TROY UNIVERSITY DISTANCE LEARNING AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE ASL 1141 XT1A. COURSE SYLLABUS 9 week course January 4 th, 2016 March 6 th, 2016

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1 TROY UNIVERSITY DISTANCE LEARNING AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE ASL 1141 XT1A COURSE SYLLABUS 9 week course January 4 th, 2016 March 6 th, 2016 INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION: Instructor: Rosemary DiSiervi, online instructor Video Phone: Cell Phone: Text and Glide only Troy rdisiervi@troy.edu NOTE: For Course Syllabus posted prior to the beginning of the term, the Course Instructor reserves the right to make changes prior to or during the term. The Course Instructor will notify students, via or Blackboard Announcement, when changes are made in the requirements and/or grading of the course. REQUIRED TEXTBOOK(S) AND/OR OTHER MATERIALS NEEDED: Signing Naturally Student Workbook Units 1-6 with Student DVD Authors: Smith, Lenz, & Mikos ISBN Publisher: Dawn Sign Press Logitech Webcam Model Number: C It must be a Logitech. Other webcams and built in web cams may not be sufficient to follow sign language and the requirements of this class. Set up Skype account. It is free!!!! GoREACT! Company/Publisher: SpeakWorks, INC ISBN: Website: You are required to buy it for $19.95 during the first week WEEK 1. This is a great video feedback tool. This kind of tool I can give you feedback. Please check Week 1 for the GoReact link for this class. Supplemental Readings Internet links and other sources as referenced in subject modules or class lectures. Page 1 of 12

2 The textbook provider for the ecampus of Troy University is MBS Direct. The Web site for textbook purchases is Students should have their textbook from the first week of class. Not having your textbook will not be an acceptable excuse for late work. Students who add this course late should refer to the Late Registration section for further guidance. If you plan to order a used SN 1 workbook, be aware that damaged or missing DVDs is not an excuse. Thus it is best to order a new SN workbook with DVD. LATE REGISTRATION: Students who register during the first week of the term, during late registration, will already be one week behind. Students who fall into this category are expected to catch up with all of Week #1 and Week #2's work by the end of Week #2. No exceptions, since two weeks constitutes a significant percentage of the term's lessons. Students who do not feel they can meet this deadline should not enroll in the class. If they have registered, they should see their registrar, academic adviser, GoArmyEd/eArmyU representative, or Military Education officer to discuss their options. Also note that late registration may mean you do not receive your book in time to make up the work you missed in Week #1. Not having your book on the first day of class is not an excuse for late work after the deadlines in the Schedule. PREREQUISITES/ ENTRANCE COMPETENCIES: Students are expected to be proficient with English grammar and writing skills. TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS: Students must have: A TROY account that you can access on a regular basis (see "TROY " above) software capable of sending and receiving attached files. Quick Time Player/Real Player or Media Player Adobe Player A Logitech Web Cam Microphone system on computer or on the Logitech WebCam DVD player Access to the Internet with a high speed cable internet access. A personal computer capable of running Netscape Navigator 7.0 or above, Internet Explorer 6.0 or above, or current versions of Firefox or Mozilla. Students who use older browser versions will have compatibility problems with Blackboard. Microsoft WORD software. (I cannot grade anything I cannot open. This means NO MS-Works, NO Wordpad, NO Wordperfect). Virus protection software, installed and active, to prevent the spread of viruses via the Internet and . It should be continually updated! A video camera or a webcam with recording capabilities, recommended. The recordings with the video camera, if you chose not to purchase one, can be done with a Language Lab Assistant. Page 2 of 12

