NC 621: ASL - Insights into the Deaf Community

Citrus College Course Outline of Record

Citrus College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Spring 2023
Credits: 0
Total Contact Hours: 24
Lecture Hours : 24
Lab Hours: 0
Hours Arranged: 0
Outside of Class Hours: 48
Total Student Learning Hours: 72
Transferable to CSU: No
Transferable to UC: No
Grading Method: Non-Credit Course

Catalog Course Description

This course offers insights from the Deaf community pertaining to their lifestyle and cultural perspectives. Students will explore multiple roles within the Deaf community, and how to best support its members. 24 lecture hours.

Course Objectives

  • Explore key moments in Deaf history, both in the United States and abroad.
  • Compare the values and customs of the Deaf community to other cultural groups.
  • Identify subgroups and roles within the Deaf community.
  • Discuss the origin of Deaf perspectives.
  • Discuss forms of empowerment toward the Deaf community.

Major Course Content

  1. History of the Deaf community
    1. United States
    2. Foreign countries
  2. Values and customs 
    1. Visually-centered community
    2. Community-based (vs. individualistic)
    3. Preservation of language
  3. Membership and Roles
    1. Deaf members
    2. Children of the Deaf Adults (CODAs)
    3. Parents / Siblings of the Deaf
    4. Interpreters / ASL students
    5. ASL instructors / Teachers of the Deaf
  4. Cultural Insights and Advocacy
    1. Deaf perspectives
      1. Where do they come from?
      2. What influences them?
    2. Supporting the Deaf community
      1. Listening to Deaf members
      2. Providing access
      3. Empowerment

Examples of Required Writing Assignments

Students are assigned a reflection paper in which they explain a time when they were excluded or rejected. Important details to the story (e.g. how long ago the situation took place, where it happened, who was involved, etc.) should be included. A student may wish to use pseudonyms to protect anonymity to soften a potentially traumatic experience. Reflections should close with a tie-in back to the Deaf community: How does this experience relate to the experience of exclusion/rejection felt by the Deaf community?

Examples of Outside Assignments

Students are asked to create a list of cultures they identify with, and the values of those respective cultures.

Instruction Type(s)

Lecture, Online Education Lecture