COURSE SYLLABUS
COE 6990 - Disability Policy in the United States
(Credit : 3 semester hours)
Catalog Description:
Special Topics Course - This course is devoted to understanding
disability in American politics and public policy. The course is a
graduate-level seminar for master's and doctoral students. The syllabus
lists required readings for each class session, describes discussion
topics, and provides a timeline for course activities (e.g., project
due-dates, final examination, etc.)
Course Objectives
Students will (a) be exposed to a political perspective to understanding
disability and society's response to disability issues; (b) become
familiar with major themes in public policy studies and how these themes
relate to disability policy; (c) gain knowledge about contemporary
disability programs and civil rights guarantees; and (d) analyze these
initiatives from political, social, and philosophical perspectives.
Instructional Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Apply basic knowledge about public policy to disability issues and
policy initiatives.
2. Discuss the similarities and differences between disability policy and
policy approaches to other social problems.
3. Discuss perspectives on the disability professions and consumers'
perspectives of these professions.
4. Discuss the political implications of current policy approaches to
addressing disability issues.
5. Discuss the disability rights movement and its effects on politics and
policy.
6. Assess the effectiveness of current disability policy in meeting the
needs of various stakeholders.
7. Describe strategies for improving the quality of life for persons with
disabilities through political and policy means.
Student Activities:
1. This course is a graduate seminar with an emphasis on exposing the
student to a broad range of perspectives on disability and its
role in American politics and policy. Students are expected to
come to class, prepared to discuss topics on scheduled dates.
2. Students will write one (1) concept paper discussing an assigned
topic. (Additional information about this activity is provided in
the following pages.)
3. Students will write a one page paper on an assigned topic.
4. Students will also take a final examination.
Criteria for Concept Paper:
1. A minimum of five (5) pages of text (NOT including references and
cover sheet)
2. Double-spaced
3. 12 point font
4. Use APA writing guidelines (5th Edition).
(Grading criteria for concept papers are detailed below. Internet
resources/ references are acceptable per APA guidelines.)
Methods of Instruction:
Lecture, small group activities, class discussion.
Evaluation of Student Progress:
Students will have the opportunity to earn up to two hundred & twenty
(220) points during the semester. Point totals for the various assignments
are as follows:
Class participation 20 points
One Page Paper 25 points
Concept Paper 75 points
Final examination 100 points
Grading criteria: 198 - 220 points = A
175 - 197 points = B
152 - 174 points = C
139 - 151 points = D
< 138 points = F
Evaluation of Concept Paper:
The Concept Paper will be evaluated using the following criteria:
Content - comprehensiveness, appropriateness,quality.......(40 points)
Evidence of critical analysis..............................(15 points)
Organization & logical development of materials............(15 points)
Documentation - form and adequacy of resources/references..(10 points)
Clarity of communication...................................(10 points)
Quality of writing - grammar, spelling, etc................(10 points)
Text:
There is NO assigned text.
Assigned Readings:
All assigned readings are available for checkout in the Reserve Room at
Mitchell Library.
("Regular Reserve" rules state that materials can be checked out during
the day for two (2) hours at a time. Materials can be checked-out
overnight one (1) hour prior to closing time.)
_______________________________________________________
Course Schedule
Seminar #1:
Course Overview
Introduction to Policy Studies
Overview of course organization, requirements, and evaluation criteria.
Introduction to policy approach to studying disability.
Seminar #2:
Review of public policy types and policy-making process.
Readings:
Dye, T. (1995). Understanding public policy (8th Edition).
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Chapter 2 - Models of politics: Some help in thinking
about public policy.
Chapter 13 - The policy-making process: Getting inside the
system.
Seminar #3:
Disability Statistics: "What We Count and What It Tells Us" -
Review of common definitions of disability and disability
databases. Discussion of the implications of defining and
counting disability in various ways, particularly in making and
evaluating public policy.
Readings:
Zola, I.K. (1993). Disability statistics - what we count
and what it tells us: A personal and political analysis. Journal
of Disability Studies, 4(2), 9-40.
