CHAFFEY COLLEGE
DISABILITY PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
COURSE SYLLABUS
Fall 2005
COURSE TITLE:
DPS 534 – Self Advocacy / Empowerment for Students
with Disabilities
COURSE LOCATION:
Chaffey College – Business Education Building
5885 Haven Ave., Rancho Cucamonga
COURSE DAY/TIME:
Monday / Wednesday 2:00 – 3:30
INSTRUCTOR:
Bonnie Fuller
Phone # (909) 477-8676
E-mail – bonnie.fuller@chaffey.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Prescriptive instruction emphasizes how self- advocacy and
personal empowerment affects individual and group
survival skills, independent life skills, prevocational skills,
and community / social integration. This is a 1 unit class.
Not degree applicable.
COURSE TOPICS:
Personal empowerment
Education regarding the term “disability”
Support system establishment and maintenance
Self- acceptance (self esteem)
Self-reliance
Relationships and disability
Legal and ethical issues and disability
COURSE OBJECTIVES: Use learned individual compensatory skills for internal and
external self- sufficiency.
Understand how social change involves and affects
integration, empowerment, advocacy, and acceptance.
Master skills to counteract self-defeating behaviors.
Apply appropriate behaviors related to school, work place,
social, and familial situations.
Understand and apply the use of language, discipline,
education, and advocacy for self- empowerment.
REQUIRED MATERIALS:
TEXTBOOK – StrengthsQuest / Discover and Develop
Your Strengths in Academics, Career, and Beyond
By: Donald O. Clifton, Ph.D. & Edward “Chip” Anderson,
Ph.D.
Students will need the following materials:
1. Three ring binder
2. Lined paper
3. Dividers with tabs
COURSE GRADING
CRITERIA:
This course is graded on a credit / no credit system. The
official grade report will show a grade of (C) Credit or
(NC) No Credit.
A grade of (C) or (NC) is based on a 100% point system.
Students must achieve at least 60% in order to receive
credit for this course. Less than 60% will result in no credit
for this course.
In addition, in order to earn credit for this course and
avoid being dropped, no more than 3 absences will be
allowed, per semester, unless special permission in
writing has been granted by the instructor.
The following is a breakdown of percentage points for this course:
Participation – 20 Points
“A major part of making it in life is simply showing up”
Woody Allen
Because this course relies heavily on discussion and group process, and only meets once
per week, participation is weighed heavily in grading. I expect that you will always be
here. If some emergency makes attendance impossible, be sure to go to the DPS office to
get the handouts/homework for the day you missed before the next class meeting and get
notes from another student.
Sharing ideas, concerns, and experiences is an important part of your development as an
effective self-advocate. Participation will enhance your learning, as well as, the learning
of other students in class – and it will improve your grade!
Completion of the StrengthsQuest/StrengthsFinder Assessment – 30 Points
Much of the coursework depends upon your completion of this assessment, which is
essential to demonstrating progress in this class. There will be assistance available in the
DPS lab, by appointment. If you need assistance in completing this assessment please
see me by the 2nd class meeting. If there are more than a few in class who need
assistance, I will help you schedule a group appointment.
Journal – 20 points
Each student is responsible for keeping a journal that reflects his or her growth and
development in self-advocacy skills. Your journal will take the place of traditional
exams. I think it will result in a more meaningful experience for you and provide a
product that will be useful to you in the future. You will receive detailed directions on
how to develop your journal and lots of support along the way. I encourage you to use
the classroom instructor, the instructional assistant, the Success Centers, and each other
for support.
Report – 20 points
Each student is required to write and orally present a report about laws dealing with
advocacy for people who have disabilities. You must do research and write a report on a
law or portion of a law that has particular interest to you. It must be a two- page report,
single or double- spaced, size 12 font. Please include a title page, a page for the
bibliography, even if just using one source, and citations if needed. The title page will be
page 1, the report will be pages 2 & 3, and the bibliography will be page 4. You will also
be required to present your report orally in class. You may read right from your written
report.
Statement on Plagiarism
“Plagiarism, an unlawful act which is designed as the misrepresentation of the
published ideas or words of another as one’s own, will not be tolerated in Chaffey
College courses. At the discretion of the instructor, plagiarism will be punishable wither
by an F for the assignment or an F in the course.”
