ASL 305 Syllabus
Introduction to Deaf Studies Spring Quarter, March 30 - June 5, 2009

Course Title / Number ASL 305 / Introduction to Deaf Studies

Credits. 3.

Lecture Hours: MW Time: MW 12:30 – 1:50 p.m.

Classroom: GLD 435

Prerequisites: None.

Instructors: Lance Forshay, M.S. & Richard Ladner, Ph.D

Office: Padelford Hall A215 CSE 632

Office Hours: 11:30-2:30 pm. T, Th & F (Please email)

(Email me first)

E-mail: lforshay@u.washington.edu ladner@cs.washington.edu

General Course Description:

An Introduction to the Studies of language, culture and community of Deaf people. The contents cover topics in Deaf history, education, sociology, language, legal issues, art & literature, audism, services for the Deaf, organizations, assistive technological devices, and the nature of Deafhood. Several controversial issues will be analyzed such as Oralism, methods of Deaf education, signing systems, biomedical ethics (including cochlear Implants and genetic engineering), and student protest movements at Gallaudet (Deaf President Now 1988 and Unity For Gallaudet 2006). This course also includes guest speakers from the community.

Required Texts:

Bauman, H-Dirksen L., ed. Open Your Eyes: Deaf Studies Talking, Minneapolis, MN:

University of Minnesota Press, 2008.

Padden, Carol and Tom Humphries, Inside Deaf Culture, Cambridge, MA: Harvard

University Press, 2005.

Detailed Schedule:

Assignments and Examinations:

Lectures:

Post and Comments on Project 1:

Post and Comments on Project 2:

Reading List:

Recommended Research Topics:

Course Goals:

The overall goals of the Introduction to Deaf Studies are to have you understand, appreciate and respect:

1) Deaf language and culture as you would with any other languages and cultures.

2) The world view of Deaf community and work along with mutual respect and understanding.

Course Grade Breakdown and Requirements:

30% Mid-Term Exam

30% Final Exam

40% 2 Reports

Course Decimal Grade

A = 4.0 = 95%

B = 3.0 = 85%

C = 2.0 = 75%

D = 1.0 = 65%

F = 0.0 = 55%

Outline of Course:

Topics: Guest Speakers:

I. Deaf History

a. Pre-history to 1817.

b. 1817 to 1960.

c. 1960 to Present.

II. American Sign Language

a. History

b. Language attitudes and oppressions

c. Linguistics of ASL

d. Poetry and Literature. Vince Nuccio

e. Deaf in Theatres and Hollywood. Nat Wilson

f. Demographics and facts.

g. ASL Today and Future:

i. 99% never had ASL education. Now it is slowly changing.

ii. Mainstreaming schools have non-native ASL models.

iii. VP interpreters picking and using regional signs for national level.

iv. Manually Coded English

v. Sign Language Politics, new words…

III. Deaf culture and world view.

a. Communication Patterns

b. Traditions / Folktales / Legends

c. De’VIA Art

d. Norms and Values

e. Deafhood and Identity.

f. Audism and Deafism.

IV. Perspectives on Deafness and Deaf community

a. Medical

b. Labels and “Politically Correct” terms

V. Deaf Community

a. Definitions: Deaf, deaf, Hearing, CODA, Late-deafened, Hard of Hearing.

b. Sociology

c. Sports and Recreation. Richard Jacobs

d. Organizations of the Deaf

i. NAD / WSAD (Julia Peterson / Larry Schoneberg for WSAD?)

ii. ASLTA

e. Deaf-Blind Jelica Nuccio

f. Black Deaf People. Heather Clark

g. International Deaf organizations and communities.

VI. Deaf Education. Theresa Smith

a. Residential Schools.

b. Post-Secondary Education Institutes.

c. PL 75-194 and mainstreaming.

d. Educational interpreter issues.

e. Bi-cultural / Bi-lingual Philosophy.

VII. Assistive Technological Devices Richard Ladner

a. Telecommunications

i. TTY

ii. Pagers

iii. VRS

iv. E-Mail and Online Chat

v. Future technologies

b. Assistive Devices for Door, Phone, etc.

c. Captioning for TV and Movies

d. Dogs for the Deaf

e. How do the Deaf people survive without technological devices in the past?

f. Deafness and Hearing Aid / Cochlear Implants.

VIII. Services for the Deaf.

a. Interpreters / RID Theresa Smith

b. Interpreter Training Programs

c. State Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Eric Raff

d. Vocational Rehabilitiion

e. VRS

IX. Deaf and the Law (Guest Speaker:

a. National Association of the Deaf

b. Eugenics

c. Right to drive.

d. Right to adopt children

e. Right to have a qualified interpreters.

f. Right to use sign language.

g. Watchdogs for State School for the Deaf

h. American with Disability Act

X. Controversial Issues

a. Oralism.

b. Signing Systems and methods of Deaf Education

c. Biomedical Ethics: Cochlear Implants in children and Genetic Engineering.

XI. Deaf Empowerment Movement

a. NAD 1880

b. Student Protest Movement at Gallaudet University.

i. Deaf President Now, 1988.

ii. Unity For Gallaudet, 2006.

c. Deaf Bilingual Coalition

Course Adaptations and Accommodations:

The University of Washington is committed to providing access, and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education and employment for individuals with disabilities. For information or to request disability accommodation contact:

Disabled Student Services (Seattle campus, matriculated students) at 206.543.8924/V, 206.543.8925/TTY, 206.616.8379 (FAX), or e-mail at uwdss@u.washington.edu

Disability Services Office (non-matriculated students, employees and members of the public) at: 206.543.6450/V, 206.543.6452/TTY, 206.685.7264 (FAX), or e-mail at dso@u.washington.edu