Seminar #4:
A historical approach: Review of America's debt to England and
Germany's early attempts to address disability. Role of economic,
political, and social factors in the development of U.S. policy.
Readings:
Stone, D. (1984). The Disabled State. Philadelphia:
Temple University Press.
Chapter 1 - The Distributive Dilemma (pps. 15-28)
Chapter 2 - The Origins of the Disability Category (pps. 29-89)
Written Assignment - One (1) page paper (in class)
Deborah Stone explains that, under England's Poor Law, paupers
were unable to vote. However, as the "sick" category expanded,
and the non-poor came to be included in this category, voting
rights were restored. In your paper, answer this question: Should
voting rights ever depend on whether one receives public benefits?
Seminars #5 & 6:
Social constructions and their relationships to public policy
affecting people with physical disabilities. Introduction to the
concept of social constructions and their role in politics and
policymaking.
Readings:
Schneider, A. & Ingram, H. (1993). Social construction of
target populations: Implications for politics and policy.
American Political Science Review, 87(2), 334-347.
Schriner, K., & Batavia, A. (in press). Disability in law
and social policy. In A. Dell Orto (Ed.) Encylcopedia of
disability and rehabilitation. New York: Macmillan.
Seminars #7 & 8:
Paradigms of Disability in Politics and Public Policy - Review of
various paradigms on which policy initiatives directed at
disability have been based. Historical reliance on economic and
medical perspectives. Origins and utility of the minority group
model. Human variation paradigm.
Readings:
Condeluci, A. (1995). Interdependence: the route to
community. (2nd Edition). Winter Park, FL: GR Press.
Chapter 1 - Disempowerment (pps.3-39)
Chapter 2 - Understanding paradigms (pps. 43-84)
Chapter 3 - Interdependent paradigm (pps. 85-129)
Scotch, R., & Schriner, K. (1997). Disability as human
variation: Implications for policy. AAPSS Annals, 549, 148-159.
Seminar #9:
Where do rights come from?
* Final Examination (in class - multiple choice & short answer)
Accommodations:
Students needing accommodation for any specific disability are
required by law to initiate the request process. If you haven't
already made arrangements and wish to discuss any accommodation
needs you may have, my office hours and telephone numbers are
included at the end of this syllabus.
Academic Honesty:
The academic honesty policies of Mississippi State University
will be adhered to in this class. Grades and degrees earned by
dishonest means devalue those earned by all students. Therefore,
it is important that students are aware of and adhere to the
University's policy on academic honesty. Academic dishonesty
involves acts that may subvert or compromise the integrity of the
educational process.
Caveat:
The information and schedule of events contained in this syllabus
are subject to change due to a variety of social and/or environmental
variables.
_________________________________________________________
Instructor:
Charles D. Palmer, Ph.D., C.R.C.
Department of Counseling, Ed Psychology, & Special Ed
Box 9727, 509F Allen Hall
Mississippi State, MS 39762
(662)325-7917 (voice) (662)325-3263 (fax)
E-mail - cpalmer@colled.msstate.edu
OFFICE HOURS: M - W 10:00am - 12:00noon
(I am available at other times by appointment or in cases of emergency.)
Complete Reference List:
Condeluci, A. (1995). Interdependence: the route to community.
(2nd Edition). Winter Park, FL: GR Press.
Dye, T. (1995). Understanding public policy (8th Edition).
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Schneider, A. & Ingram, H. (1993). Social construction of target
populations: Implications for politics and policy. American Political
Science Review, 87(2), 334-347.
Schriner, K., & Batavia, A. (in press). Disability in law and
social policy. In A. Dell Orto (Ed.) Encylcopedia of disability and
rehabilitation. New York: Macmillan.
Scotch, R., & Schriner, K. (1997). Disability as human variation:
Implications for policy. AAPSS Annals, 549, 148-159.
Stone, D. (1984). The Disabled State. Philadelphia: Temple
University Press.
Zola, I.K. (1993). Disability statistics - what we count and what
it tells us: A personal and political analysis. Journal of Disability
Studies, 4(2), 9-40.
Comments?
Dr. Palmer -cpalmer@colled.msstate.edu
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