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Interdisciplinary Disability Studies (IDS)

Undergraduate Plan of Study for a Concentration in Interdisciplinary Disability Studies

Description

The Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies (CCIDS), Maine’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (UCEDD), in conjunction with faculty representatives from 14 academic departments at the University of Maine, offers a concentration in Interdisciplinary Disability Studies (IDS). The Interdisciplinary Disability Studies curriculum provides students a means to explore disability within the larger context of diversity and to examine professional practice, scholarship and policy related to persons with disabilities.

Administered through the Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies, the concentration consists of 24 credits distributed among elective courses in three categories: social change, diversity studies and environmental context; and three core interdisciplinary courses taught by faculty with expertise in disability studies. Students declare this concentration in addition to their major field of study.

The components of the concentration are a common core of DIS courses and electives in three categories of study.

Required Core DIS courses (9-12 credits):

• DIS 400: Disability as Diversity I (3 credits)
  •  Note: DIS 300 may be substituted for DIS 400 with permission from the coordinator.;
• DIS 450: Disability: Population-Environment Diversity (3 credits);
• DIS 470: Interdisciplinary Project in Disability Studies (3 to 6 credits).

Electives (12-15 credits):

• Choose a minimum of one course from each of the three categories: social change, diversity studies and environmental context.

The coursework and Project combine to provide students with an appreciation of the many factors that affect human diversity, and how their disciplines and disability studies can reciprocally inform one another.

Who might be interested in the concentration?

Students throughout the university should consider enrolling in the concentration in Interdisciplinary Disability Studies. The purpose of the concentration is to examine disability as a critical element of human diversity and provide the theory and practice for fashioning universal access to our communities and resources for all people including those with disabilities.

Here are just a few examples of student interest from diverse disciplinary fields:

• An engineering student interested in crafting sporting equipment for adaptive kayaking and canoeing;
• An art history student examining the changes in depiction of people with disabilities in painting;
• A journalism student interested in advancing equal opportunity for disabled workers through writing in community newspapers;
• An education major interested in full inclusion of students with disabilities in public education;
• A social work student interested in advocating for civil rights for marginalized populations including people with disabilities;
• A psychology major interested in studying child development in youth with disabilities;
• An English major interested in the depiction of disabled people in contemporary literature;
• A new media student interested in studying universal web access;
• A musician interested in studying alterative ways to perform to audiences who cannot hear.

Who offers the concentration?

The concentration in Interdisciplinary Disability Studies is administered through the Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies. The Center is Maine’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (UCEDD), a partnership of people bringing together the resources of the community and the University to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities and their families. CCIDS supports self-determination and advocacy for people with disabilities throughout their lives. As agents for social change, we are committed to the principles of community inclusion, interdependence and the inherent abilities of each person to contribute to society. These principles are realized through interdisciplinary educational activities, applied research and research and policy analysis, technical assistance and dissemination of information.

The Center’s Interdisciplinary Disability Studies Academic Committee (IDSAC) is the governing board for the Interdisciplinary Concentration in Developmental Disabilities. The IDSAC includes faculty members from Art, Child Development/Family Relations, Communication Disorders, Elementary Education, Engineering, English, Human Development, Kinesiology and Physical Education, Music, Nursing, New Media, Public Administration, Psychology, Social Work, and Sociology.

Enrollment Procedures:

• Student discusses intent to pursue the concentration with his/her departmental advisor.
• Student and Interdisciplinary Disability Studies Coordinator complete the Undergraduate Concentration Plan of Study (Appendix A ).
• Student completes a University of Maine Declaration of Concentration form and receives approval from his/her departmental advisor and the Interdisciplinary Disability Studies Coordinator to enter the concentration ( Appendix B ).
• Coordinator for Interdisciplinary Disability Studies registers student for the Interdisciplinary Concentration in Disability Studies.

• The Undergraduate Plan of Study can be download by going to Appendix A-text version.
• The Undergraduate Approval Status form can be downloaded by going to Appendix B-text version.
• University of Maine Declaration of Concentration forms can be obtained from departmental advisors or the Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies, 100 Corbett Hall.

Interdisciplinary Disability Studies Course Descriptions

Electives

The Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies offers an introductory course in disability studies that is open to all students in all disciplines.

DIS 300 - Disability: Interaction of Human Diversity and Global Environments (Previously known as DIS 200)

This course is designed to raise awareness and introduce students to disability from progressive and contemporary diversity perspectives. Students are introduced to an overview of disability history, theory, and current thinking in the field of disability studies before focusing on historic and current terms for population descriptors including normal, abnormal, crippled, deficient, impaired, challenged, and diverse. Students scrutinize the variation in characteristics and theoretical explanations that are grouped to form the disability population and examine the reciprocal interaction of disability populations with economic, physical, social, political, cultural, and spiritual environments. Finally, students identify how disability is conceptualized differently in varied contexts and analyze how disability fits within contemporary discourse of human diversity.

Credits: 3
Satisfies the General Education Population & Environment requirement.
Prerequisite: None

Core Courses

DIS 400—Disability as Diversity I

This course examines disability history, theory and current thinking in the field of disability studies. Through interdisciplinary interchange and experiential learning, students will explore the lived experience of people with disabilities and their families across the lifespan, examine and debate ethical dilemmas related to disability, and analyze implicit disability related values reflected in diverse academic and professional fields. Students will apply their learning to their own disciplines.

Credits: 3
Satisfies the General Education Ethics Requirement and General Education Cultural Diversity and International Perspectives Requirement
Prerequisites: None

DIS 450 - Disability: Population-Environment Diversity

Consistent with contemporary literature and research in the interdisciplinary field of disability studies, students will examine and analyze disability as an interactive disjuncture between the environment, the human body and population groups. Students will analyze how environments shape and are shaped by disability and will focus on realigning bodies, populations, and environments to advance full participation, reduce personal and environmental harm, and preserve just and safe environments. Included will be natural, virtual, service, economic, social, policy, and community environments across the globe.

Credits: 3
Satisfies the General Education Population & Environment Requirement.
Prerequisites: None

DIS 470—Interdisciplinary Project in Disability Studies

The disability project provides the opportunity for students to apply knowledge about disability to the actualization of a disability-related project in the student’s area of interest. With guidance from the DIS 470 instructor and the student’s advisor, students may participate in ongoing projects or identify new disability-related areas for project activity. Students may take this course to complete the requirements for the disability concentration or to work with guidance on a project of interest. The course provides the opportunity for collaboration across disciplines.

Credits: 1-6 (depending on requirements and/or interest)
Prerequisites: DIS 400 & 450, or by permission of instructor

Grading Policy

Students must earn a letter grade of “C” or above in all core courses in order to successfully graduate with a concentration in Interdisciplinary Disability Studies.

Appendix A

Undergraduate Concentration in Interdisciplinary Disability Studies

Plan of Study

Name______________________________ Date of Plan__________________

Student ID#_________________________ Advisor______________________

Major___________________________________________________________

Core Concentration Courses (9 credits)

Choose a minimum of one course (3 credits) from each of the three categories listed below.

Social Change — Courses that critically address social justice in small groups, communities, systems and intellectual trends.

• AED 474 - Topics In Art Education, Credits: 3
• ANT 424 - Narrative, Credits: 3
• ART 370 - Digital Art IIA: 3D Modeling and Animation, Credits: 3
• ART 371 - Digital Art IIB: Digital Video, Credits: 3
• ART 372 - Digital Art IIC: Interactivity, Credits: 3
• BUA 268 - Electronic Commerce, Credits: 3
• BUA 325 - Principles of Management and Organization, Credits: 3
• CHF 381 - Family Resource Management, Credits: 3
• CHF 406 - Introduction to Research Methods in Child Development and Family Relations, Credits: 3
• CHF 430 - Applied Self Control, Credits: 3
• CIE 115 - Computers in Civil Engineering, Credits: 3
• CMJ 103 - Fundamentals of Public Communication, Credits: 3
• CMJ 236 - Writing for Mass Media, Credits: 3
• CMJ 332 - Public Affairs Reporting, Credits: 3
• CMJ 402 - Communication Research, Credits: 3
• CMJ 403 - Persuasion and Social Influence, Credits: 3
• CMJ 420 - Health Communication, Credits: 3
• CMJ 434 - Editorial and Opinion Writing, Credits: 3
• CMJ 450 - Communication and Technology, Credits: 3
• COS 120 - Introduction to Programming I, Credits: 3
• COS 420 - Introduction to Software Engineering, Credits: 3
• COS 470 - Introduction to Artificial Intelligence, Credits: 3
• CSD 108 - Directed Speech Improvement, Credits: 3
• CSD 201 - American Sign Language I, Credits: 3
• CSD 202 - American Sign Language II, Credits: 3
• ECE 101 - Introduction to Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering, Credits: 4**
• ECE 417 - Introduction to Robotics, Credits: 3**
• ECE 471 - Microprocessor Applications, Credits: 3
• **Relevant Engineering skills courses
• EDC 333 - Curriculum Development and Evaluation, Credits: 1.5-3
• EDT 400 - Computers in Education, Credits: 3
• ENG 206 - Descriptive/Narrative Writing, Credits: 3
• ENG 212 - Persuasive and Analytical Writing, Credits: 3
• ENG 309 - Writing Creative Non-Fiction, Credits: 3
• ERL 313 - Teaching of Reading in the Elementary School, Credits: 3
• ERL 318 - Teaching Language Arts in the Elementary School, Credits: 3
• ERL 440 - Teaching Reading in the Secondary School, Credits: 3
• ESC 316 – Teaching Science in the Elementary School (K-8), Credits: 3
• ESC 452 - Teaching Science in the Secondary School, Credits: 3
• ESS 315 - Teaching Social Studies in the Elementary School, Credits: 3
• ESS 441 - Teaching Social Studies in the Secondary School, Credits: 3
• FSN 301 - Life Cycle Nutrition, Credits: 3
• FSN 401 - Community Nutrition, Credits: 4
• HTY 311 - Research Seminar, Credits: 3
• ISE 104 - Design Basics for New Media, Credits: 3
• KPE 262 - Methods-Teaching Physical Education, Credits: 3
• KPE 278 - Health Education, Credits: 2
• KPE 344 - Principles of Coaching, Credits: 3
• KPE 367 - Mainstreaming in Physical Education-Recreation, Credits: 3
• KPE 400 - General Medical Conditions and Disabilities in Sport, Credits: 3
• KPE 425 - Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Credits: 3
• MEE 101 - Introduction to Mechanical Engineering, Credits: 1
• MUE 320 - Teaching of General Music: Elementary, Credits: 3
• MUE 321 - Teaching of General Music: Secondary, Credits: 3
• NMD 104 - Design Basics for New Media, Credits: 3
• NMD 202 - Dynamic Website Development, Credits: 3
• NMD 240 - Introduction to Web Concepts and Design, Credits: 3
• NMD 302 - Interactive Web Development, Credits: 3
• PAA 390 - Technical Writing and Communication in Public Service, Credits: 3
• PAA 430 - Organizational Change in Public Service, Credits: 3
• PAX 451 – Mediation: Its Premises, Practices and Policies, Credits: 3
• PHI 103 - Methods of Reasoning, Credits: 3
• SED 402 - Adapting Instruction for Students with Disabilities, Credits: 3
• SOC 369 - Collective Behavior and Social Movements, Credits: 3
• SWK 463 - Social Work Methods III, Credits: 3
• SWK 491 - Methods of Social Work Research, Credits: 3
• THE 117 - Fundamentals of Acting, Credits: 3
• THE 405 - Drama in Education, Credits: 3

Diversity Studies — Courses that address aspects of human difference.

• ANT 102 - Introduction to Anthropology: Diversity of Cultures, Credits: 3
• ANT 300 - Basic Theory in Cultural Anthropology, Credits: 3
• ANT 437 - Medical Anthropology, Credits: 3
• ANT 466 - Economic Anthropology, Credits: 3
• ANT 481 - Language, Culture and Society, Credits: 3
• ARH 100 - Art and Human Experience, Credits: 3
• BIO 208 - Anatomy and Physiology, Credits: 3
• BIO 462 - Principles of Genetics, Credits: 3
• CHF 201 - Introduction to Child Development, Credits: 3
• CHF 331 - Cognitive Development, Credits: 3
• CHF 433 - Adolescence, Credits: 3
• CHF 434 - Adult Development and Aging, Credits: 3
• CMJ 202 - Communication Studies II, Credits: 3
• CSD 130 - Introduction to Communication Science and Disorders, Credits: 3
• CSD 302 - Issues in Hearing Loss, Credits: 3
• CSD 380 - Language Development, Credits: 3
• CSD 481 - Phonological Development and Phonetics, Credits: 4
• DIS 200 - The Disability Population in the Environment, Credits: 3
• DIS 480 - Independent Project in Disability Studies, Credits: 1-6
• DIS 490 - Selected Topics in Interdisciplinary Disability Studies, Credits: 1-6
• ENG 237 - Coming of Age in America, Credits: 3
• ENG 450 - Cultural Borderlands in Contemporary American Literature, Credits: 3
• INT 490 – (University Wide) Lies, Deception and Heroification, Credits: 3
• KPE 270 - Motor Development and Learning
• MLC 175 - Multiculturalism in America, Credits: 3
• NUR 415 - Socio-Cultural Issues in Health and Health Care, Credits: 3
• NUR 423 – Ethical Issues in Health Care, Credits: 3
• PAA 350 - Human Resources in Public Service, Credits: 3
• PAA 425 - Healthcare System Management, Credits: 3
• PHI 364 - Views of Self: East and West, Credits: 3
• PSY 208 - Theories of Personality, Credits: 3
• PSY 212 - Abnormal Psychology, Credits: 3
• PSY 223 - Psychology of Childhood, Credits: 3
• PSY 224 - Psychology of Adolescence, Credits: 3
• PSY 251 - Psychology of Motivation, Credits: 3
• PSY 325 - Psychology of Infant Development, Credits: 3
• PSY 350 - Cognition, Credits: 3
• PSY 361 - Sensation and Perception, Credits: 3
• PSY425 - Social Issues in Developmental Psychology, Credits: 3
• PSY 427 - Emotional Development, Credits: 3
• SED 401 - Introduction to Students with Severe Disabilities, Credits: 3
• SOC 120 - Deviance and Social Control, Credits: 3
• SOC 201 - Social Inequality, Credits: 3
• SOC 316 - Sociology of Aging, Credits: 3
• SOC 337 - Sociology of Mental Illness, Credits: 3
• SOC 339 - Sociology of Health and Medicine, Credits: 3
• SWK 330 - Contemporary Issues in Diversity and Pluralism, Credits: 3
• SWK 350 - Human Behavior and the Social Environment I, Credits: 3
• SWK 351- Human Behavior and the Social Environment II, Credits: 3

