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University of Washington
School of Social Work/Department of Family Medicine (tentative)
DRAFT:3 SW 599/FAMED 545 Disability/Diversity: Learning in Action (tentative)
2 credits, once a week

Instructors: Robin DiAngelo rjd@u.washington.edu & Jeannette Franks jfranks@u.washington.edu

Office Hours: by appointment
Phone: 206-855-0911

We would like to acknowledge the invaluable inspiration and assistance from the Faculty Seminar on Disability Studies and Diversity, especially Sara Goering and Dennis Lang, as well as the support and suggestions from Jerry Kessinger, School of Social Work.

This class is based on auditory, visual, and experiential learning. In addition to didactic material (readings and lecture), we will have site visits, guests speakers, and practice application of new skills, knowledge, and attitudes.

Course Objectives:

The purpose of this course is to explore human diversity and social justice as related to the socially constructed category of disability. The course content deals with sociopolitical patterns of power and privilege, and examines one's accessibility to social and institutional systems based on ability status. We will also explore the intersections between ability status and other social categories such as race, class, and gender. The analysis of social power is crucial for social work practitioners as it permeates every level of interaction with clients and clients systems. Thus, the following are fundamental steps in developing an increased capacity to work with people with disabilities:

• Critically examine your own ability status and the intersections with, class, gender, race, religion and sexual orientation.
• Demonstrate an increased awareness of your assumptions, beliefs, values, and behaviors with regard to disability.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the disability studies analytical approach and theoretical frameworks which view disability as a natural part of the human condition and as a category of social oppression.
• Develop approaches and perspectives to practicing social work with and across ability differences.
• Demonstrate an increased understanding and greater appreciation of people with disabilities.
• Build on the skills and competencies developed in foundation courses to acquire increased specialized knowledge and skills for working with people with disabilities.
• Increase knowledge of Americans with Disability Act (ADA) and Fair Housing regulations
• Understand the influence of the history of disability intervention on current services and gain increased knowledge and appreciation for person-centered, strengths-based practice.
• Demonstrate an increased awareness of the history of disability and of the disability civil rights movement.
• Demonstrate skills in assessing accessibility and knowledge of universal design.
• Any that students wish to add (by consensus)

Required Text: Hockenberry, J. Moving Violations: War Zones, Wheelchairs, and Declarations of Independence . New York: Hyperion .

Readings (in course pack and on web):

Asch, Adrienne. (n.d.). Disability, Bioethics, and Human Rights . Disability Studies as a Field, pp1-26.

Brzuzy, Stephanie. (1997). Deconstructing disability: the impact of definition. Journal of Poverty, 1 (1) , pp. 81-91.

Doe (2003). Studying disability.

Griscom, J. (1995). The case of Sharon Kowalski and Karen Thompson: Ableism, heterosexism, and sexism (pp. 410-420). In Rothenberg, P. (2001). Race, class, and gender in the United States : An integrated study (5th ed.). New York : Worth. Publishers.

Kliewer & Fitzgerald (2001). Disability, schooling, and the artifacts of colonialism. Teachers College Record, V.3, pg. 450-470. Teachers College: Columbia University .

Linton, Simi. (1998). Claiming disability: Knowledge and identity. New York University Press. Chapter 2, pp. 8-33.

Padden, Carol. Talking Culture: Deaf people and disability studies. Conference on the disability Studies and the University.

Shapiro, J. P. (1994). No pity: People with disabilities forging a new civil rights movement. New York : Three Rivers Press.

Wendell, S. (2001). Unhealthy Disabled: Treating Chronic Illnesses as Disabilities . Hypatia (16),4.

Excerpts from the Ragged Edge: http://www.ragged-edge-mag.com

Academic Accommodations

Students with disabilities need not disclose. If you would like to request academic accommodations due to a disability, please contact Disability Resources for Students, 448 Schmitz, 206-543-8924 (V/TTY). If you have a letter from the office of Disability Resources for Students (formerly Disabled Student Services) indicating you have a disability that requires academic accommodations, please present the letter to your instructor so we can discuss the accommodations you might need for this class. If you need accommodations and do not use the Disability Resource office, please also feel free to speak to your instructor, regardless of whether or not you have an official letter.

