THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES
FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
CENTRE FOR DISABILITY STUDIES
COURSE TITLE: DISABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT
SHORT TITLE: DISABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT
SUBJECT CODE: DBST
COURSE NUMBER: 3000
CONTACT HOURS: 39
CREDIT HOURS: 3
ACADEMIC CREDITS: 3
LEVEL: UG 3
EFFECTIVE TERM: Semester 2 2025-2026
TERM BEGIN: Semester 2
TERM EXAMINED: Semester 2
EQUIVALENT COURSE: N/A
GRADE MODE: Standard
PREREQUISITE(S): DBST1000 or SOCI1002
Contact Hours: 2 lecture hours and 1 tutorial per week
TEACHING METHODS
The course format consists of a combination of weekly lectures, assigned readings, and tutorials. All students are required to register for, and to regularly attend, one of the weekly tutorials. The mode of delivery for this course is face-to-face. There will be 3 contact hours each week; one 2-hour lecture and a 1-hour tutorial.
Contact and credit hours are as follows:
Schedule Type
Duration (Number of weeks)
Contact Hours
Credit Hours
Lecture
13
26
26
Tutorial
13
13
13
Total:
13
39
39
RATIONALE
Persons with disabilities are among the most marginalized groups within any society. They have specific developmental needs and rights. Several Caribbean countries have signed the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities that was established to promote, protect and ensure the full realisation of the abilities of persons with disabilities. Policymakers and managers must be educated on the developmental needs and rights of persons with disabilities if members of this marginalized community are to maximise their full potential and be integrated into their societies. This course will serve to educate future policymakers and managers within the Caribbean of the developmental needs and rights of persons with disabilities that must be embraced in order to realise the objectives of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Sustainable Development Goals.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course will expose students to issues relating to the socio-economic factors that are fundamental to the advancement of persons with disabilities. They will learn about theories of economic development; the relationship of development to persons with disabilities; the relationship of international conventions on the rights of persons with disabilities to sustainable development goals; the role of multi-lateral, bi-lateral and Non-Governmental Organisations in the development agenda for persons with disabilities; and the role of modern technologies in the empowerment of persons with disabilities.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
1.
Explain the importance of persons with disabilities to national development;
2.
Assess the role of the CRPD and the SDGs in national development from the perspective of persons with disabilities;
3.
Evaluate the theoretical and philosophical foundations of the development agenda for persons with disabilities and
4.
Create an inclusive, participatory and enabling environment for persons with disabilities
COURSE CONTENT
1.
What is Development?
a.
The concept of development and what it is
b.
Development as an all-inclusive/people-centric concept
c.
How disabilities fit into the development agenda
2.
Theories of development and persons with disabilities
a.
The situation of persons with disabilities within theories of development
b.
Foundational developmental issues that impact on persons with disabilities
3.
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Sustainable Development Goals
a.
Major international instruments driving the development of persons with disabilities.
b.
The requirements of governments to transform the lives of persons with disabilities through the concepts of participation, inclusion and non-discrimination
c.
The importance of including and allowing persons with disabilities to participate in the developmental agenda of their society
4.
Disability and the social and economic agenda
a.
The importance of the social agenda for persons with disabilities
b.
The importance of education, healthcare, housing, public transportation and other factors to the advancement and empowerment of persons with disabilities
c.
The importance of the economic agenda for persons with disabilities.
d.
The importance of employment, entrepreneurship, economic growth, taxation and other such factors to the advancement and empowerment of persons with disabilities
5.
Multi-lateral and Bi-lateral institutions and the development agenda for persons with disabilities
a.
The concentration of persons with disabilities within developing countries that are highly indebted and poor
b.
The role of multilateral and bilateral institutions in advancing the development agenda of persons with disabilities.
c.
How multilateral and bilateral institutions help to shape and impact the development agenda for persons with disabilities.
6.
Non-Governmental Organisations and the development agenda of persons with disabilities
a.
The role that non-governmental organisations play in the national development agenda for persons with disabilities.
b.
The role of non-governmental organisations in empowering and developing persons with disabilities
7.
Modern technologies and the empowerment of persons with disabilities
a.
How modern technologies integrate persons with disabilities into society
b.
The role that modern technologies play in bridging the gap between persons with disabilities and their counterparts in societies.
c.
How modern technologies empower and enable persons with disabilities to participate in society
COURSE ASSESSMENT-100% Coursework
1.
