Society for Disability Studies

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University of Delaware HEPP 465 Spring 2008
Senior Seminar in Disabilities Studies
Instructors

Jamie Wolfe jlw@udel.edu
Office Phone: 831-8879
Office Location: Center for Disabilities Studies 461 Wyoming Road
Office Hours: Weds. 9 - 12 & by appointment

Laura Eisenman eisenman@udel.edu
Office Phone: 831-0532
Office Location: WHL 213H
Office Hours: Mon & Wed 1:00-2:00 and by appointment
Course Description
This course culminates the minor in Disabilities Studies with an integrative seminar requiring a multimedia storytelling presentation and related policy paper focusing upon an issue of importance to a person with a disability or their family. Major course themes include community access, independence, and integration, which we will examine through historical, current, professional, and personal perspectives. The following questions serve as a synthesizing framework for course topics:

1. Why study disabilities?
2. How does public policy affect the lives of people with disabilities and their families?
3. How do emerging “person-centered” frameworks in policy and practice influence
professional roles?
4. What types of advocacy have been effective in creating significant changes for people
with disabilities?

Required Texts

Shapiro, J. (1994). No Pity. New York. Three Rivers Press.

HEPP 465 Course Pack (noted in syllabus as CP)

Additional required web-based articles (links in MyCourses HEPP 465) (noted in syllabus as O)

A book of your choice from a list of personal writings by people with disabilities and family members. List to be provided in class.

Expectations and Guidelines
1. The academic integrity guidelines of the University of Delaware will be followed.
2. Readings must be completed prior to each class. Activities and discussion will be based upon the readings; it is especially important to have an understanding of the readings (and questions about difficult points or issues of interest) so that we can apply this information during our discussions.
3. Your attendance is expected. If you must miss a class, please inform the instructor in advance or as soon as possible. Unexcused absences or frequent tardiness will affect your grade.
4. This class is conducted as a seminar. The experiences, ideas, and knowledge of class members are an integral part of the course; therefore, ACTIVE class participation is expected. Your abilities to analyze information and theory, critique research and policy, and provide counterpoints to readings and your fellow students’ arguments are crucial to the class functioning and count toward your final grade.
5. All assignments are due on the stated dates. No points will be awarded for late projects or assignments without prior approval of the instructor based on extreme and documented cases.
6. All assignments must be typed and submitted into MyCourses, unless otherwise stated by the instructors. Also, spelling, grammar, and writing style are important components of professional writing. Therefore, accurate, clear, concise writing is required for all assignments. All written assignments will be evaluated for content, clarity, format, and cohesiveness. Points will be lost for spelling, grammatical, and other form errors.
7. Citations and references must be in APA style. Please refer to the APA 5th edition (2001).
8. If you have a disability that requires an accommodation or an academic adjustment, please arrange a meeting with an instructor at your earliest convenience.
9. In accordance with University policies, incompletes will be given only under extreme and documented circumstances.
Grading Scale
(Percent) = Letter Grade: (100-94) = A; (93-91) = A- ; (90-88) = B+ ; (87-84) = B ;
(83-81) = B- ; (80-78) = C+ ; (77-74) = C ; (73-71) = C- ; (70-68) = D+ ; (67-64) = D ; (63-61) = D- ; (<61) = F
Assignments Overview
Assignments Points Due Dates
Class Participation 20 All Sessions
Discussion Paper 25 2/25, 2/27, 3/5, or 3/10
Book Review 25 3/24
Advocacy Project
Sample Interview Questions 5 3/19
Draft Story and Theme 5 4/23
Draft Policy Points 5 4/30
Multimedia & Oral Presentation 40 5/14, 5/19, or 5/21
Policy Paper 40 5/21
165

