Disability, Exclusion, and Schooling

Department of Curriculum & Teaching

Teachers College, Columbia University

Instructor:  Sarah Schlessinger

Course website: http://4000summerb2014.weebly.com/

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course explores the ways in which dis/ability status and other facets of identity (such as one’s race, ethnicity, language background, gender, sexuality, religious [non]affiliation, etc.) may come into play in the cultural processes of exclusion in schools.  While a premise of this course is the centrality of the intersectionality of multiple facets of identity in the experience of exclusion, there is nevertheless a central focus in this course on the ways in which ableism works in schools (albeit in concert with racism, classism, heterosexism, etc.).  This course examines the cultural and historical bases of ableism in the U.S., explores current legal and bureaucratic structures, discourses, and practices of special education, and focuses on pedagogical supports necessary to provide all students access to an academic education in U.S. schools.  There is a focus on inclusive schooling and an active focus on mitigating exclusion in schools.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

• Explore the cultural and historical bases of special education, including the history of eugenics and of the Disability Rights Movement.
• Examine cultural, historical, and ideological constructions and representations of normalcy and abnormalcy (and ability and disability) and their impact upon people’s perceptions, particularly the ways in which those representations impact contemporary schooling practices.
• Recognize and critique ableist, racist, heterosexist, and other exclusionary forms of thinking and practice in education and the politics of disability in schooling, particularly the ways in which exclusionary ideologies intersect and overlap in students’ experiences of exclusion in schools.
• Explore who does and does not benefit from the current dual systems of “general” and “special” education, including an examination of the disproportionate representation of poor children and children of color in special education, particularly in the most segregated of placements.  
• Explore intersections of knowledge, discourse, rhetoric, cultural representation, and power, including a consideration of the ways in which understanding these processes can/does inform one’s teaching in schools.  
• Explore inclusive pedagogies that aim to mitigate exclusionary pressures in schools and work toward equitable and socially just schooling practices for all students.

Required Book-length Texts:  

Valle, J. & Connor, D. (2011).  Rethinking disability:  A disability studies approach to

inclusive practices.  New York:  McGraw Hill.  

Ysseldyke, J. & Algozzine, B. (2006). The legal foundations of special education: A practical guide for every teacher.  Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin  Press.

Required Chapters and Articles:

These texts and a complete reference list can be found on the course website.

REQUIRED COURSE ASSIGNMENTS:

1. 20 points    Attendance, Participation, & Facilitation
2. 20 points         Media Analysis (Small Group)
3. 20 points        Multimodal Critical Reflection
4. 10 points         Quiz: Legal Foundations
5. 30 points        Final Individual Paper

I. Attendance, Participation, & Facilitation (20 points):

Students should come to each class having carefully and thoroughly read the assigned texts and expect to participate in a variety of activities that require analytic discussion. Active engagement in class discussions is one of the key markers of participation and will be reflected in your final grade. During class, students are expected to collaboratively participate in discussion with one another and with the instructor by posing questions/comments about the readings during our discussions.

Additionally, each of you will be responsible for working in a small group to facilitate one of the class discussions during the semester.  Each student will sign-up for a day to facilitate class discussion.  Discussions should be related to the texts assigned for that class session and should be interactively engaging.  Please provide the course instructor with an outline of your intended presentation including a timeline at least 2 days prior to your class facilitation day. Both the course instructor and the TA are available for support and feedback.

II. Media Analysis (20 points):

The media analysis is a student facilitated critical discussion of an artifact from the media.  Each student will sign-up for a day to present an artifact to the class as part of a small group.  The types of media may include movie/television/radio clips, newspaper articles, book excerpts, or any other relevant media.  Your presentation should include a brief overview of your media artifact and a series of questions that you will pose to the class.  You should incorporate themes from the course into your questions.  The media you choose does not have to be directly related to disability, but should lend itself to a disability studies critique.  After your presentation you will have one week to individually submit a one-page analysis that incorporates the readings as well as the responses of your classmates.  

III. Critical Reflection (20 points):

The critical reflection is a multimodal response to the readings from the course.  Each reflection must incorporate a minimum of two modalities for expression of knowledge including written text and at least one other mode of representation.  The modes should be integrated rather than separate complementary pieces.  For assessment, the following will be considered: content - how well you addressed the topic; critical analysis and making connections to the readings; personal voice – bringing your own beliefs and experiences into the discussion; style – how clearly and coherently you wrote with attention to the organization of the piece as a whole and to the editing of basic mechanics of language usage.

To help you think through how to reflect critically, here are potential questions to consider:

• What surprises you? What resonates with you?
• What concerns you?
• What confuses you?
• What experiences do you have that connect or disconnect with the text?
• How can you view the topics through different or new lenses?
• Where do you see these issues played out in the world?
• How do issues of equity and justice play out?
• Who makes decisions and why?
• How is power represented? How can theory be used to guide practice in helpful ways? How can practice guide theory in helpful ways? 

