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Course Title: Introduction to Disability Studies

Course Number: SPE 142 Classroom: Old Main 234
Credit: 3 Hours
Semester: Spring 2018 Hours: Wednesday 12:30 – 3:20
Professor: Dr. April B. Coughlin
Department of Teaching and Learning
State University of New York at New Paltz
Office: Old Main Building, Room103D
Office Hours: Monday 1:45 – 2:45
Wednesday 3:30 – 4:30
Thursday 2:00 – 4:00
or by appointment
Phone: (845) 257-2918
Email: coughlia@newpaltz.edu

Students with Disabilities and Support for Learning

Students with documented physical, learning, psychological and other disabilities are
entitled to receive reasonable accommodations. If you need classroom or testing
accommodations, please contact the Disability Resource Center, Student Union Building,
Room 210, (845) 257-3020. The DRC will provide forms verifying the need for
accommodation. As soon as I receive the form, you will be provided with the appropriate
accommodations. Students are encouraged to request accommodations as close to the
beginning of the semester as possible.

Support for Learning: Please contact me as early as possible to discuss your needs either
in regard to accommodations that are coordinated by the university—as per disability-
related services—and/or any other ways that I may support your learning (including, but
not limited to, students who identify as having disabilities).

Course Description
This course provides students with an overview of the theoretical frameworks and
societal influences that have shaped the experiences of people with disabilities in the
United States and internationally. Students will be introduced to disability studies through
an examination of historical, social, cultural, political and educational contexts, including
theory and vocabulary that frame disability discourse and perspectives on the meaning of
disability. Students will investigate and critique the ways disability is portrayed and
represented in current media, literature, art and film. Disability will be explored as an
identity that intersects with race, class, gender, ethnicity and sexual orientation as they
pertain to social justice in a multicultural democratic society. Students will identify and
interpret social/institutional/architectural barriers to inclusion of people with disabilities
as well as reflect on their own personal, public, and professional engagement in
promoting disability rights.
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Student Learning Objectives

Students will:
1) Identify the theoretical models (medical, social constructivist and socio-political)
of disability and articulate a rationale for how each model shapes society’s views
of and responses to disability.

2) Compare and contrast the Disability Rights Movement, political activism and
self-advocacy of people with disabilities in various contexts including education,
medical care, employment and treatment of people with disabilities in the United
States and internationally.

3) Deconstruct the principles of normalization, inclusion, and self-determination for

people with disabilities.

4) Analyze disability portrayal and normative assumptions in texts and media.

5) Evaluate the historical, social, political, and economic conditions that have
constructed disability.

6) Explain the construct of privilege and explore the personal privilege in their own
lives and the experience of denied privilege.

7) Describe key definitions, categories, controversies and critiques that comprise

current research and scholarship in Disability Studies.

8) Summarize the specifics of (disability) identity, from cultural and individual

perspectives, including the intersectionality between race, class, gender, ethnicity,
and sexual orientation.

9) Identify and analyze barriers to inclusion of people with disabilities as well as

practices, structures, and discourse, which support and promote inclusive
practices.

10) Explore and reflect on their personal, public, and professional engagement in
disability and civil rights.

Course Texts & Videos

Required Text (to purchase)

Adams, R., Reiss, B., Serlin, D. (Eds.) (2015). Keywords for disability studies (pp. 120-
121). New York: NYU Press.
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Texts (provided on Blackboard)

Biklen, D. (1988). The myth of clinical judgment. Journal of Social Issues, 44(1), 127-
140.

Biklen, D., & Burke, J. (2006). Presuming competence. Equity & Excellence in
Education, 39(2), 166-175.

Clare, E. (1999). Stones in my Pockets. Stones in my Heart. In Davis, L. J. (Ed.) The

Disability Studies Reader (4th ed.). New York: Routledge.

Connor, D. J., & Bejoian, L. M. (2006). Pigs, pirates, and pills: Using film to teach the
social context of disability. Teaching Exceptional Children, 39(2), 52-60.

Couser, T. (2005). Disability, Life, Narrative, and Representation. In Davis, L. J. (Ed.)