Session 1: Introductions and overview of Disability/Diversity Studies.

Session 2: Historical dimensions of the social construction of disabilities

Readings for session 2:

Brzuzy, Stephanie. (1997). Deconstructing disability: the impact of definition. Journal of Poverty, 1 (1) , pp. 81-91.

Kliewer & Fitzgerald (2001). Disability, schooling, and the artifacts of colonialism. Teachers College Record, V.3, pg. 450-470. Teachers College: Columbia University .

Session 3: Disability as a category of oppression

Assumptions Held About Disabled Men & Women

Hockenberry, J. Moving Violations : War Zones, Wheelchairs, and Declarations of Independence . Chapter 7 Fear of Bees.

Asch, A. (n.d.) Disability, bioethics, and human rights. Disability Studies as a field . Pp. 1-26/

Session 4: Disability and Intersectionality

Griscom, J. (1995). The case of Sharon Kowalski and Karen Thompson: Ableism, heterosexism, and sexism (pp. 410-420). In Rothenberg, P. (2001). Race, class, and gender in the United States : An integrated study (5th ed.). New York : Worth. Publishers.

Knaus, Chris. Ability Privilege List. Unpublished class assignment, 1999

Mid-Term Paper due:

Mid-Term Paper: Body Autobiography Paper All people have unique characteristics that arise from individual temperaments, families, and experiences. In addition, we have shared characteristics based on our social group memberships. These memberships intersect with each other and together shape how we view the world. This assignment is designed to help you understand and recognize a key group membership: your ability status (your orientation to the world in relation to whether your body is considered “normal” or not, and in which ways), and the ways in which this status shapes your life.

In your paper, you will overview your socialization process regarding your body and connect it to the wider society (take the micro to the macro). Think about your socialization process – how you came to know what it means to have the body you have. If it is difficult for you to see, you are likely considered “normal”, therefore it might help to start by reflecting on how you were taught to view people who are not considered to be normal – people with disabilities. You might also address why it is so difficult to see – what is the ideology that obscures it ?

Describe how key influences -- family, friends, schools, communities, ideas, values, your culture(s), and the wider society -- have been formative in your identity. Use the following questions to guide you:

• What messages does society give about people with your “kind of body” i.e. “normal” or “not normal”?
• Think about specific events or critical incidents in your life that have contributed to your awareness of your body (individual level). Include at least one.
• Addresses the historical, institutional, and cultural dimensions of your group in U.S. society that also influence your membership in and understanding of the group (societal level).
• In what ways does your body being either “normal” or “not normal” affect your daily lifestyle? If this is a privileged body, what kinds of things can you take for granted as a member of this group (what privileges do you have)? If it is a marginalized body, in which ways does society limit you?
• What feelings do you experience as a member of your ability-status group? Do you notice a difference in your capability to identify feelings if this is a privileged position, vs. a marginalized position? Reflect on what a lack of attention, emotion, or insight might mean in terms of your identity. How does your group membership affect your sense of worth?
• What role did school play in your understanding of your ability-status?

Note: You may find that you cannot address these questions without raising intersections such as gender and race. You don't need to limit yourself, but you will also have an opportunity to address these social intersections in depth in future reflections.

This paper should be 8-10 pages in length, typed and double-spaced.

Reflection Papers: due each week, week 5 through 9

Continuing from the Body Autobiography paper, each subsequent week, please write a brief (3-4 page) reflection on how one other social group you are a member of intersects with ability and concepts of the body. Questions to consider: How does (for example) your social class position shape what resources you have regarding your body? What are the social expectations of behavior, dress, etiquette, and social norms, based on your social class and body (i.e. what kind of bodies are working class people expected to have? What do they need to be able to “do”?).

The readings and reflections may or may not connect directly with the site visits for that week but relate to the objectives and learning goals for the course as a whole.

Session 5: Site visit to Community Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Introduction to sighted guide skills.

Reflection 1: Ability Status & Social Class

Session 6: Site visit to the Center for Hearing, Speech, and Deafness .

Introduction to American Sign Language (ASL).