3 Internet Access: This is an online class. Students must have access to a working computer and access to the Internet. Students can use the TROY computer lab, a public library, etc. to insure they have access. Not having a computer, computer problems, computer crashes, lose of Internet and/or lose of electricity are not acceptable excuses for late work. Students are expected to have a back-up plan in case any of these occur. TECHNICAL SUPPORT INFORMATION: If technical problems are experienced, contact the Blackboard Online Support Center. There are two ways to do this. 1. Log-in the course and look at the tabs at the top of the page. One is entitled Tech Support. Click on this tab and the information below will appear. Click on the Blackboard Support Center link and receive assistance. If log-in to the course is denied, contact the center by calling toll free the number listed below. Assistance is available 24 hours a day/7 days per week. Blackboard Online Support Center for Troy University provides Customer Care Technicians who are available to support you 24 hours a day/7 days a week. Call for live assistance If technical difficulties with coursework are experienced or features in Blackboard are generating errors, click the link below. Blackboard Support: STUDENT EXPECTATION STATEMENT: Completion of scheduled assignments and examinations will be used to monitor participation in the course. All assignments are to be submitted to the Course Instructor in Blackboard by the due dates. Incomplete assignments will be subject to deduction in points. Late assignments will be subject to a deduction of two (5) points per day tardy. If extenuating circumstances prevent the student from completing the assignment by the deadline, the student is required to the Course Instructor before the assignment deadline to discuss alternatives. If this communication does not occur, 5 points per day tardy will be deducted. No assignment will be accepted after the last day of class. No additional assignments will be given for extra credit. Students are expected to have a back-up plan in case of operational difficulties with the computer, lose of electricity, loss of Internet, etc. These are not excuses for submitting assignments late or not at all. Students are expected to read all sections in the Blackboard website for this course before beginning work on the assignments as well as to visit this site at least once every 24 hours. Students are expected to check Troy University daily and respond within 24 hours. Page 3 of 12

4 Students are expected to complete and submit all assignments and examinations by the due dates on the course site on Bb. Should extenuating circumstances prevent the student from completing this requirement, s/he is expected to contact the Course Instructor via e- mail prior to the assignment due date. If such communication is not received, the overdue assignment will be subject to deduction in points for tardiness. No assignment(s) will be accepted after the last day of class. No additional assignments will be given for extra credit. Details regarding each assignment may be found under the Weekly Assignments button on the Menu side. Students are expected to follow these instructions and deadlines. Students are encouraged to post questions to the Instructor in the Questions for the Instructor section in the Discussion Board. If students need one-on-one, they are encouraged to contact the Course Instructor via . Students are expected to devote at least 8 to 12 hours per week to the assignments. Participation in scheduled assignments and examinations is required and subject to deduction in points if incomplete, incorrect or late. Should extenuating circumstances arise which would prevent the student from successfully completing an assignment, the student is expected to contact the Course Instructor via prior to assignment deadlines to discuss alternatives. COURSE DESCRIPTION: This is the initial course in the four-course sign language developmental sequence which exposes students to the grammatical, syntactical, and lexical proficiencies in American Sign Language at a survival level and is designated for students who have had no previous knowledge of sign language. COURSE OBJECTIVES: At the completion of this course, the student will be able to accomplish the following aspects of American Sign Language: Identify and produce targeted vocabulary. Execute correct sign production in the four parameters. Formulate appropriate communication strategies. Apply ASL grammatical principles. Produce signed communication at a survival level. Language Mentors: Language Lab Mentors (LLM) are available to the students to provide supplemental practice in ASL Skill Development. ASL instructors will provide specific guidelines regarding the frequency and duration of meeting specific to the course for which you are enrolled. Students will need to make sure they have the ability to meet with the Language Lab Mentor via Skype, Blackboard IM, FaceTime, or any other video conferencing porgam the LLM requires. In the event a meeting needs to be cancelled by the student, notice should be given to the LLM 24 hours prior to the meeting. If such notice cannot be provided, students will be allowed to makeup ONE meeting within the course of a 9-week term. In the event of cancellation by the LLM, a make-up appointment will be provided to the student(s) within hours of the originial appointment. Students are expected to prepare for the LLM meeting prior to the meeting time. Page 4 of 12