The Disability Studies Reader (4th ed.). New York: Routledge.

Danforth, S. (2014). Knowing disability. In Danforth, S.(Ed), Becoming a great inclusive

educator (p. 23-43). New York: Peter Lang.

Fleischer, D.Z. & Zames, F. (2011). The disability rights movement. Philadelphia:
Temple University Press.

Hamre, B., Oyler, C., & Bejoian, L. M. (2006). Guest editors' introduction. Equity and
Excellence in Education, 39(2), 91-100.

Linton, S. (1998). Claiming disability: Knowledge and identity. New York: NYU Press.

Linton, S. (1998). Disability studies/not disability studies. Disability & Society, 13(4),
525-540.

Longmore, P.K. (2003). Screening stereotypes: Images of disabled people in television

and motion pictures. In P.K. Longmore (Ed.), Why I burned my book and other
essays on disability (pp.19-31). Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press.

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

Valle, J.W & Connor, D.J. (2010). Rethinking Disability: A disability studies approach to
inclusive practices (p. 16 – 38). New York: McGraw Hill.

Wade, C.M. (2010) “I Am Not One of the” In Davis, L. J. (Ed.) The Disability Studies
Reader (3rd ed.). New York: Routledge.
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Videos (provided in class)

Baggs, A. (2007). In My Language https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnylM1hI2jc

“Capitol Crawl” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueQ0TfVGxU4

Coughlin, A. (2012). Project Access.

Golfus, B. & Simpson, D. (1995). When Billy Broke his Head...and Other Tales of
Wonder.

Young, S. (2014). Inspiration porn and the objectification of disability.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxrS7-I_sMQ

Attendance Policy/Participation
Professionalism: Your professionalism in this course is expected at all times and will be
evidenced in several ways. You are required to arrive on time to class, be prepared for
class, adhere to the written work policy, participate in discussions, and work successfully
and respectfully with other students and the instructor.

Required Readings: It is expected that the readings will be completed before the
designated class sessions. All assigned course readings (other than the required text
chapters) are accessible through Blackboard.

Participation: This class will be highly participatory. In order for you to participate in
class discussions and small and large group activities, you must be present and punctual.
It is expected that you will collaborate with others and assist each other’s learning. Each
class session, you must be prepared to make specific connections between the readings
and the topics of discussion. You will be held responsible for information covered and
distributed in class, and therefore you should consult with classmates if you have missed
class.

Absences: These should occur only because of illness or other serious events. Your
attendance is important and you are expected to be in class for the entire time. Each
absence over two will result in a loss of 5 points per absence. Lateness to class will be
penalized. Each late attendance over two will result in a loss of 2 points per tardy.

Any student who is unable, because of religious beliefs, to attend classes on a particular
day, is excused from any work requirements on that day. The instructor will make
available to each student an equivalent opportunity to make up any requirements, which
they may have missed because of such absence.
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Blackboard
I will be using Blackboard to communicate with you, post assignments and resources. I
expect you to know how to use Blackboard. Please be sure that your email address on
Blackboard is correct so that when I send announcements to the class, you will receive it
at the address you check regularly. I will use Blackboard to post helpful external links
that you may want to use in your assignments.

Electronic Devices
Please put your cell phone on vibrate when you enter the classroom. If you are in the
midst of an emergency situation, please leave the class to communicate with relevant
individuals. You are encouraged to use laptops or other electronic devices to take notes or
research information that is relevant to the topic we are addressing. However, please
refrain from unrelated electronic activities.

Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism

Plagiarism and/or cheating will be taken very seriously in this course. Any evidence of
cheating or plagiarism (e.g., use of past student papers, failure to cite information, failure
to acknowledge direct quotes from sources) will result in failure of the assignment and
possibly the course. The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association
(6th Edition) should be used as your guide for citing sources used in any assignment.

