The Heller School for Social Policy & Management
Brandeis University
HSSP COURSE NUMBER TBD:
Disability Policy
Fall 2015
Susan Parish, PhD, MSW
Heller -Brown 365
Office Hours: various times, by appointment through Google calendar
Course Description
Students who successfully complete this course will demonstrate an understanding of the following issues in regard to disability policy:
- Identify the principles, foundation and provisions of disability service programs in the United States.
- Understand specific current disability policies regarding financing, ethical, and legal issues related to civil rights, income transfers, education, employment and health care.
- Explain the interrelationships among disability policies at the federal, state, and local levels.
- Explain the intended and actual consequences of the major US disability policies.
- Discuss ethical issues in current disability policy, including individual and family rights, issues of distributive justice, and issues of power, discrimination, oppression, culture & race.
Policy on Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
If you are a student with a documented disability on record at Brandeis University and wish to have a reasonable accommodation made for you in this class, please see me immediately.
Policy on Title IX
Title IX, which is federal law, makes it clear that violence and harassment based on sex and gender are Civil Rights offenses subject to accountability and support. If you or someone you know has been harassed or assaulted, you can find the appropriate resources here:
Linda Shinomoto is the University’s Title IX coordinator. Her phone and email are:
(781) 736-4456 and
The University also has confidential resources for individuals have wish to seek support:
You can reach the University’s Office of Prevention Services at 781-736-3626. You may also contact our confidential counselor for appointments via email:Sheila McMahon,
Teaching Methods
This course is taught as a seminar. To maximize everyone’s learning, we will rely on the contributions and insights of all students when issues are discussed. The participation of each student is essential, and responsibility for class discussion is shared. Class participation includes attendance, being prepared to discuss readings and assignments, sharing your opinions on the topic at hand, facilitating the participation of other students, and engaging with the instructor and guest speakers.
You are responsible for reading all assigned material before the class date for which the readings are assigned. Participating in weekly Latte-based discussions of readings is a requirement of the course.
Success in this course is based on the expectation that students will spend a minimum of 9 hours of study time per week in preparation for class (readings, papers and preparation for exam).
Required Texts/Readings
There are no texts for this course. Readings will be available on the internet, Brandeis University library, or posted on LATTE.
Class Assignments
Students will complete two written assignments and an a final exam.
I grade assignments anonymously. To facilitate this process, please submit written assignments with onlythe ID number (not your name) on them. ID numbers will be distributed in advance of the due date. All assignments are due before 5pm on the date that they are due.
Class participation is 10% of the final semester grade.
Communications
Changes in class schedule are communicated via email and the course website.
Assignment 1Due: <Class 6>
25% of final grade
You work as a policy analyst for a large disability service and advocacy organization. You have been assigned to analyze the likely impact of pending disability legislation on a particular subpopulation within the disability community. To complete this assignment:
1)Find legislation that is pending at either the federal or state level in the United States.
2)Determine the subpopulation within the disability community that will be your focus (e.g., recent immigrants with disabled children; African Americans; mothers with physical disabilities; people with severe and persistent mental illnesses; adults with developmental disabilities).
3)Analyze the likely impact of the pending disability legislation, focusing on issues of effectiveness, adequacy and equity.
4)Write up your analysis in a 5-7 page double-spaced paper, excluding references.
Assignment 2Due: <Class 12>
25% of final grade
Analyze one facet of another country’s disability service policy. Write a 10-page paper (excluding references) that describes eligibility, service provision, financing, and administrative responsibility. Describe the policy in terms of effectiveness, adequacy and equity, as discussed in class. A one-paragraph description of the topic must be submitted to the instructor for approval no later than Class 4.
Assignment 3Due: <TBD>
40% of final grade
FINAL EXAM.
Held on the assigned date during the final exam period. The exam will consist of short and long answer essay questions addressing all assigned readings, lecture, and course discussion. Any content covered in class or assigned is fair game for the final exam.
Policy on Incompletesand Late Assignments
Papers are to be submitted to the instructorat the beginning of class on the day they are due, without exception. Late papers will be reduced by 10% for each 24-hour period for which they are late.
Policy on Academic Dishonesty
You are expected to complete assigned and independent readings, contribute to the development of a positive learning environment, and demonstrate your learning through written assignments and class participation. Original written work is expected and required. Brandeis University honors a tradition of respecting academic integrity. All submitted work must conform to the standards for academic integrity of Brandeis University, which is available at
In short, it is imperative that all written and oral work give credit for the words, thoughts, and ideas of others, by appropriate quotation and citation. If the instructor suspects that students’ work does not adhere to Brandeis University policies on academic integrity, referral will be made to the Department of Student Rights and Community Standards, pursuant to Brandeis University policies.