5 The instructor will provide guiding information regarding specific topics/discussion points however it is the student responsibility to develop a plan for communication and discussion during the meeting. If it is apparent that the student is unprepared, the LLM has the right to conclude the meeting. Any make-up meetings related to the lack of preparation will be at the discretion and/or availability of the LLM. Language & Cultural Field Experiences During the course of the term, students are expected to participate in at least 12 hours of language and cultural observations to augment the coursework. 2-6 hours hours: There will be assigned hours during regular class assignments to work with Troy s Deaf mentor. You may meet with and count your time plus an extra hour. The other hours will be: A minimum of 1 hour, but up to 10 hours of interactions out in the Deaf community or with a Deaf person. There will be events posted that you can attend. You are required to do at least one hour. Additional hours can be made up by watching and commenting on ASL Vlogs, watching movies about Deafness and interpreting events. If you cannot get more than one hour interacting or attending a signed/deaf community event, you may watch 2 Vlogs for every hour you need. These hours are actual observation and participation times and do not include travel times. E- campus students who may not be able to participate in on-campus events, the student will be responsible to develop contacts in a geographically proximal area and to inform the instructor in the third week of the term of the plan to acquire the hours. Students will be required to provide evidence of participation, signatures of presenters on an official program, certificates of completion, and so forth. These hours count toward 10% of the final grade. LIVETEXT PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT: At the completion of the Interpreter Training Program, as a final grade in the Internshio courses, all students will be required to submit a portfolio of the work done throughout the Interpreter Training Program evidencing mastery of the competencies in each of the classes. For that reason, major assignments and best work samples completed in the ITP should be archived. What is considered a major assignment or best work samples will be left to the discretion of each student. The submission of the Portfolio in the Intership classes will consist of 25% of the final grade for these two courses. ELECTRONIC OFFICE HOURS: I am available by at any time, or by phone by appointment. Students can post questions or request a chat session in the Course Questions and Answers section in the discussion forum in Blackboard. I check that forum daily during the weekdays, but for more immediate and personal assistance, you should contact me via . I will respond to student messages with 24 to 48 hours on weekdays and 72 hours on weekends. USEFUL WEBSITES FOR THIS COURSE See the External Links and Course Information buttons on the left menu of the Bb site. Page 5 of 12

6 DISTANCE LEARNING COURSES AT TROY UNIVERSITY: All ecampus courses at Troy University utilize Blackboard Learning Management System. In every ecampus course, students should read all information presented in the Blackboard course site and should check for updates at least every 24 hours. SITE MAP FOR BLACKBOARD COURSE : Click on the Course Map link on the left to see all of the course areas at once. TROY All students were required to obtain and use the TROY address that is automatically assigned to them as TROY students. All official correspondence (including bills, statements, e- mails from instructors and grades, etc.) will be sent ONLY to the troy.edu (@troy.edu) address. All students are responsible for ensuring that the correct address is listed in Blackboard by the beginning of Week #1. It is your responsibility to make sure a valid e- mail address is provided. Failure on your part to do so can result in your missing important information that could affect your grade. Your troy.edu address is the same as your Web Express user ID following Students are responsible for the information that is sent to their TROY account. You can get to your account by logging onto the course and clicking Login. You will be able to forward your TROY to your earmy account. You must first access your TROY account through the TROY link found on the Web site. After you log in to your TROY account, click on options on the left hand side of the page. Then click on forwarding. This will enable you to set up the address to which you will forward your . COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Please refer to the Method of Instruction and Evaluation and Course Schedule sections of this Course Syllabus. STUDENT/FACULTY INTERACTION: Interaction will take place via , telephone (in case of emergency), Discussion Board, webcam on Blackboard IM, and comments on graded assignments under the Weekly Assignments button in Blackboard. The student will participate in this course by following the guidelines set forth in this Course Syllabus and any additional information provided by the Course Instructor, the ecampus Center at Troy University, or Troy University itself. Students are expected to remain in regular contact with the Course Instructor and class via Blackboard through participation in the Discussion Board and submitting of assignments and examinations, all in a timely fashion. The Course Instructor will communicate on the Blackboard Announcement page, Discussion Board, comments on graded assignments under the Weekly Assignments button in Blackboard, and/or . , Blackboard IM, or Skype will be used for one-on-one instructor-student conferencing. Page 6 of 12

