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TOWSON UNIVERSITY
DFST 310 CAREER EXPLORATION IN DEAFNESS
FALL 2001
COURSE SYLLABUS

Instructor: Dr. Sheryl B. Cooper
Office Location: Van Bokkelen 103B
Office Phone: (410) 704-2436 v/tty/voice-mail
Department Office: 410-704-4153
E-mail: scooper@towson.edu or sbc2424@aol.com
Web Site: www.towson.edu/~scooper

Course Description:
This course will provide information on careers using sign language and careers working with Deaf people. Guest speakers and out-of-class assignments will provide contact with professionals currently practicing a variety of careers. Off-campus assignments required.

Prerequisites:
SPPA 205 Basic Sign Language and/or consent of department.

Readings:
1. Readings prepared by Dr. Cooper, handed out in class.
2. Assorted brochures/pamphlets from professional associations working with Deaf and hard-of-hearing people to be distributed during class.
3. Handouts provided by guests and students during presentations.

Course Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, students will:

1. demonstrate greater understanding of the variety and depth of careers available to professionals working with deaf people, including the education and experience necessary to enter these careers and the duties and responsibilities involved in performing these jobs;

2. demonstrate in-depth understanding of one career using sign language;

3. be more aware of their personal attitudes, skills and interests and how these affect their career choices;

4. be more aware of resources for Deaf people in the Baltimore/Washington area.

Course Requirements:

1. Attendance and participation in all class sessions;
2. Completion of all readings, assignments, and video viewings assigned by instructor;
3. Completion of all exams and assignments outlined in this syllabus.

The grade of C- does not meet graduation or major requirements as it is equivalent to 1.667 on a 4.0 scale.

Cheating and Plagiarism Policy:

We adhere strictly to the Code of Conduct/Academic Dishonesty policy found in the Undergraduate Catalog. Cheating includes copying from others, using books or notes during quizzes and exams, fabrication of information, submission of work prepared for another class during another semester without approval of instructor, submission of work not prepared by you, permitting another person to copy from or use your work, and plagiarism. Incidents of cheating will result in any or all of the following, at the instructor's discretion:

1) grade of "0" on the assignment or exam,
2) reduction of final grade by one letter grade,
3) subtraction of points from "Attendance and Participation" in the final grade tally,
4) grade of "F" for the course.

Students with Disabilities:
Students who are identified by the Office for Students with Disabilities as needing special assistance should submit their documentation to the instructor early in the semester. In order to provide reasonable accommodations, the instructor must know what is needed and be given adequate time to consider options.

Attendance Policy:
Any student not attending the first session of the class, regardless of preregistration status, will be dropped from the course. Due to the importance of class discussions, regular attendance is mandatory. Poor attendance and participation will be reflected in the course grade. Students with 2 or more absences will not earn the maximum value. Late arrivals and early departures will detract from a student's attendance and participation grade. Students who are absent are responsible for missed work, assignments, and assessments.

Out-of-Class Assignment Guide:

Style
All papers must be typed and double-spaced on 8 1/2 x 11 paper. Handwritten papers or papers torn out of notebooks with ragged edges will not be accepted. Papers longer than one page will be stapled once in the upper left hand corner. No papers in folders, with paper clips or acetate covers will be accepted. Your name, class time, date of assignment, title of assignment, and course number should be on each paper in the upper right hand corner of the front sheet. Any paper misspelling and misrepresenting the word "deaf" as "death" will be given an automatic 0. Papers submitted after deadlines will receive partial or no credit. Note: Please save all graded assignments until after you receive your final grade for the semester. If you wish to contest your grade, please arrange to meet with me and bring all of your graded assignments with you.

Assignments:

1. Visits to Worksites (5O points)
Visit 5 places where a professional is using sign language to communicate with deaf consumers or students. Select places representing as many different careers as possible to make this experience most helpful to you. 10 pts. each. Paper must be submitted within one week of visit or points will be deducted. For each visit, please provide a summary of your:

1. Observation

2. Informational Interview

Cover the following topics, plus any questions of special interest to you:
a. Personal Background

1. Why did you select this field?

2. Can you describe the process of how you entered the field?

3. What education or experience prepared you for this career?

4. Why is this a good/bad career for you?

5. What do you like/dislike about this career?

6. Does this person, in your opinion, accurately represent the profession? Why or why not?

b. Recommended Background for Others

1. Education/training

2. Skills, experience, personality

c. Employment Outlook

d. Professional Associations or Organizations that support this field

e. Pros and cons of this job

3. Personal Reflections

Could you see yourself doing this job? Why or why not? If not, could you see yourself in this career but in another setting or within another organization?

2. Oral report on one career (10 points)

Work in teams of 2-3. Use the Dictionary of Occupational Titles, videos, books, magazine/journal articles, interviews, etc. Final presentation should last 10-15 minutes and include the following information:

1. description of duties
2. training needed, experience needed, skills needed, certification or license needed
3. where is employment? schools? agencies? organizations? hospitals?
4. employment outlook
5. salary range
6. pros and cons of the job

Presentation should include media, handouts, and bibliography when appropriate.

3. Final Paper (10 points)

Prepare a 5-page paper including information on what you learned or already knew about yourself in terms of your own career. Discuss how the activities in this class affected where you are heading in your career. Discuss your personal situation, in terms of your own strengths, weaknesses, attitudes, skills, and interests, Identify one or two careers discussed during the semester that you might really want to pursue, and explain why.
Due date: December 5, 2001.