Reflection 2: Ability Status & Race

Reading : Padden, Carol. Talking Culture: Deaf people and disability studies. Conference on the disability Studies and the University.

Session 7: Site visit to Universal Design Housing

Genesse Apartments, 4425 Martin Luther King Way W. , Seattle , WA 98108

Introduction to principles of Universal Design, Fair Housing Act and ADA

Reading : Web site: http://www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/

Reflection 3: Ability Status & Gender / Sexuality

Session 8: Site visit to Washington Coalition of Citizens with disAbilities

4649 Sunnyside Ave N, Ste 100
Seattle, WA 98103
Phone: 206-545-7055
TTY: 206-632-3456
Toll-free: 1-866-545-7055
Fax: 206-545-7059
E-mail: info@wccd.org

Reflection 4: Ability Status and Religion

Reading : Linton, Simi. (1998). Claiming disability: Knowledge and identity. New York University Press. Chapter 2, pp. 8-33.

Session 9: Panel of experts on campus

Practicing Social Work/Medicine with and across abilities and ages

Reflection 5: Ability Status & Age

 Reading : Wendell, S. (2001). Unhealthy Disabled: Treating Chronic Illnesses as Disabilities . Hypatia (16),4.

Session 10: Presentation of interviews and photo essays.

 
Final Projects:

PHOTO ESSAY

This project requires you to: critically examine your own environment in relation to the issues of ability status we have discussed in class; use photography (either traditional or digital) as a means to visually document the findings of your analysis: compile your photos into a “photo essay” format that can be presented to the class, and: construct a written analysis of the project.

Instructions :

Select an aspect of your own life and social geography related to ability status to critically analyze and discuss. Examples are: issues related to universal design, accessibility, social segregation, media representations, everyday discourses, schools and classrooms, etc.

Either digital or traditional (35mm film) photography may be used for this assignment, although digital is preferred. Presentation format may vary by photo type. For example, if you use the film method you may choose to print your photos (acceptable sizes= 4x6, 5x7, or 8x10) and display them on poster board or other similar material that will stand up; students who take digital photos may wish to present their photo essay using Power Point or other slideshow-compatible program (projector and laptop with Power Point will be available in the class on the presentation day). Your photo essay should include at least 10 photos (with labels or descriptions) that represent a solid analysis of the issue you have chosen.

Final photo essay products will be presented to the class during your assigned time slot in Session 10 (to be determined in class). You will have approximately 10 minutes to present.

In addition, you will write a 3-5 page paper (DS, 12 pt. Font, 1” margins) that describes and discusses the photo essay you have created. This paper should include each of the following:

1) your rationale for choosing your issue 2) a summary of what you believe your photo essay documents (i.e., your critical analysis) 3) conclusions and implications for social work.

You may wish to highlight the content of your paper during your presentation of your photos, but please refrain from “reading” your paper to the class.

Typed, double spaced, 12 pt.

INTERVIEW

Also please do a brief interview (one to 2 hours) with a person with a disability:

1. Assure the person of confidentiality and that her or his name will not appear on your report. Explain confidentiality and anonymity and assure the individual that he or she will not be identified to anyone by name or any other way. Do not put the persons' names in your paper. Failure to head these instructions will affect your satisfactory completion of assignment.

2. Obtain a short history of the person's life; focus on recent history , social supports, and environment. What are some cogent aspects of this person's life that have contributed to wellness? Develop a “strength list”.

3. Interview should be between 1 to 2 hours in person. Written summary should be bulleted outline of basics, and then primarily narrative, with focus on discussion of reasons for wellness. Two to 3 pages. Do not use the person's real name.

4. You might ask the person what has been his or her experience with social workers/physicians and what advice they would give to a person in the profession.

5. The paper will be between 2 to 3 pages and briefly mention your interview subject when you present your photo essay.

GRADES

The photo essay will be graded according to:

10 points: Presentation: Demonstrates the issue chosen. Keeps within the time frame.
10 points: Photo Essay Paper: Depth of analysis and insight in answering the 4 questions about the reflection papers..

Also:
10 points: The Mid-term Body Autobiography paper
2 points each, 5 reflection papers
10 points: interview

total points: 50 possible