7 Blackboard will be used for students deliveries of Weekly Assignments and Exams/Quizzes. The Course Instructor will check s daily and will respond to s containing questions, comments, and concerns within 24 to 48 hours on weekdays and 48 hours on weekends. The Course Instructor will check Blackboard daily and will respond to postings (weekly assignments, examinations, projects) within 72 hours of receiving. Students are encouraged to use the Discussion Board feature on Blackboard to ask questions and/or make comments that pertain to this course. This approach will allow all students to benefit from this information. Grades on all assignments will be posted in the Blackboard Gradebook. Comments on graded assignments will be posted with the graded assignment under the Weekly Assignments button in Blackboard. ATTENDANCE POLICY: Students will confirm their attendance the first week through the discussion board titled Confirming Attendance and must include all items listed under the assignment found under Week 1. Although physical class meetings are not part of this course, participation in all learning activities is required. The class week begins on Mondays at 12:00 a.m. and ends on Sundays at 11:59 p.m., unless otherwise indicated. If you miss more than two classes, excused or unexcused, in a course that meets once a week you will receive a failing grade for the course. If you miss more than four classes, excused or unexcused, in a course that meets twice a week you will receiving a failing grade for the course. If you miss more than six classes, excused or unexcused, in a course that meets three times a week you will receive a failing grade for the course. If any time you are late to class, which means being more than 5 minutes late, that day will be counted as half of an absence. CELL PHONE POLICY: The use of cell phones, pagers, and/or any electronic device is prohibited. This policy is enforced not only in the classrooms but includes all participating workshops, in the Language Lab, and at any Deaf events such as Silent Dinner or Deaf coffee. If you are caught using any of the above devices, you will be asked to leave the classroom and will be counted as an absence. NON-HARASSMENT, HOSTILE WORK/CLASS ENVIRONMENT: Troy University expects students to treat fellow students, their Course Instructors, other TROY faculty, and staff as adults and with respect. No form of hostile environment or harassment will be tolerated by any student or employee. AMERICANS WITH DISABILITY ACT (ADA): Troy University supports Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, which insure that postsecondary students with disabilities have equal access to all academic programs, physical access to all buildings, facilities and events, and are not discriminated against on the basis of disability. Eligible students, with appropriate Page 7 of 12

8 documentation, will be provided equal opportunity to demonstrate their academic skills and potential through the provision of academic adaptations and reasonable accommodations. Further information, including appropriate contact information, can be found at the following link: HONESTY AND PLAGIARISM : The awarding of a university degree attests that an individual has demonstrated mastery of a significant body of knowledge and skills of substantive value to society. Any type of dishonesty in securing those credentials invites serious sanctions, up to and including suspension and expulsion (see Standard of Conduct in each TROY Catalog). Examples of dishonesty include actual or attempted cheating, plagiarism*, or knowingly furnishing false information to any university employee. *Plagiarism is defined as submitting anything for credit in one course that has already been submitted for credit in another course, or copying any part of someone else s intellectual work their ideas and/or words published or unpublished, including that of other students, and portraying it as one s own. Proper quoting, using strict APA formatting, is required, as described by the course instructor. All students are required to read the material at the following link: Students must properly cite any quoted material. No term paper, business plan, term project, case analysis, or assignment may have no more than 20% of its content quoted from another source. Students who need assistance in learning to paraphrase should ask the course nstructor for guidance and consult the links at the Troy Writing Center. This university employs plagiarism-detection software, through which all written student assignments are processed for comparison with material published in traditional sources (books, journals, magazines), on the Internet (to include essays for sale), and papers turned in by students in the same and other classes in this and all previous terms. The penalty for plagiarism may range from zero credit on the assignment, to zero in the course, to expulsion from the university with appropriate notation in the student s permanent file. The College of Educations defines plagiarism as: - Three consecutive words that are not common professional language used from another source without quotation - Rephrasing another author s words without appropriate citation - Using another author s ideas or data without appropriate citation - Submitting another author s or student s writing as one s own - Directing quoting a source without using appropriate APA or MLA style (whichever is required by the instructor) citation to show that it is a direct quote - Intentionally taking information from a source and not giving appropriate credit Students who commit plagiarism will be subject to disciplinary actions as outlined in The Oracle for Academic Misconduct and violation of the Honor Code. The Standards of Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures define university procedures in these matters. Students have the right to request consideration by the Student Services Conduct Board. Page 8 of 12

9 THE TROJAN WAY: The Troy University student handbook, presents the expectations by which Troy students (including employees and visitors) are to live and perform. In general, Troy University students, regardless of location, are expected to be good and helpful citizens, actively engaged college students, serious learners, and future leaders. To live and perform The Trojan Way, students are expected to: Be respectful Speak appropriately Dress properly for the occasion Behave as a responsible, kind person Adhere to applicable laws and policies These expectations apply to speech and behavior among and between students, faculty, and visitors. Any behavior deemed inappropriate and in contradiction to the Trojan Way will be addressed and may result in the student being required to leave class or the event. Repeated breaches of the expectations may result in the student not being permitted to participate in classes or events. LIBRARY SUPPORT: The Libraries of Troy University provide access to materials and services that support the academic programs. The address of the Library Website is This site provides access to the resources of all Campus and Regional Libraries, as well as to resources such as the Library s Catalog and Databases. Additionally, the Library can be accessed by choosing the Library link from the University s home page at or through the elibrary tab within Blackboard. FACULTY EVALUATION: In the eighth week of each term, students will be notified of the requirement to fill out a Course Evaluation Form. These evaluations are completely anonymous and are online. Further information may be posted in the Announcements section in Blackboard. HOW TO LEARN ONLINE: Troy University ecampus is designed to serve any student, anywhere in the world, who has access to the Internet. All ecampus courses are delivered through the Blackboard Learning System. Blackboard helps to better simulate the traditional classroom experience with features such as Virtual Chat, Discussion Boards, and other presentation and organizational forums. In order to be successful in this online course, you must: Be organized and motivated. This course requires at least hours of work each week. Find a quiet place to work and devote the time which is required to be successful. Page 9 of 12

