Course Syllabus – Spring, 2010

HSER 1103 – Adults with Disabilities

2 credits

INSTRUCTOR:  Thomas A. Reis, MSW, MS, ACSW

CLASS MEETING TIME:  Mondays Noon – 1:50pm

CLASS LOCATION: HH306          

OFFICE:  Activities Building A219

OFFICE HOURS:Mon = 9-10am; T = 10-11am; 1-2pm; W = Noon-1pm; Th = 10-11am or by appt.

TELEPHONE NUMBER: (651)554-3717

E-MAIL: treis@inverhills.edu

Course Text:  Klein, Stanley and Kemp, John, “Reflections From A Different Journey”, McGraw-Hill, 2004

 Course Description:

 This course will examine the various types of intellectual emotional and physical disabilities in adults.  An emphasis will be placed on understanding the historical, psychological, cultural, and societal dimension of disability.  Students will investigate strategies for promoting full participation and equality in all aspects of personal and community life.

 Course Objectives:

 This course will:

·        Equip students with knowledge of prevalent disabling conditions and of appropriate sources of further information.

·        Enable students to be comfortable, assured and socially appropriate in their relationships with people who have disabilities and also with their families and friends.

·        Sensitize students to common experiences of people who live with disabilities.

·        Introduce students to a range of special knowledge areas in which they may wish to develop further expertise.

 Class Schedule:

 JAN 11                        INTRO/PICTURES/SYLLABUS

JAN 18 (NO CLASS – MARTIN LUTHER KING HOLIDAY)

 JAN 25                                   LEARNING COMMUNITY/ICE BREAKERS

FEB 1         CH. DISCUSSION/DISTURBING STATS/HX. VIEW POINT

READ: “DISABILITY DOESNOT EQUAL LIABILITY”

 FEB 8          MYTHS&REALITIES RE DISABILITY/VIDEO- 10 COMMANDMENTS

READ: “THE VIRTUES OF BALL PARK DIPLOMACY”

 FEB 15 (NO CLASS – PRESIDENT’S DAY)

FEB 22           MISC/Catch up

READ: “PLEASE ACCEPT ME, ALL OF ME”

MARCH 1      ***QUIZ#1*** CH.FACILITATION/THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

                      FOR UNDERSTANDING  DISABILITY

READ: “WHAT’S A MOTHER TO DO?’

MARCH 8 -12: (NO CLASS – SPRING BREAK – HAVE FUN IN THE SUN!!!

 MARCH 15            DISABILITY PANEL DISCUSSION

 MARCH 22       CH. FACILITATION/PICK A DISABILITY&MORE

READ: “MY SECRET CHILDHOOD EXISTENCE”

 MARCH 29       CH. FACILITATION/VIDEO:LOOK WHO’S LAUGHING/BLINDNESS

READ: “INDEPENDENCE-LESSONS FROM MY MOM”

APRIL 5      CH. FACILITATION/FINISH BLINDNESS/TRY ON A DISABILITY

READ: “ALIEN OR ACTIVIST : A WOMAN IN SEARCH OF A BIG LIFE”

APRIL 12      ***QUIZ#2   CH. FACILITATION/HEARING IMPAIRMENT/VIDEO:

                          A VIDEO GUIDE TO DISABILITY AWARENESS

READ: “GIVING OUR CHILDREN ROOTS AND WINGS”

APRIL 19             CH. FACILITATION/DISABILITY FILM DISCUSSION

READ: “RELATIONSHIP REALISM”

 APRIL 26           CH. FACILITATION/VIDEO: AND THEN CAME JOHN/

                             CEREBRAL PALSEY/HEAD INJURIES/DEV. DISABLED

READ: “CODE OF SILENCE”

 MAY 3          CH. FACILITATION/ADULTS&LEARNING DISABILITIES/

                       DISABILITY PANEL

READ: “MY MOTHER’S WARNINGS”

 MAY  (FINAL’S WEEK): ***QUIZ#3***FILM DISCUSSION/CH. FACILITATION/

                               DISABILITY PROJECT DISCUSSION

READ: “AFTERWORD: DISABILITY CULTURE”

 ***PLEASE NOTE*****

 If there is any student in this class who has need for test taking or note taking accommodation, please feel free to discuss this with me or see Tim Boyer in the Office for Disabilities on the 2^nd floor of the Library Building.

