Course Content and Outcomes Guides (CCOG)

CCOG for ASL 240 Winter 2025


Course Number:
ASL 240
Course Title:
Introduction to the Deaf Community
Credit Hours:
4
Lecture Hours:
40
Lecture/Lab Hours:
0
Lab Hours:
0

Course Description

Introduces pathological and cultural perspectives of Deaf people and their community, Deaf history and organizations; Deaf people's involvement in and access to the arts, and perspectives on education. Covers services, employment, legislation, special technology, communication systems and attitudes toward languages and their impact on the Deaf community. Introduces basic terminology and explains the difference between signers and interpreters. Prerequisites: WR 115, RD 115 and MTH 20 or equivalent placement test scores.

Addendum to Course Description

This course introduces pathological and cultural perspectives of Deaf people and their community; Deaf history and organizations; and past and current perspectives on education. It covers services, employment, legislation, special technology, communication systems and attitudes toward languages and their impact on the Deaf community. It introduces basic terminology and explains the difference between signers and interpreters

Intended Outcomes for the course

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Apply an understanding of the two social perspectives on the Deaf community (pathological and cultural) and how they impact the Deaf community, in order to use novel and creative approaches to educating the public.
  2. Using an awareness of the adaptations Deaf people have made, describe the creative, political, and technological developments of the Deaf community and their contributions to the larger society and world.
  3. Use an understanding of the Deaf community, its history and culture to develop as allies of and ethical guests in Deaf society.

Integrative Learning

Students completing an associate degree at Portland Community College will be able to reflect on one’s work or competencies to make connections between course content and lived experience.

General education philosophy statement

This ASL course teaches Deaf culture and history. As part of this course, students will learn about the Deaf community and how visual communication impacts Deaf culture. Students will also develop an understanding of Deaf culture and how it relates to other cultures. Students will gain a deeper level of social awareness and diverse ways of being. This awareness supports the development of self-awareness, social responsibility, and multicultural communications skills.

Course Activities and Design

In class activities may include student presentations, group discussion, viewing videotapes of several topics related, and a panel from the deaf community. Students will be required to participate in at least one activity in the Deaf community.

Outcome Assessment Strategies

Assessments will be done by quizzes, midterm, and final exams, and research papers, and student presentations.

Course Content (Themes, Concepts, Issues and Skills)

Two perspectives of Deaf community, Deaf history, organizations, past and current perspectives on education, services, employment, legislation, signers vs. interpreters, special technology, terminology, communication systems and attitudes toward language.