SWK-752 Practice with Deaf and Hard of Hearing Populations: Macro Interventions

Course Overview

This is the second concentration practice course with a focus on specialized knowledge and skills needed to work with organizations and communities of which deaf and hard of hearing people are a part. Building on the foundation year principles of intervention with organizations and communities, this course prepares students for macro practice with a diverse population of deaf and hard of hearing people in communities and organizations. Using an empowerment framework, this course focuses on the processes of empowerment of deaf and hard of hearing populations, and interventions that increase their access to political and social processes in communities and organizations. The course addresses ethical issues presented in practice with deaf communities, such as accessibility, communication and language choices, power, oppression and related cultural factors. Topics include grassroots organizing, planning, grant writing and fund raising, administration, social action, needs assessment methodology and program evaluation skills. Empowerment theory, group theory and the strengths perspective are applied in work with deaf and hard of hearing populations.