 Method of Evaluation

1.     Attendance & Participation – Worth 75 pts.

You will be allowed one excused absence – your “Get out of Jail Free Card,” for the semester.  Each missed class after that will result in you losing 10 pts. Each time you come to class late or leave early will result in you losing 5 pts. off  your score for each such incidence.

2.     Quizzes – Worth 50 pts.

There will be two quizzes at 25pts. each throughout the semester. Quiz dates are the following: March1 & Final’s Week

 3.     Inclusion Report – Worth 75 pts.

Students will be responsible for making contact with a person who has a disability and documenting that person’s story.  Written permission from the person to write the story must be secured by the student (see attached).

 Note:  This report should not be on someone you know well (i.e. spouse, family member, friend)  Also, you should interview a peer, not a child.  This should involve more than one meeting.  No telephone interviews are accepted (must be face to face).  This will be due during Finals week.  You have 105 days or 13 weeks to get this done.  DON’T PROCRASTINATE!!

 I do not grant extensions.  More details will follow.DUE:April 26

 4.     Film Critique – Worth 25 pts.

Watch a feature film and examine how disability is treated based on what you know from class.  Possible movies to consider are Mask, Man Without a Face, The Elephant Man, My Left Foot, etc.

 Write a 2 to 4 page typewritten paper addressing the following:

·        A brief paragraph summarizing what the film is about;  who are the main characters and what is the story line.

·        How is the main character’s disability viewed in the film. 

·        Critically analyze the development of the role applying what you have learned in class.

·        Due:  April 12

5.     Panel Paper – Worth 25pts

There will be two disability panels in the semester. The first panel will be made up of people with disabilities. The second panel will be made up of family members of the disabled. You need to write a 2-3 page reaction paper in response to ONE of the panels. This paper will be due the following Monday/next class period.

6.     Chapter Facilitation – Worth 15pts

You will be randomly assigned a partner and a chapter from the book that you will be given time to facilitate a discussion around. You should submit a one page paper (typed) with your names, a series of questions/comments re the chapter (should number about six/seven combination of questions/comments). Discussion should go from 15-30minutes.

 7.     Final Paper – Worth 20pts

This paper should be one to two pages long. In it you should answer the question: “How am I different at the end of this class from studying about disabilities?”

Due: May 3

GRADING SCALE

285 - 256    =       A

255 - 228    =       B

227 - 199    =       C

198 - 171    =       D

170 or less  =       F

INCLUSION REPORT DETAILS

This is a chance for you to meet someone from the largest minority group in the United States, people with disabilities.  This is an opportunity for you to experience disability on more than a theoretical, academic plane.  This project will expand your level of learning beyond the four walls of the classroom.  It will allow you to meet someone with a disability and get to know their story.

Disability usually doesn’t happen in a vacuum, if your person approves of it, feel free to interview family members as well.

This is an essay that can have subheading but do not write in a bullet format.

You may use the following outline to guide your work:  (Note:  it may not be necessary or appropriate to include information under each heading.  These are not “must haves,” they are simply ideas to help you get focused).

a.     A brief life history from birth to present including place in family, education, work, recreation, housing, and legal issues and, daily, weekly and yearly routines.

1.     Also, how does this person feel about his/her disability?

2.     How does his/her family/spouse/children/siblings/parents respond to the disability?

b.     What has the disability taught the person?

1.     How has it affected significant relationships?

2.     How would he/she be different without it?

c.      Who is this person?  (Can include descriptions by those who know the person).  Include:

1.     the person’s desires

2.     aspirations

3.     strengths and capacities

4.     likes and dislikes

5.     dreams

6.     fears

7.     memories, etc.

d.     What support requirements does this person have and are the services they receive adequate?  Go beyond the practical supports to the emotional and human supports (friends, groups, clubs) that we all require to live as full and active participants in life.

e.      What barriers exist for this person (personal, family, community, institutional, etc.).  What plans or strategies are in place to overcome these barriers.  What else needs to be done on each of the levels concerned.

f.       If there is one message you would like to give to the non-disabled population about people with disabilities, what would that be?

g.     How would the person you are working with on this assignment like to see the future chapters of this story written?

h.     Your impressions, ideas, hopes, concerns for this person and how this experience was for you.

i.       How has their disability impacted romantic relationships?