Faculty in the Writing Center can be helpful to you and can explain how to quote,
summarize, and paraphrase properly in order to avoid plagiarism.
Assignments – 10 points
Please be diligent in doing your assignments, as they are a very important part of your
coursework and will help you get the most out of the class activities. Students are
expected to turn assignments in on time. Late assignments will not be accepted. 1 point
will be given for each assignment turned in.
TIPS FOR GETTING THE MOST OUT OF THIS COURSE:
Student Success Centers
The Student Success Centers offer tutorials, workshops, study groups, and computer
access to assist students in their academic development and success. Three of the centers,
located on the main campus, are designed to address specific subject needs:
Math Center
Reading/ESL Center
Writing Center
Room PS-12
Room SL-17
Library
(909) 941-2370
(909) 941-2657
(909) 477-8544
The remaining four centers are multidisciplinary, designed to serve students in all
subjects.
Main Campus Success Center
Chino Success Center
Fontana Success Center
Ontario Success Center
Room VSS-105
CCCC-200
CCFC-107
CCOC-203
(909) 466-2812
(909) 477-8591
(909) 477-2908
(909) 477-2935
Call the centers or consult the college website at www.chaffey.edu for more details.
Disability Programs and Services
Students in DPS may be eligible for academic accommodations, please contact the DPS
office at (909) 941-2379 if you need accommodations or assistance. Please be sure to
allow adequate time for arrangements to be made.
MORE TIPS FOR SUCCESS:
Think Out Loud – Talk to your instructors, to other students and to yourself about what
you are doing, thinking, and learning.
Take Yourself and Your Work Seriously – Your commitment to becoming an effective
self-advocate is a key ingredient to your success.
Pace Yourself – Keep up with assignments. Don’t wait until the last minute to begin
your work.
Find Out What You Need to Know – Don’t hesitate to ask questions.
Respect –
I will respect all of you and expect that you respect your
fellow students and me.
You can respect me by listening when I speak, following directions, and
not being a distraction to the rest of the class.
You can respect your classmates by treating them kindly, listening to
them, and working together.
COURSE CALENDAR
WEEK
DATE
TOPIC
1
Aug.15/17
Introductions
Student code of conduct
Classroom expectations
Orientation of course/course syllabus
Advocacy:
Meaning and importance
Assignments: Report – identify basic
concepts of disability rights/legislation/law
as it pertains to advocacy. Due Jan.31
Purchase Book – Due Jan. 19
Binder/Paper/Tabs–Due Jan.19
Take StrengthsFinder Assessment
Bring print-out of top 5 to
class - Due Feb.14
2
Aug.22/24
Bring StrengthsQuest Book to class
Skills Needed for Self-Advocacy
Guest Speaker – Gregory Creel: Note-taking
3
Aug.29/31
Problem Solving Skills
Guest Speaker – Gregory Creel:
Study Skills / Test Anxiety
4
Sept.5 holiday
Sept.7
Written Reports due – (advocacy & law)
Oral Presentations of written reports
5
Sept.12/14
Understanding Disabilities
Self Esteem
6
Sept.19/21
StrengthsQuest – Introduction and
Identification of Talents and Strengths
Chapter 1: The Nature of Strengths
Strengths – results of StrengthsFinder
7
Sept.26/28
Discovering Talents and Strengths
8
Oct.3/5
Discovering Talents and Strengths, cont.
9
Oct.10/12
Chapter 2: StrengthsQuest –
Gaining Direction for Your Quest
10
Oct.17/19
Chapter 3: StrengthsQuest –
Affirming and CelebratingYour Talents
11
Oct.24/26
Chapter 5: StrengthsQuest –
Insights into Strengths Development
12
Oct.31/Nov.2
Chapter 6: StrengthsQuest –
Considering Strengths When Planning Your
Education
13
Nov.7/9
Chapter 8: StrengthsQuest –
Applying Strengths for Academic
Achievement
14
Nov.14/16
Chapter 10: StrengthsQuest –
Strengths and Career Planning
15
Nov.21/23
StrengthsQuest –
Further Insights Into Choosing A Career
16
Nov.28/30
StrengthsQuest –
Building Strengths Based Relationships
17
Dec.5/7
Last Day of Class
Let’s Start A Revolution
Personal Statement of Strength
18
Dec.12/14
Finals – There will be no final exam/no class