Academic integrity statement from the faculty handbook:

Plagiarism is the representation, intentional or unintentional, of someone else’s words or
ideas as one’s own. Since words in print are the property of an author or publisher,
plagiarizing is a form of larceny punishable by fine. When using another person’s words
in a paper, the student must place them within quotation marks or clearly set them off in
the text and give them appropriate citation. When students use only the ideas and change
the words, they must clearly identify the source of the ideas. Plagiarism, whether
intentional or unintentional, therefore is a violation of the property of the author
plagiarized and of the implied assurance by the student when they hand in work that the
work is their own. If the student has any questions about what constitutes plagiarism, it is
the student’s responsibility to clarify the matter by conferring with the instructor (Faculty
Handbook, 2008, p. 33-34).

Written Work Policy

Assignments must be submitted as PDFs on Blackboard and saved as: last name_first
initial_file name.pdf. (ex: Coughlin_A_Midterm.pdf). All assignments are due on the
designated class session at the BEGINNING of class. Late assignments will only be
accepted under extenuating circumstances, which MUST be communicated to me
BEFORE the assignment is due. Late assignments will be awarded a 5-point deduction
each day the assignment is late. The format must be organized, syntactically correct,
typed (using 12 pt. font), double-spaced (unless otherwise noted) and printed clearly.
Your language should be free of gender, racial and other biases.
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It is strongly suggested that your work be proofread (self or by others) for clarity and
accuracy before it is submitted for a grade. If you require assistance with constructing,
writing, or editing your papers, you are encouraged to make use of the writing services
available through the Writing Center at the Center for Academic Development and
Learning (CADL) where group and individual tutoring is available. Information about
CADL can be found on the SUNY New Paltz website.

All papers must be referenced according to the guidelines presented in the Publication
Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed). If you are unfamiliar with
the APA style of referencing, please review the manual in the Sojourner Truth Library.

Inclement Weather
In the event of severely inclement weather, SUNY New Paltz may cancel classes. To find
out if classes are canceled, call 257-INFO or check the website. If SUNY NP has not
canceled, class will be in session. In the rare event that I cancel class but SUNY NP is
open, I will send an email to your NP email address and post this information on
Blackboard.

Student Evaluation of Instruction - You are responsible for completing the Student
Evaluation of Instruction (SEI) for this course and for all your courses with an enrollment
of three or more students. I value your feedback and use it to improve my teaching and
planning. Please complete the form during the open period from April 24 – May 8, 2018.

Course Withdrawal - The last day to withdraw from the course without receiving a
penalty grade is April 2, 2018.
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Revised Course Overview

Class Topic Readings/Assignments
Week #1 Introductions & Intro. to the field of
January 24 Disability Studies

Overview of the course

Media: “When Billy Broke His

Head…”

Week #2 Theoretical Frameworks in Disability Linton (1998)

January 31 Studies Biklen (1988)
Hamre, Oyler & Bejoian (2006)
Models of dis/Ability Mini-Lecture [Keywords – Intro. & Ch. 1-4]

Disability Models Group Activity:

(Medical, Social Constructivist, Socio-
political)

*Assign disability history topics

Week #3
February 7 *University-wide Snowday *University-wide Snowday

Week #4 History of Disability *Assigned Group Readings on

February 14 Blackboard for Disability
History Time Period
*History of Disability Group
Presentations in class [Keywords – Ch. 27, 35, 42]

*Sign-up for Hot Topics Groups *History of Disability Group

Presentations DUE
Disability Rights = Civil Rights
Ableism
Ally Behavior Danforth (2014)
[Keywords – Ch. 6 & 52]
Media: “Capitol Crawl” No Pity Readings
“A Trip on Wheels…”
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Week #5 Disability Devaluation & Stigma Linton (1998) (p. 8-33)

February 21 [Keywords – Ch. 14, 44, 57]
Disability Language & Meaning

Media: “Inspiration Porn”

*Disability Narrative Group Signup

*Introduce mid-term paper

Week #6 Disability and Media Connor & Bejoian (2006)

February 28 Longmore (2003)
*Hot Topics Presentations [Keywords – Ch. 36 & 50]

* Hot Topics Presentations

DUE
Week #7
March 7 *University-wide Snowday *University-wide Snowday

Week #8 Disability & Personhood McBryde Johnson (2003)

March 14 Wade (2010)
Dis/Ability as Identity [Keywords – Ch. 19, 31, 32]