Mid-semester multiple choice quiz 30%
The mid-semester exam will be a two hour, in class exam consisting of 60 multiple choice questions. The mid-semester exam will be held in Week 7.
2.
Group report on a field trip 30%
The report on the field trip will be a written description of a visit to an institution providing services to persons with disabilities. It will describe the developmental issues of persons with disabilities, as seen through the lenses of this course. The report must not exceed 2,500 words. The field trip will be in Week 5.
3.
A final paper/project 40%
The final paper/project will be an individually written paper not exceeding 3,750 words. Students will be given a choice of five topics which involve the practical application of the material and will prepare a final written paper around their chosen topic. These topics may include the practical application of course materials. This assignment is due on April 7, 2024. All assignments are to be submitted in Microsoft word with the caption DBST3000- (name of student).
AI can be used to assist in the preparation of these assignments, but it must not be used to write the entire paper. No more than 20% of the paper should be AI generated.
COURSE READING
Required reading
Crowther, N. (2007). Nothing Without Us or Nothing About Us? Disability and Society 22(7), pp.791-794.
Geddes, A. (2015). Disability and inequality: Socio economic imperatives and public policy in Jamaica. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Morris, F. (2022). Student Support Services Enhancing the Success of Students with Disabilities through Modern Assistive Technology in Jamaica. UWI Quality Education Forum.
Morris, F. (2018). Transforming and empowering persons with disabilities through modern technologies: A myth or reality. UWI Centre for Disability Studies. Kingston.
Oliver, M. (2009). Understanding Disability: from Theory to Practice, 2nd edition. London: Palgrave MacMillan.
United Nations. (2015). Sustainable Development Goals. www.un.org
United Nations. (2007). United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. www.un.org.
Morris, F. 2020. Accessible and inclusive city: Can Kingston Jamaica measure up? Disability Studies Quarterly: 40(2). Available at www.dsq-sds.org
Morris, F. 2019. Climate change, environment and development: The situation of persons with disabilities in the Anglophone Caribbean. Journal of Caribbean Environmental Sciences and Renewable Energy. Volume 2, Issue 1. DOI 10.33277/Cesare/002.001/03. Available at www.cesarejournal.org
Highly recommended reading
Morris, F. 2021. Prospects for the employment of persons with disabilities in the post-COVID-19 era in developing countries. Disability and Society.
Barnes, C & Mercer, G. (2004). Implementing the Social Model of Disability: Theory and Research, Leeds: The Disability Press.
Haines, S. & Ruebain, D. (eds) (2011). Education, Disability and Social Policy, Bristol: Policy Press.
Oliver, M & Barnes, C (2011). Disability Studies, Disabled People and the Struggle for Inclusion. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 31(5), pp.547-560.
Priestley, M. (2003). Disability: A Life Course Approach. Cambridge: Polity
Waller, L. (2018). Envisioning democracy: The role and potential of information technologies for the visually impaired. Ian Randle Publishers. Kingston.
Recommended reading
Campbell, J & Oliver, M. (1996). Disability Politics: Understanding Our Past, Changing our Future, London: Routledge.
Gill, M, & Schlund-Vials, C.J (2014). Disability, Human Rights and the Limits of Humanitarianism, Farnham: Ashgate.
Hoque, K, Bacon, N & Parr, D. (2014). Employer Disability Practice in Britain: Assessing the impact of the Positive about Disabled People 'two ticks' symbol. Work, Employment and Society, 28(3), pp. 430-451.
Lawson, A. & Gooding, C. (2005). Disability Rights in Europe: From Theory to Practice. Oxford: Hart Publishing.
Patrick, R. (2011). 'The Wrong Prescription: Disabled People and Welfare Conditionality'. Policy & Politics, 39(2) pp.275-291.
Rabiee, P. & Glendinning, C (2010). Choice: What, When and Why? Exploring the importance of Choice to Disabled People. Disability & Society, 25 (7) 827-839.
Swain, J., French, S., & Barnes, C. (eds) (2014). Disabling Barriers, Enabling Environments, 3rd Edition. London: Sage.
On-line resources
Equality and Human Rights Commission (2010b) Making Rights a Reality: Implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Manchester: Equality and Human Rights Commission.
World Health Organization. (2022). Global report on health equity for persons with disabilities. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int
World Health Organization/World Bank (2011) World Report on Disability, Geneva: World Health Organization.