 Include (in journal-like format, if you wish) what your thoughts/feelings were leading up-to meeting this person.  You may want to include, after your interviews and writing-up his/her story, how this all impacted you….what you learned about yourself.

I invite you to ask the tough questions because this is where a lot of fruitful stuff may come out.  If some question or aspect is uncomfortable to you, explore why that is; what’s that about?  Just observe it, don’t judge it or beat up on yourself.  And remember, because you are uncomfortable doesn’t mean they are uncomfortable with the question.

 NOTE:

 Please include in your paper a telephone # where I can reach this person in case I want to follow-up on your report.

 Refer to your individual in the writing of this report by first name only.

 Specifics:

Length:  8 – 12 pages typed

 Grading Criteria:

 ·        Depth of analysis

·        Grammar/spelling

·        Paragraph/sentence structure

·        Clarity of writing

·        Personal integration/reflection

·        Logical flow

·        Appearance (Double spaced/margins/sub headings/page numbers)

CONSENT FORM

INTRODUCTION TO DISABILITIES

HSER 1103 ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES

I, _________________________, give my consent to have ___________________________

            Name of Person (Print)                                                                    Your Name (Print)

Interview me and write a subsequent report on our meetings.

_______________________________                      ________________________________

                        Interviewee                                                                 Date

_______________________________                      _________________________________

                        Student                                                                       Date

 * Note -  Make an additional copy for your interviewee.  Failure to hand this in on the due date will result in an automatic 10% penalty on this project.

 Plagiarism and Cheating:  It is unacceptable to submit the work of another person as your own.  If you quote, summarize, paraphrase, or use the ideas of another, you must accurately attribute that information.  If you do not acknowledge the source, you are plagiarizing. 

In this course, plagiarism/cheating will result in (here identify the consequences, e.g., failure of the course, failure of the assignment, redoing the assignment, etc.).  In addition, plagiarism and cheating are covered by the Student Code of Conduct.  In this course, plagiarism will also result in the initiation of the Student Code of Conduct Disciplinary Process. Please see the Catalog or IHCC website for details.

Documentation Style and Paper Format: In this course, students are expected to use APA format and documentation style. Papers are to be typed, double space, and stapled.

ADA Statement: Reasonable accommodations that make sure that all materials, discussions, and activities that are part of this course are accessible will be provided students with physical, sensory, cognitive, systemic, and psychiatric disabilities.  To discuss accommodations for this course, please visit the Disability Services Office (L224) or contact by phone (651-450-8628 or TTY 651-450-8369) and contact the instructor. 

Religious Accommodation Statement: Inver Hills Community College strongly supports the principles of free expression and respect for the diversity of beliefs, including religious observances, among our academic community.  It is the policy of the college to provide reasonable accommodations for students when religious observances conflict with classroom activities or course requirements.  It is the responsibility of students to inform instructors in a timely fashion prior to such conflicts.  If a mutually agreed accommodation is not possible, students may initiate an appeal.  The procedure for this appeal is the same as the Grade Appeal Policy listed in the catalogue, however; the appeal must be initiated by the student within two weeks of the conflict.

 Student’s Right to Know: Policies on Harassment and Discrimination, Crime Awareness and Campus Security Report, Drug- and Alcohol-Free Campus, Student Conduct, and Academic Honesty are available on the IHCC website.  Inver Hills has established policies and procedures to handle violations in a timely manner.

 Incomplete Grade and Withdrawal Information: Students must initiate requests for either an incomplete grade or withdrawal from a course by filing the appropriate form with Enrollment Services. Students who stop attending classes without completing the withdrawal process may receive a grade of “F,” and are responsible for all tuition/fees associated with the course registration.  Withdrawal forms must be submitted as stated in the course schedule.  Please see the current Class Schedule or Catalog for details.