since 1999. She has worked in both the private practice setting and in the academic setting. Krista worked with the University of Michigan Cochlear Implant Program from 2001-2006 before working with Advanced Bionics as a consultant. Krista's research interest is in spoken language outcomes with the Auditory-Verbal approach and she has presented at several national cochlear implant meetings on this topic. She now lives in North Carolina with her husband and 2 children.
Developing Listening Skills in the Home with Krista Heavner
- Developing Listening Skills in the Home
For a child using a cochlear implant, the home environment is key to optimizing listening and language development. Advanced Bionics is pleased to present this course in partnership with AG Bell. Krista Heavner, discusses creating a home environment which encourages the development of listening skills and spoken communication. 60 minutes.
About the presenter: Krista is a speech-language pathologist and Certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist who has been teaching spoken language to children who are deaf since 1999. She has worked in both the private practice setting and in the academic setting. Krista worked with the University of Michigan Cochlear Implant Program from 2001-2006 before working with Advanced Bionics as a consultant. Krista's research interest is in spoken language outcomes with the Auditory-Verbal approach and she has presented at several national cochlear implant meetings on this topic. She now lives in North Carolina with her husband and 2 children.
Early Intervention and Bilateral Cochlear Implants with Donald Goldberg, Ph.D.
Hearing with two ears is a natural occurrence which is why many parents are choosing to implant their child with two cochlear implants versus one. Whether a child receives two cochlear implants at the same time (simultaneously) or one at a time (sequentially), rehabilitation is a crucial component to maximize a child’s success. This webinar series is designed to provide parents and professionals with practical approaches to early intervention and rehabilitation of children with hearing loss with a special emphasis on bilateral cochlear implants.
- Sequential and Simultaneous Bilateral Cochlear Implants: Therapy Guidelines and Outcomes
- The Parent Role in Early Intervention
About the presenter: Dr. Goldberg is currently the Co-Director of the Hearing Implant Program (HIP) in the Section of Audiology at the Cleveland Clinic’s Head and Neck Institute. Goldberg earned his Ph.D. from the University of Florida in 1985. He has held university/college teaching positions (University of Montana, University of Connecticut, and The College of Wooster – Ohio), prior to joining the Cleveland Clinic in 2005. Dr. Goldberg was the former Executive Director of the Helen Beebe Speech and Hearing Center prior to moving to Ohio.
Goldberg has published on the topics of Auditory-Verbal Therapy, the AG Bell Academy for Listening and Spoken Language, cochlear implants, communication assessment, educational audiology, and the clinical efficacy of AVT. Currently the President of the AG Bell Academy for Listening and Spoken Language, he is also on the AG Bell Board of Directors.
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