Course Outline
COURSE INTRODUCTION; FRAMEWORK FOR DISABILITY POLICY ANALYSIS
Class 1: Sept 2
Readings
OPTIONAL: Gilbert & Specht framework
DISABILITY HISTORY
Class 2: Sept 9
Readings
Braddock, D., & Parish, S. (2001). Disability history from antiquity to the Americans with Disabilities Act. In G. L. Albrecht, K. D. Seelman, & M. Bury (Eds.), Handbook of disability studies (pp. 11-68). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Dr. Parish’s eugenics video. Available on Latte course website.
LEGAL & PROGRAMMATIC DEFINITIONS OF DISABILITY
Class 3: Sept 16 NO CLASS SEPT 23
Readings
Altman, B. (2001). Disability definitions, models, classification schemes, and applications. In G.L. Albrecht, K.D. Seelman, & M. Bury (Eds.), Handbook of disability studies (pp. 97-123). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Brucker, D.L., & Houtenville, A. (2015). People with disabilities in the United States. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 96, 771-774.
HEALTH CARE
Classes 4-5: Sept 30 & Oct 7
Readings
Jones, C.P. (2014).Systems of power, axes of inequity: Parallels, intersections, braiding the strands.Medical Care, 52, S71-S75.
Kaiser Family Foundation. (n.d.). The Affordable Care Act's impact on Medicaid eligibility, enrollment, and benefits for people with disabilities. Available from:
Gulley, S.P., Rasch, E., & Chan, L. (2014). Difference, disparity, and disability: A comparison of health, insurance coverage, and health service use on the basis of race/ethnicity among US adults with disabilities, 2006–2008. Medical Care, 52, S9-S16.
National Council on Disability (2009, September 30). The current state of health care for people with disabilities. Washington, DC: Author. Available from:
Shirk, C. (2003). Shaping public programs through Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Waivers: The fundamentals. Washington, DC: National Health Policy Forum. Available from:
DISABILITY CIVIL RIGHTS
Class 6: Oct 14
Readings
Switzer, J. V. (2003). Disabled rights: American disability policy and the fight for equality (pp. 90-143). Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press.[on the Latte site as Switzer 1 and Switzer 2]
Council of Canadians with Disabilities. (n.d.). How the CRPD might be used in Canadian litigation.
Home School Legal Defense Association. (n.d.). “Bad news: CRPD is back.”
United Nations. (n.d.). Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). Available from:
FAMILY CAREGIVING
Class 7: Oct 21
Readings
Arc of the United States. (n.d.). Family support issues for people with disabilities. Available from:
Parish, S. L., Whisnant, A. I., Swaine, J. G., & Igdalsky, L. (2015). Policies and programs for children and youth with disabilities. In J. M. Jenson & M. W. Fraser (Eds.), Social policy for children and families: A risk and resilience perspective, 3rd ed (pp. 201-226).Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
INCOME TRANSFERS & POVERTY
Classes8-9: Oct 28 & Nov 4
Readings
US Department of Health & Human Services. (2015). Federal poverty threshold. Federal Register.Available at:
Magaña, S., Parish, S. L., & Cassiman, S. A. (2008). Policy lessons from low-income mothers with disabilities: A primer on inadequate incomes, work disincentives, and bureaucratic insensitivity. Journal of Women, Politics & Policy, 29, 181-206.
Parish, S. L., Grinstein-Weiss, M., Yeo, Y., Rose, R. A., & Rimmerman, A. (2010). Assets and income: Evidence of disability-based disparities in the U. S. Social Work Research.
Parish, S.L., et al. (2013). Single mothers of children with developmental disabilities face significant financial adversity. Available from:
EARLY INTERVENTION
Class 10: Nov 11
Readings
Cole, P., Oser, C., & Walsh, S. (2011). Building on the foundations of Part C legislation. Zero to Three, 52-59.
Hauser-Cram, P., & Erickson Warfield, M. (2009). Early intervention services. In W.B. Carey et al (Eds.). Developmental behavioral pediatrics. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders.
EDUCATION
Class 11: Nov 18NO CLASS NOV 25
Readings
Gargiulo, R.M. & Metcalf, D. (2013) Teaching in today's inclusive classrooms, 2nd Ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall and Maanum,J.L. (2009). The general educator's guide to special education, 3rd Ed. Thousand Oakes, CA: Corwin Press.
US Department of Education. (n.d). IDEA, Part B and IDEA, Part C. Available at:
EMPLOYMENT
Class 12: Dec 2
Readings
GAO. (2005). Federal Disability Assistance: Wide array of programs needs to be examined in light of 21st century challenges.United States Government Accountability Office, GAO-05-626, DC.
Wittenburg, D. & Favreault, M. 2003. Safety net or tangled web? Occasional paper #68. Urban Institute.
VETERANS’ BENEFITS & COURSE WRAP-UP
Class 13: Dec 9
Readings
US Department of Veterans’ Affairs. (n.d.). Disability compensation. Available from:
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