----------------
Clare (1999)
Dis/Ability & Intersecting Identities [Keywords – Ch. 28, 47, 48, 54]

Disability & Sexuality *Mid-term Paper DUE

Week #9
Spring Break - Spring Break – No Class Spring Break – No Class
*No Class*

Week #10 Disability & Education Biklen & Burke (2006)

March 28 Valle & Connor (Ch. 2)
Presuming Competence [Keywords – Ch. 20]

Media: TBD
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Week #11 Disability Narrative & Power of the Couser (2005)

April 4 First - Person Perspective [Keywords – Ch. 21, 41]

Media: “In My Language” * Disability Narrative Book

Review DUE
* Disability Narrative Group
Discussions in Class

*Guest Speakers

Week #12 Rethinking Access: Universal by [Keywords – Ch. 18, 56, 58]
April 11 Design & Adaptive Technology
*Critiquing Disability in
Principles of Universal Design Cultural Products DUE
Access explorations in the field
Media: “Project Access”

*Share Critiquing Disability in

Cultural Products

*Introduce UD Project & Group

Signup

Week #13 ONLINE CLASS – *I will be away *Readings and Assignment

April 18 presenting at a conference instructions will be posted on
Blackboard
Inclusive Environments
Universal Design group work
Week #14 Disability Culture, Art, & [Keywords – Ch. 10, 45]
April 25 Self Advocacy

Media: “Invitation to Dance”

Week #15 Wrap Up & Final Thoughts on

May 2 Course Themes

Discuss Autobiography of Ability

Projects
FINAL EXAM Present Universal Design Projects * Universal Design Group
DAY Projects DUE!

May 16 *Final Autobiography of Ability

Projects DUE!
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Course Evaluation

Assignments File name.pdf Points

History of Disability Group Presentation *Post on Discussion Board on Bb 10
Mid-term Paper – Models of Disability Midterm 25
Hot Topics in Disability Group Presentation *Post on Discussion Board on Bb 10
Critiquing Disability in Cultural Products CulturalProduct 10
Disability Narrative Book Review NarrativeReview 15
Universal Design Group Project & Presentation *Post on Discussion Board on Bb 10
Final Project – Autobiography of Ability Final 15
Participation & Professionalism 5
TOTAL 100%

Reminder: Assignments must be submitted as PDFs on Blackboard and saved as:

last name_first initial_file name.pdf. (ex: Coughlin_A_Midterm.pdf)

Grading Criteria

Your final grade is calculated on a “total points” system. To calculate your final grade,
simply add up the points you have earned for the assignments.

A = 93-100
A- = 90-92
B+ = 88-89
B = 83-87
B- = 80-82
C+ = 78-79
C = 73-77
C- = 70-72
D = 65-69
F = below 65

ASSIGNMENTS

History of Disability Presentation (10 points)

For this presentation, you will be working in small groups to present key points from
assigned areas of disability history. Specifically, you will need to present how disability
was understood during your assigned time period, the resultant ways in which people
with disabilities were treated and finally how we see vestiges of these historical attitudes
today.
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Mid-term Paper – Models of Disability (25 points)

Drawing on course readings and discussions, you will need to articulate the medical/
deficit model and the social constructivist model of disability. In your discussion of the
models, you will want to answer the following questions: How does each model define
disability? How does each model believe disability should be treated? Where does each
model of disability locate knowledge of disability? How do the models relate to each
other? How do they compare? Contrast? Speak to each other? In your analysis you will
want to show how you see these models at work in your every-day life.

Hot Topics in Disability Group Presentation (10 points)

In this small group assignment, you will be asked to research an assigned hot topic for the
disability community. Using disability rights organization websites and other online
resources, you will need to present an overview of the issue, common perspectives and
most importantly, the perspective of the disability rights community. Specifically, what is
the larger concern for person with disabilities, being played out in your hot topic?
Please provide a 5-8 Powerpoint slide presentation or Prezi to present your topic and the
various perspectives. Your group presentation should be no longer than 10 minutes.

