Cochlear implants could soon make a lifetime of profound deafness a thing of the past-and in the process bring an end to America's vibrant deaf culture. In this program, NewsHour correspondent Betty Ann Bowser takes a balanced look at the implications of cochlear implant technology on the deaf community.

Dr. John Niparko, director of The Listening Center at Johns Hopkins; King Jordan, president of Gallaudet University; and others share their markedly different perceptions of cochlear implants, with some portraying them as miraculous assistive devices and others as a baneful attempt by the well-meaning hearing majority to "fix" the Deaf.