I'm with R2D2 on this one. Although lipreading is good, it can be exhausting on the lipreader. AVT is a big help in less than ideal lipreading situations but the user of the CI/HA must be able to benefit from it in order to use AVT. Sign is great but not everyone knows it which is too bad. 
When I first went to deaf school, my parents feared I'd lose my ability to speak and I'd become one of those kids who signed only. I never lost my ability to speak. As long as the deaf child can benefit from HAs or CIs, sign won't affect speech.