Critiquing Disability in Cultural Products (10 points)

Critically examine one cultural/artistic product(s) that includes representation(s) of
disability. You may draw on film, literature, art, news media, advertising, children's film
or literature, television, documentaries, educational films/materials, or other media
portrayals. Be sure to relate your analysis to course readings and other relevant outside
sources.
Length: 1-2 page outline & 10 minute small group presentation

Disability Narrative Book Review (15 points)

Read a book from the list of personal narratives of people with dis/Abilities (provided
below) and review it through addressing all of the following questions:
• In what ways did the dis/Ability limit and/or expand the opportunities of the
narrator?
• In what ways did dis/Ability intersect with the narrator’s race, class, gender,
sexual orientation, nationality?
• In what ways does living with (or managing a dis/Ability) influence personal
knowledge of the word?
• In what ways does this personal knowledge differ from other framings of
dis/Ability (medical? scientific? social? cultural? etc.)
• In what ways does the narrator’s story connect to other readings in the course?
• Please conclude with your own comments and questions.
There will be an opportunity to share these with the class.
Length: 3 page outline & 10 minute presentation
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You may choose from one of the following narratives:

B. D. (2005). Epileptic. New York: Pantheon.

Crimmins, C. (2001). Where is the Mango Princess? New York: Vintage.

Dominick, A. (2000). Needles: A memoir of growing up with diabetes. New York:

Touchstone Press.

Forney, E. (2012). Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, & Me: A Graphic

Memoir. New York: Gotham.

Hockenberry, J. (1995). Moving Violations: War Zones, Wheelchairs and Declarations of

Independence. New York: Hyperion.

Linton, S. (Ed.). (2006). My body politic; a memoir. Portland: Book News, Inc.

Miller, J.K. (2003). Women From Another Planet?: Our Lives in the Universe of Autism.

Kuusisto, Stephen (1998). Planet of the Blind. New York: Bantam Dell Publishing.

Mooney, J. (2007). The short bus: A journey beyond normal. New York: Henry Holt.

Torres, A. (2009). Signing in Puerto Rican: A Hearing Son and His Deaf Family.
Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.

Wakefield, D. (2006). I Remember Running. New York: Avalon Publishing.

Universal Design Group Project & Presentation (10 points)

For this project, you will be asked to work in groups of five to reconceptualize an
educational or community space using the principles of universal design as well as class
readings, online resources and discussions around Universal Design. This
reconception/reimagining should ensure access for persons with visible, invisible,
physical and mental health disabilities. Be prepared to discuss why your chosen space
was in need of reimagining, a description of the current physical/social functions of the
space and your changes. You may choose to do a powerpoint, video, diorama, or any
other type of visual representation to reimagine your space. Please be creative and think
outside the box!
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Final Project – Autobiography of Ability (15 points)

Choose from one of the following options:

Option A (Paper): Consider your experience, as well as class readings and conversations
to discuss your developing understanding of disability. How do you see yourself? Able-
bodied? Temporarily able-bodied? As a person with a disability? How have you
experienced your body within these constructions throughout your life? How have these
experiences intersected with any/all of your other identities? How has this experience
been contradicted, deepened and/or further developed as a result of specific course
readings? What is your current understanding of disability, now? What are the
implications of your current understanding for your everyday practice? Specifically, how
will you create and maintain positive representations of disability within your own life,
school, community, employment, etc.? How will you approach your role as an ally for
individuals with disabilities? (Paper length: 4-5 pages)

Option B (Visual Representation and Brief Description): Consider your experience, as

well as our class readings and discussions, and discuss your developing understanding of
disability. How do you see yourself, able-bodied, temporarily able-bodied, as a person
with a disability? How have you experienced your body within these constructions
throughout your life? How has this experience intersected with any/all of your other
identities? How has this experience been contradicted, deepened and/or further developed
as a result of specific course readings and discussions? What is your current
understanding of disability, now? Consider these questions when creating your visual or
physically interactive depiction of your Autobiography of Ability. You are free to use a
medium of your choice to complete this project.
*Note: Along with the visual, submit a two-page write-up that describes your visual,
motivations behind creating it and addresses the questions mentioned above.

Participation & Professionalism (5 points)

Continuous expectation—as outlined earlier in this syllabus.