Deaf People and Disability Studies (ASL4520)
Please note: All information currently available on this site represents work and due dates relevant to a previous semester/course. Please check back during later semesters for updated information on this course. Thank you.
About this Course
This online-only course is a seminar-like introduction and examination into the confluence of Deaf people and disability studies. Instructor/student interaction will be in both ASL and written English. Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to demonstrate they can:
- explain how American society constructs disability and contrast this with perspectives from disability studies and Deaf studies
- describe historical, social, political, religious, philosophical, and cultural influences on both Deaf and disabled people
- describe the complex relationship between Deaf and disability rights groups
- explain how Deaf persons and persons with disabilities construct their own meanings and identities
- articulate ways that the study of Deaf people might inform disability studies’ theoretical underpinnings
- apply principles taught in the course to conduct self-analysis toward understanding societal constructs of disability and Deaf people
Additional Learning Objectives
In addition to the main learning objectives above, students should be able to demonstrate university-level ability in
- expressing appropriate and expected civil netiquette in online conversations and commentary
- articulating personal reasoning when comparing (the same) and contrasting (different) perspectives and observations
- deducing, constructing, and expressing a research-informed opinion
- producing academic ASL-styled presentations and accurate usage of APA referencing and citation form.
- As you know, this course requires your completely self-directed efforts (a/synchronously working with other colleagues) and fairly good command of web-based technologies and learning environments (video creation, salient discussion, and reporting skills).
Published Course Description and Prerequisites
In keeping with a January 2016 request from the University’s Department of Languages and Cultures, the original course description and prerequisites are listed below. The learning objectives on this site/page are expansions and clarifications of the original expectations:
“Introduces the field of disability studies and shows where Deaf people fit within this field. Explores the historical, social, political, religious, philosophical, and cultural influences that construct and influence the categories of “disability” and “deafness.” Examines the complex relation between Deaf and disability rights groups as well as how Deaf persons and persons with disabilities construct their own meanings and identities. Taught in ASL.”