History and Culture of the Deaf Community

Course Description

Introduction to the diverse members of the Deaf Community with emphasis on Deaf people as a linguistic and cultural minority. Focus is on historical, educational, political, social, and vocational issues. Prerequisite: Interpreting, Deaf Education, and Advocacy Services major; Notes: May not receive credit for both ASL 245 and SES 245.

Syllabus

Student Learning Outcomes, Goals, Objectives:

Students successfully completing this course will be able to:

  • Identify the characteristics if cultures in terms of high context/low context, collectivist/individualist, past or future oriented, monochromic/polychromic in regards to time, etc._ (CIT J:3; MS II. A; DPI K-12 HI Standard 9)
  • Identify characteristics of minority group dynamics in terms of prejudice, class, power, oppression, and social change (CIT J.3; MS II. A; DPI K-12 HI Standard 9)
  • Identify the diverse members of the Deaf Community and the unique characteristics of each. (CIT J.3; MS II. A & B; DPI K-12 HI Standard 9)
  • Compare the pathological and cultural perspectives of Deaf people; Deafhood vs. audism. (CIT J.3; MS II. A, B & C; DPI K-12 HI Standard 9)
  • Discuss the dynamics of Deaf culture in terms of values, identity, language, traditions, and social norms. (CIT J.3; MS II. A, B & C; DPI K-12 HI Standard 9)
  • Identify cross-cultural conflicts which may arise between hearing and Deaf cultures. (CIT J.3; MS II. A, B & C; DPI K-12 HI Standard 9)
  • Identify and describe the various communication modalities used by members of the Deaf Community. (CIT J.3; MS II. F; DPI K-12 HI Standard 9)
  • Describe American Sign Language and its role in Deaf Culture. (CIT J.3; MS II. B, C & F; DPI K-12 HI Standard 9)
  • Identify the various technological devices used by the Deaf Community. (CIT J.3; MS II. B; DPI K-12 HI Standard 9)
  • Describe the methods used for educating deaf and hard-of-hearing children past and present. (CIT J.3; MS II. F; DPI K-12 HI Standard 9)
  • Discuss the various perspectives on the issue of cochlear implants; speech therapy, auditory training, etc. (CIT J.3; MS II. C & D; DPI K-12 HI Standard 9)
  • Compare the life of a deaf child growing up with Deaf parents vs. hearing parents. (CIT J.3; MS II. C; DPI K-12 HI Standard 9)
  • Identify and describe the various instruments used to evaluate d/Deaf individuals including psychological, social-emotional, linguistic, and academic tests. (CIT J.3; MS II. F; DPI K-12 HI Standard 9)
  • Identify the various organizations and agencies of and/or serving d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. (CIT J.3; MS II. C; DPI K-12 HI Standard 9)
  • Describe the role of the arts, literature, and sports in the Deaf Community. (CIT J.3; MS II. C; DPI K-12 HI Standard 9)
  • Discuss legislation and its impact on the Deaf Community. (CIT J.3; MS II. F; DPI K-12 HI Standard 9)

Course Grading Information:

Activity/Performance Measure Percentage/Points
Quizzes 40%
Discussion Boards 10%
Midterm Essay 30%
Final Worksheet/Essay 20%

Attendance/Participation:

Attendance/participation is not a graded component included in the student's final grade for this course.

Course Materials Purchased by the Students:

Leigh, I., Andrews, J. F., Harris, R. L., & Gonzalez, T. (2022). Deaf culture: Exploring deaf communities in the United States. Plural Publishing, CA.

Scholarly Perspectives

This course engages diverse scholarly perspectives to develop critical thinking, analysis, and debate and inclusion of a reading does not imply endorsement.