Society for Disability Studies

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DIS 650 Research Seminar in Disability Studies

Credits: 3
Prerequisite: permission.

Spring, 2007
Time and Location: Tuesdays, 4:00-6:30 Corbett Hall 220

Instructors:
Liz DePoy PhD:
edepoy@maine.edu

Stephen French Gilson PhD
Stephen_Gilson@umit.maine.edu

201 Corbett Hall, Telephone # 581-1469 and 581-1263

Overview: Provides the opportunity to apply knowledge and skill of design and methods to inquiry related to disability, diversity, and universal principles. Examination of current literature and scholarship and formulation of research questions and methods to address disability, diversity, and related inquiry.

Course Objectives:
In this course, the students will:
1. critically examine the philosophical foundations of research methods;
2. develop in-depth knowledge of the emergence, description, explanation and reification of disability as a population category;
3. critically compare methods with regard to the knowledge that they generate and the action that derives from that knowledge;
4. use critical thinking and scholarly exchange to examine personal values and philosophical perspectives related to research;
5. Identify the differential application of contemporary research methods to framing responses to disability rights, to disability as human diversity, and to related scholarship, policy and practice.

Readings and Resources

DePoy, E. & Gitlin, L. (2005). Introduction to research, 3rd edition. St Louis, MO: Elsevier.

Gould, S. ( 1996) Mismeasure of Man. New York, NY: Norton.

Stein , M. ( Distributive justice and disability: Egalirarianism against utilitarianism. New Haven, CN: Yale Univ Press.

Other Selected readings and resources as listed below.

Teaching-Learning Methods:
This course will utilize a variety of teaching-learning strategies, including reading, teaching, analytic discussion, experiential exercises, and asynchronous web conferencing.

Student Responsibilities
Students are responsible for regular attendance, fulfilling all assignments, and for knowing about announcements made in class, including changes in the syllabus.

Students are expected to use respectful language in class and on all written assignments. All papers must be typed and should conform to current APA format.

Student Accommodations
Any student who because of a disability may need special arrangements or accommodations to meet the requirements of this course is encouraged to see us at your earliest convenience.

If the accommodation the student requests for a disability requires material resources or for some reason cannot be provided by the faculty member, please inform the school's a disability liaison in writing of your request. In turn, you may be asked to file documentation with a central university office. It is possible that university experts will confer with the liaison to determine what kind of accommodations should be made to facilitate your participation in class.

Assignments
Assignment 1: Each student will come prepared to fully participate in class activity, to discuss and share insights on readings and learning experiences and to provide positive critical feedback to other students…30 %

Assignment #2: Each student will seek out and identify studies for analysis on assigned days (Feb. 20, March 27) to provide methodological counters to an article assigned on Feb. 6….30%

Assignment #3: Policy research methods and criticism (in class discussion and analysis)….20%

Assignment #4: How does research shape conceptualizations of and responses to disability? Due on April 17 …20%

Grading Criteria:
Plus-minus grading will be assigned.

Course Outline

Date
In Class
Reading / Assignments

Jan 16
Introductions
Your backgrounds in studying research
What is research?

Jan 23
Foundations of research: Philosophical traditions and logic,
Read DePoy & Gitlin, Chapters 1-3
In class comparison- deductive and inductive approaches to accessibility
Start Gould, S. Mismeasure of Man and continue reading. Finish reading the book for Feb 13.

Jan 30
Research and theory
Read DePoy & Gitlin, Chapters, 4 and 7
Read, Haller
Read Okoro et al
Come prepared to compare and contrast theory development in
Each approach

Feb. 6
Experimental-type designs
Read DePoy & Giltin, chapters 8 and 9
Read Edwards et al.

Feb 13
Measurement in Experimental-type design
Read DePoy & Gitlin, Chapters 15 and 16
Read Freis in McDowell and Newell
Come prepared to analyze the instrumentation
Finish Gould

Feb 20
Naturalistic inquiry
Read DePoy & Gitlin, Chapter 10
Seek and find a research article that approaches quality of life through a naturalistic design

Feb 27
Gathering Information in Naturalistic Inquiry
Read DePoy & Gitlin, Chapter 17
In class exercise on information gathering

March 6, 13 Happy Spring Break!!!!!

March 20
Policy inquiry
Read and struggle withJ Stein, chapters 1 and 2
Read about DALYs ( Disability Adjusted Life Years) at http://www.worldbank.org/html/extdr/hnp/hddflash/workp/wp_00068.html
We will apply policy methods in Stein to examining DALYs in class.

March 27
Mixed methods-Case study Design
Read DePoy & Gitlin, Chapter 23
Seek and post a case study on quality of life for analysis and comparison in class

April 3
Passover, no class

April 10
Disability classification ICIDH 2
Read and browse:
Read Ustun et al, Chapters 1-3

April 17
Debating disability research design
Prepare for presentations and debates

April 24
Wrap-up
Course evaluations
Pizza and sushi

May2
Attend Disability studies year-end celebration in the Bangor Room, Memorial Union!!!