10 Read the Course Syllabus thoroughly and frequently. Print a copy of it, post it where you can see it and comply. Log-in your course on Blackboard each day of each week and participate. Check all Announcements that have been posted each day. Start early in the week to complete the Weekly Assignments. Begin reviewing for the examination early in the term. Do not wait until the last minute and cram for these examinations. You should review the material frequently, so you will be prepared to take the examination. Comply to schedules, instructions and deadlines on each assignment. If you do not understand an assignment, contact the Course Instructor for assistance prior to the deadline for the assignment. Go into graded assignment, under Weekly Assignment or Exams/Quizzes, and read comments from the Course Instructor. Check your Troy s daily and respond within 24 hours. ECAMPUS: The ecampus Center at Troy University is here to serve you and assist with any questions, problems or concerns you may have. For assistance go to or send an e- mail to troyecampus@troy.edu. Please do not hesitate to contact the ecampus staff if you need administrative assistance for any reason. MAKE-UP WORK POLICY: Missing any part of this Course Schedule may prevent completion of the course. If a student foresees difficulty of any type, such as an illness, employment change, etc. which may prevent completion of this course, the student must notify the course instructor prior to deadlines for assignments. Failure to do so will result in failure for an assignment and/or failure of the course. If the course instructor has not heard from you by the deadline dates for assignments, examinations, or forums, deduction in points for tardy and/or incomplete work will occur. No make-up work for additional points will be allowed. Requests for extensions must be made in advance of deadlines and accompanied by appropriate written documentation, such as proof of hospitalization, if the excuse is to be acceptable to the course instructor. Computer problems and/or not having the textbook are not acceptable excuses. No assignment will be accepted after the last day of the term unless the student qualifies for an INC grade, has submitted necessary paperwork, and has been approved for an Incomplete grade. INCOMPLETE GRADE POLICY: Missing any part of the Course Schedule may prevent completion of the course. If circumstances will prevent the student from completing the course by the end of the term, the student should complete a request for an Incomplete (INC) grade. A grade of Incomplete is not automatically assigned to students, but is requested by the student by submitting a Petition for and Work to Remove an Incomplete Grade Form. Requests for an INC grade must be made before the deadline date of the final assignment. The form will not be available after the last day of the term. A grade of INC does not replace an F and will not be awarded for excessive absences. An INC will only be awarded to student presenting a valid case for the inability to complete coursework by the conclusion of the term. It is ultimately the instructor s decision to grant or deny a request for an incomplete grade, subject to the policy below. Page 10 of 12

11 Policy/Rules for granting an Incomplete (INC) An INC cannot be issued without a request from the student. To qualify for an incomplete, the student must: a. Have completed over 50% of the course material and have a documented reason for requesting the incomplete. (50% means all assignments/exams up to and including the mid-term point, test, and/or assignments.) b. Be passing the course at the time of their request. If both of the above criteria are not met an incomplete cannot be granted. An INC is not a substitute for an F. If a student has earned an F by not submitting all the work or by receiving an overall F average, then the F stands. ASSIGNMENT OF GRADES: Grades for all assignments will be posted in the Gradebook found in Blackboard. Comments on graded assignments can be found on the graded assignment under the Weekly Assignments and Exams/Quizzes buttons in Blackboard for this class. An! in a grade place indicates the assignment has not been graded. No assignment will be accepted after the last day of class. No extra work will be given for extra credit. Grades are based on your work and is weighted towards your ability to sign and interact with the Deaf community and your fellow students. 45 % - Assignments. This area includes your work signing with other students, tests. your weekly quizzes, and signed videos. