Participation

Students who enroll in this class must be prepared to engage with a heavy reading load of texts from a variety of scholarly disciplines, media sources, and personal narratives.

Many of the topics covered raise sensitive questions of ethics, identity, and policy. We will work to create a learning environment that feels as safe as possible for everyone and fosters open inquiry. You will be expected to critically examine your own beliefs in comparison with those of others and as they relate to issues in disability studies. Students in the class have a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. For some, the information may be completely new; others may have previous knowledge of disability issues or oppression. Please keep in mind that this course is being taught from an anti-oppressive point of view, and our principal goal is to teach the academic disability studies approach.

Students will get the most out of the lecture presentations and discussions by completing the readings before class time. Active participation is an important aspect of the learning process in this class.

Lectures & Films

Lectures will be pre-recorded and posted on the day they are scheduled (Mondays by 2:30pm). Lecture slides will be posted on the course website prior to each class. Some days will be devoted to watching films or accessing podcasts or webinars, and you will be provided with the links.

To make the material as accessible as possible for all learners, the lectures will be captioned and if possible the transcript will be posted along with the video recording. The films are all captioned and there are transcripts with the podcasts.

Participation guidelines for Class Meetings & Discussion Posts

The goal of discussions in class (Wednesdays) and in weekly discussion posts is to help you understand difficult material and think through your and others’ ideas. Working through unclear understandings or positions that you later reconsider may be part of this process. I am looking for contributions that show you are paying careful attention to the course materials and to the contributions of your fellow students, and that you are thinking critically and creatively about them. You are expected to show that you have analyzed the readings and that you are forming reasoned ideas and opinions about the themes of the course. Participation includes listening carefully and responding constructively.

Using someone's correct personal pronouns is a way to respect them and create an inclusive environment. Here's a resource: https://www.mypronouns.org/what-and-why
Be supportive and provide others with constructive feedback. Share why you agree or disagree. Build on the strengths of others or offer constructive ideas.
Share your knowledge. Learning happens when people share experiences, knowledge, and ideas.
If you post audio, videos, or images, provide a transcript or image description for accessibility.
Keep discussion focused on the assigned topics/discussion prompt.
Keep paragraphs short and to the point to help with readability.
Stay engaged. Don’t abandon the discussion after you’ve posted your minimum number of posts . Read through the posts of others and continue your engagement and learning.
Be mindful of word choice and tone. Written language can blur intent – even if you were trying to be funny, your post may not read as funny. Before posting, ensure your comments are clear and cannot be taken in the wrong context.
Express alternative points of view respectfully.
Harassment in any form is unacceptable and violates the university's student code of conduct. This includes taking screenshots of other students or the instructor in a virtual environment without their consent.
Aspire to be inclusive. We all make mistakes (instructors included) and we value when someone takes the time to tell us that and how we can do better. Diversity and inclusion are core values and priorities for the University of Washington. We accept and celebrate the differences that are represented through the many diverse and minoritized communities in our community. Be aware of and sensitive to the diversity of your classmates and instructors. Try to ensure your comments are inclusive to all participants.