Schedule

Topic/ Class Activities Reading DUE
2/13 W (Both) Introduction to Course/ + Minor senior “checkout”
2/18 M (jlw) History of Treatment of People w/ disabilities (CP) Biklen & Bogdan (1977). Handicapism. (CP) Charlton (1998). Culture(s) and Belief Systems. (O) Snow (2007). People First Language.
2/20 W (lte) Emerging Policy Paradigm & People’s Lives Today --core policy themes --definitions of disability --categories of law (CP) Silverstein. R. (2000). Emerging disability policy framework: (selected sections) (CP) Aleshire, J. (2004). Eye of the beholder. (CP) O’Brien, R. (2004). Defining moments. (O) Baker, Mixner, & Harris (2007). State of Disability in America (pp. 1-18)
2/25 M (jlw) Policy Issue: Community Living --history-->current --policy-->person --disability definitions --core themes-->responses: professional, community, & system Shapiro Ch. 8: Up from the Nursing Home Shapiro Ch. 10: Crossing the Luck Line (CP) Bogdan & Taylor (1976). The judged, not the judges (CP) Taylor // McTernen & Ward // Swenson. (2005). Parents’ perspectives on institutions (O) Baker, Mixner, & Harris (2007). State of Disability in America (pp. 49-55) Discussion Paper (selected students)
2/27 W (lte) Policy Issue: Employment --history-->current --policy-->person --disability definitions --core themes-->responses: professional, community, & system (O) MacDonald & O’Neill (2006). Being American: The Way Out of Poverty. (CP) O’Brien (2001). Introduction. (CP) Atkins (2004). A Chair Unseen. (CP) Kuusisto (2004). Life Without Mozart. (O) Baker, Mixner, & Harris (2007). State of Disability in America (pp. 37-48) Discussion Paper (selected students)
3/3 M Project Prep Day *
3/5 W (jlw) Policy Issue: Health Care --history-->current --policy-->person --disability definitions --core themes-->responses: professional, community, & system (O) Walsh & LeRoy (2004). Interview and “Gloria” excerpt...Women with Disabilities Aging Well: A Global View. (CP) Rubin & Nehring (2002). From medical model to integrated health care delivery. (O) Perry, Dulio, & Hanson (2003). The role of health coverage for people with disabilities. (O) Baker, Mixner, & Harris (2007). State of Disability in America (pp. 19-25) Discussion Paper (selected students)
3/10 M (lte) Policy Issue: Education --history-->current --policy-->person --disability definitions --core themes-->responses: professional, community, & system (CP) Smith & Kozleski (2005). Witnessing Brown. (CP) Yell, Rogers, &Lodge Rogers (1998). Legal history of special education (CP) Gerber, M. (1996). Reforming special education: Beyond ‘inclusion’. (CP) Day, G. (2001). Finally Saying What I Mean. (O) Baker, Mixner, & Harris (2007). State of Disability in America (pp. 26-35) Discussion Paper (selected students)
3/12 W (lte) Changing Images of and Responses to the Disability Experience Shapiro Ch. 1 (CP) Butterworth, J. (2002). From programs to supports. (CP) Hayden (2004) Names hurt.
3/17 M (jlw) Changing...part 2: Person-Centered Planning (CP) Bogdan & Taylor (1989). Relationships with severely disabled people (O) O’Brien & O’Brien (2000). The origins of person-centered planning: (O) Van der Klift & Kunc (1994). Hell-bent on helping
3/19 W (lte) Sample Stories (CP) Brown & Brown Ch. 1 Intro QOL (CP) Brown & Brown Ch. 2 Four people (CP) Brown & Brown Ch. 4 Life Gardening (O) Bodacious B’s Newsletter Sample Interview Questions
3/24 M (both) Book Discussion --summary --key themes Book Review
3/26 W Project Prep Day *
SPRING BREAK
4/7 M (lte) Overview: Methods of Advocacy & Facilitating Change --different types of advocacy --administering policy (O) Silverstein (2000). Congressional Insiders Guide (CP) Smull & Lakin (2002) Person-centered Planning & Public Policy (O) Baker, Mixner, & Harris (2007). State of Disability in America (pp. 56-61)
4/9 W (jlw) Advocacy/Facilitating Change: Self-Advocacy (CP) Gilson (1998) Choice & Self-Advocacy (CP) Turnbull & Turnbull (2001) Self-determination...
4/14 M (jlw) Advocacy/Facilitating Change: Local Systems Advocacy -- Falling Through the Cracks (CP) Hayden (2004). Transformation from citizen to social activist. (CP) O’Brien, S.C. (2004). Whack! . (CP) O’Brien, R. (2004). Private Places, Public Spaces.
4/16 W (lte) Advocacy/Facilitating Change: State Systems Change -- deinstitutionalization (CP) Parish, S. (2005) Deinstitutionalization in two states. (O) McBryde Johnson (2003) Disability gulag. (O) Desonia (2003). Is community care a civil right?
4/21 M (both) Project Theme/Issue Ideas
4/23 W Project Prep Day * Draft Story Ideas
4/28 M (jlw) Advocacy/Facilitating Change: National Policy Change --ADA part 1 (CP) Johnson (2003). Passing the ADA (CP) Johnson (2003) Courts & Disability Rights (O) WashingtonWatch Righting the ADA info
4/30 W (lte) Advocacy/Facilitating Change: Legal Advocacy --ADA part 2 (CP) Mezey (2005). Disability rights as civil rights. In Disabling Interpretations (CP) Mezey (2005). Conclusion. In Disabling Interpretations Shapiro Ch. 9 No Less Worthy a Life Draft Policy Points
5/5 M (jlw) Critical Topic --Veterans TBA
5/7 W (both) Critical Topic: --Disability Professions TBA
5/12 M Project Prep Day *
5/14 W Presentations/ Discussions Presentations
5/19 M Presentations/ Discussions Presentations
5/21 W Presentations/ Discussions Course Wrap UP Presentations Policy Papers

* Four Project Prep Days have been built into the syllabus in lieu of class meetings. These days are given in recognition of the outside technical tasks you will need complete as an individual and with group members to prepare your advocacy project.

This preparation includes attending a series of three brief workshops offered by The PRESENT in the Student Multimedia Center. The first is on basic equipment handling, the second is on video-editing, and the third covers how to assemble media. Attending these sessions will provide your group with some basic technical skills but, most importantly, your group will be able to make an informed decision about the type of multimedia that will be most comfortable for you to use and best suited to your project.

The series will be offered repeatedly across several days during the weeks of February 18 and April 4. You may register for whichever sessions are most convenient for your schedule, although we highly recommend that you plan to register for the sessions offered early in the semester. Registration information will be provided in class.