Environmental Context — Courses that address the full range of contexts in which people live, including virtual, spiritual, and other abstract contexts.

• AED 270 - Introduction to Visual Culture and Learning, Credits: 3
• ARH 155 - Art History I, Credits: 3
• ART 120 – 3D Design
• AVS 150 - History of Human-Animal Relationship, Credits: 3
• BUA 220 - Legal Environment of Business, Credits: 3
• CET 451 - Construction Law, Credits: 4
• CHF 391- Family Housing, Credits: 3
• CHY 101 - Chemistry for Everyday Living, Credits: 3
• CMJ 100 - Introduction to Mass Communication, Credits: 3
• CMJ 360 - Nonverbal Communication, Credits: 3
• CMJ 375 - Mass Media Law and Regulation, Credits: 3
• COS 101 – Introduction to PC Hardware and Windows, Credits: 1
• COS 102 – Introduction to the Internet and the World Wide Web, Credits: 1
• COS 103 – Introduction to Spreadsheets, Credits: 1
• COS 104 – Introduction to Presentation Software, Credits: 1
• ECO 107- The World Economy: Changes and Challenges, Credits: 3
• ECO 333 - Labor Markets and Human Resource Development, Credits: 3
• GEO 201 - Introduction to Human Geography, Credits: 3
• HON 111 - Civilizations: Past, Present and Future I, Credits: 4
• HON 112 - Civilizations: Past, Present and Future II, Credits: 4
• HTY 197 - Technology and Society I, Credits: 3
• HTY 198 - Technology and Society II, Credits: 3
• HTY 420 - Science and Society Since 1800, Credits: 3
• HTY 477 - The American Worker, Credits: 3
• MSE 200 - Introduction to Museums, Credits: 3
• MSE 370 - Introduction to Museum Education, Credits: 3
• NMD 100 - Introduction to New Media, Credits: 3
• PAA 100 - Introduction to Public Administration, Credits: 3
• PAA 233 – The American City, Credits: 3
• PAA 380 - Police and the Community, Credits: 3
• PAA 410 - Local Government Law, Credits: 3
• PHI 240 - Social and Political Philosophy, Credits: 3
• PHI 244 - Philosophy of Law, Credits: 3
• PHI 335 - Contemporary Ethics, Credits: 3
• PHI 344 - Theories of Justice, Credits: 3
• PHI 353 - Philosophy of Mind, Credits: 3
• POS 100 - American Government, Credits: 3
• POS 282 - Introduction to American Law, Credits: 3
• POS 304 - American Political Thought, Credits: 3
• POS 384 - American Civil Liberties, Credits: 3
• PRT 225 - Readings In Outdoor Recreation, Credits: 3
• SOC 110 - Sociology of Popular Culture, Credits: 3
• SOC 314 - Law and Society, Credits: 3

Appendix B

Undergraduate Concentration in Interdisciplinary Disability Studies

Approval status

Name______________________________ Date of Plan_________________

Student ID#_________________________ Advisor__________________

Major______________________________

Approved for Entry into IDS Concentration Date:

___________________________
Month/Day/Year

Departmental Advisor’s Signature:

__________________________________________________

IDS Coordinator’s Signature: ______________________________________________________

Projected Date of Completion:

____________________________
Month/Day/Year

Approved Program Completed Date:

________________________________________
Month/Day/Year

Departmental Advisor’s Signature:

__________________________________________________

IDS Coordinator’s Signature:

______________________________________________________

Copies to:

— Student

— Student File

— IDS Coordinator

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