4. Written Final Exam (20 points)

True/false! multiple choice/fill-in-the-blank/short answer exam about the careers studied.

Sample Questions for Informational Interview

1. How did you get into this field and this position?
2. What do you do in an average day? What are some of your duties and responsibilities?
3. What are the current issues (problems, needs, plans, etc.) in your field?
4. Do you work mostly with people, data, or things?
5. What are the physical and psychological demands of your job?
6. Where is your work performed?
7. What type of orgamzations/agencies employ people in this occupation?
8. What are the working conditions?
9. With whom do you work closely?
10. What kinds of skills are required for this job?
11. What kind of education is required for this job?
12. What kinds of specialized training are required for this job?
13. What is the employment outlook locally and nationally?
14. Are job opportunities increasing, decreasing, or remaining stable?
15. What are the opportunities for career mobility?
16. Could you use the skills from this job in another organization or job?
17. What is the salary range for this type of position?
18. What kinds of benefits do people in this profession expect (insurance, vacations, etc?)
19. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this job?
20. What gives you the most enjoyment or satisfaction?
21. If you could change your job in some way, how would you change it?
22. What do you like best/least about yourjob? your career?
23. What advice would you give a person considering entering this profession?
24. Where can I get more information about this occupation? (Get several names, addresses, etc. for other people, professional organizations, associations, books, publications, or other resources.)

Possible Agencies to Contact:
You can use the directories on reserve in the library (Reserve: Cooper) to obtain phone numbers and addresses for these agencies, the telephone book, or ask Dr. Cooper directly for names of contact people and their phone numbers.

1. Associated Catholic Charities/Deaf Family Services (Baltimore)
2. Catonsville Community College (contact: the counselor who serves deaf students, the coordinator of interpreters, or the director of the interpreter prep program).
3. Community Support Services for the Deaf (Randallstown)
4. Deaf Independent Living Association (Eastern Shore)
5. Division of Rehabilitation Services (there are ten counselors serving deaf people with offices throughout the state).
6. Maryland Rehabilitation Center (Baltimore; there is a counselor for deaf clients and a vocational evaluator for deaf clients).
7. Family Service Foundation (locations in PG County and Baltimore, with mental health counselors, residential counselors, day program leaders, deaf-blind program).
8. Maryland School for the Deaf (Frederick)
9. Maryland School for the Deaf (Columbia)
10. Developmental Services Group (Columbia and other locations)
11. Vocational Services Program (VSP, Sinai Hospital) (Baltimore)
12. People Encouraging People (PEP) (Baltimore)
13. Foxwell Memorial Apartments (Baltimore)
14. Albert Witzke Medical Center (south Baltimore)
15. Christ United Methodist Church for the Deaf (Rev. Peggy Johnson, Baltimore)
16. Hearing and Speech Agency (downtown Baltimore: speech pathologists, audiologists, a preschool for children with communication disorders, and a sign language interpreter referral service).
17. Deaf Access Services (Interpreter Referral & other advocacy functions, Frederick)
18. Villa Cresta Elementary School (Baltimore County)
19. Pine Grove Middle School (Baltimore County)
20. Parkville High School (Baltimore County)
21. Eleanor Roosevelt High School (PG County)
22. Montgomery County Public Schools Auditory Program (Rockville)
23. Springfield State Hospital! Deaf Unit (Sykesville)
24. Our Way for Jewish Deaf (Baltimore)
25. Washington Society of Jewish Deaf (Greenbelt or DC area)
26. Catholic Deaf Center (Landover Hills, PG County)
27. Jewish Social Service Agency (Rockville)
..and other agencies you may discover along the way or in other states that are approved by the instructor...

Required Courtesies:

Remember
(1) the people you meet today could be your employers or co-workers later, and
(2) the impression you make affects opportunities for future generations of TU students.

Please employ the following courtesies:

• Call in advance to schedule your site visits.
• Make sure you clearly explain your need to have time to both observe and interview the professional.
• Dress nicely and arrive on time.
• Be polite.
• Explain clearly why you are observing and interviewing this person.
• Let the person talk without interruption.
• Express your thanks at the end of the interview for his/her time.
• Write and mail a personal "thank you" note to the professional after the experience. Email is not acceptable.

Students may go on site visits in small groups, but be careful not to overwhelm the individual or staff where you are observing. When you schedule your visit, clearly state how many people will be observing, and be respectful if the scheduler cannot accomodate more than one or two observers at a time. Regardless of how many people attend a visit together, each person is responsible for writing and submitting an original paper complete with individualized personal perspectives.

Students not abiding by these courtesies will lose points from their profesional demeanor grades.

Selected Bibliography:

Haring, N. & Romer, L. (1995). Welcoming children who are Deaf-blind into typical classrooms.
Harvey, M. (1989). Psychotherapy with Deaf and hard-of-hearing persons.
Humphrey, J. & Alcorn, B. (1996). So you want to be an interpreter. Sign Enhancers, Inc.
Ramsey, C. (1997). Deaf children in public schools.
Ross, M. (1990). Hearing impaired children in the mainstream.
Schwartz, S. (1996). Choices in Deafness. Bethesda, MD: Woodbine House.

Career Exploration in Deafness
Towson University
Fall 2001

This course is supported by frequent communication between all students and the instructor through LearnOnline, a web-based instructional tool.

To know more about how to sign on to Blackboard/LearnOnline, Click Here