IV. Quiz (10 pts)

The quiz will focus on key aspects of special education history, law and practice discussed over the first sessions of the course.

V. Final Individual Paper (30 pts):

The final individual paper is an extension of the media analysis assignment.  For this paper, you will select five artifacts from the media including the one that you used for your media analysis (your other four artifacts can come from in class presentations or from your own sourcing).  You will write a paper that analyzes the normalizing themes present across all the artifacts that you have collected.  Using class readings, your paper should explain how you might disrupt these normalizing themes both through theory and teaching practice.  

 CLASS SCHEDULE:

N.B.:  This class schedule is tentative and is subject to change, depending upon the evolving needs of the learning community.  The most current version of the syllabus will always be posted to the class website and dated.

GRADING POLICY:

See the Teachers College Catalog for a complete explanation of grading policy at the college.  Be aware that B is the grade assigned for satisfactory graduate-level work.

Assignments that are submitted on time contribute to a meaningful dialogue between student and instructor.  Conversely, assignments that are submitted late will also be assessed and returned late.  Only students who hand in their assignments on time can expect significant written feedback from the instructor; late assignments will be graded, but feedback will be minimal and will probably not be handed back within the normal timeframe.  If an assignment is late, grades will be reduced depending on the circumstances. Typically, for each day your assignment is late, the grade will be reduced by 1/3 a grade (e.g., B+ to B; B to B-; etc.).  Requests for extensions will only be considered when made two days (48 hours) in advance and when extenuating circumstances come into play.  

All assignments are expected to be clearly and coherently written with attention given to the organization and structure of the paper as a whole, as well as to the editing of basic mechanics of language usage such as spelling, punctuation, and grammar.  APA style, double-spacing, 12-point font and 1 inch margins are required.

Final Course Grade

I will use the traditional grade system based on 100 points.

98-100 A+         94-97 A         90-93 A-

88-89 B+         84-87 B         80-83 B-

78-79 C+         74-77 C         70-73 C        

At Teachers College, there is no grade of “D”. Any student with points of 69 or lower will fail the class. Additionally, please note: I will lower final grades based on tardiness, missed class sessions, late assignments, lack of participation, or interference with the creation of a positive learning environment for others. Please do not silently worry if you think your grade may be lowered by one of these behaviors. Come to discuss your concerns during my office hours. I expect graduate students to be fully responsible for their own education. This means you must be proactive in communicating with me about issues such as work overload, illness (physical or emotional), family emergencies, assignments not being completed on time, trouble with your collaborative groups projects, etc.

A NOTE ON ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:  

Students who intentionally submit work either not their own or without clear attribution to the original source, fabricate data or other information, engage in cheating, or misrepresentation of academic records may be subject to charges. Sanctions may include dismissal from the college for violation of the TC principles of academic and professional integrity fundamental to the purpose of the College as noted in the TC Student Handbook. Please note: Using the wording of others or a close paraphrasing of the wording of others as the major part of an assignment is NOT acceptable, even if you give the authors credit.  Additionally, using large parts of work that you yourself have written for the purposes of earning credit in a different course is also NOT acceptable.  

Teachers College Policy on the Grade of Incomplete:

According to the Teachers College policy, the grade of Incomplete is to be assigned only when the course attendance requirement has been met but, for reasons satisfactory to the instructor, the granting of a final grade has been postponed because certain course assignments are outstanding. If the outstanding assignments are completed within one calendar year from the date of the close of term in which the grade of Incomplete was received and a final grade submitted, the final grade will be recorded on the permanent transcript, replacing the grade of Incomplete, with a transcript notation indicating the date that the grade of Incomplete was replaced by a final grade.  If the outstanding work is not completed within one calendar year from the date of the close of term in which the grade of Incomplete was received, the grade will remain as a permanent Incomplete on the transcript. In such instances, if the course is a required course or part of an approved program of study, students will be required to re-enroll in the course including repayment of all tuition and fee charges for the new registration and satisfactorily complete all course requirements.  If the required course is not offered in subsequent terms, the student should speak with the faculty advisor or Program Coordinator about their options for fulfilling the degree requirement.

Teachers College Policy on Reasonable Accommodations:

The College will make reasonable accommodations for persons with documented disabilities.  Students are encouraged to contact the Office of Access and Services for Individuals with Disabilities for information about registration (166 Thorndike Hall).  Services are available only to students who are registered and submit appropriate documentation.  As your instructor, I am happy to discuss specific needs with you as well.

Technology in the classroom:

Teachers college has provided you with an email account associated with the google suite.  For this course, you will be required to use this account. Any and all communications from the school and the professor will be sent through your TC email address and you will be held responsible for them.

Cell Phones, iPads, and Computers are all welcomed in this course.  Please be respectful and follow common etiquette regarding these devices.