Students in this course will be introduced to the historical study of diversity in the Deaf community, especially as it relates to issues of race, ethnicity, gender, disability, and sexuality. Students will learn to analyze the implications of such diversity in terms of the social perception of deaf people, the history of the education of deaf people, and the experience of acculturation for and as Deaf people. The course will examine how the process of acculturation has operated, historically, within the Deaf community. Deaf culture has sought to transcend various differences and to bond members of the Deaf community together, in one, larger Deaf identity. But has this always been achieved? How has the Deaf community handled issues of diversity in different historical moments? Has the history of diversity within the Deaf community been similar to the history of diversity within the hearing community? Or have there been distinctively Deaf ways of diversity in history? This course will invite students to compare and contrast the history of difference and diversity in the deaf and hearing communities, and to explore those historical moments of intersection and interaction as well.

A leader’s ability to facilitate understanding, inclusion, and resolution is key to leading a group to success. Honoring and valuing Black and Black Deaf people’s experiences are critical to creating an inclusive, empowering and effective work group. During classroom dialogue, students will actively participate in structured discussions with students and learn from each other’s perspectives, read and discuss relevant reading material, and explore avenues to resolution. Students may apply knowledge gained through dialogue and readings to lead agencies and organizations to inclusive change. Students will also explore ways of taking action to create change and bridge differences through readings, journals, leading a dialogue and a final written paper.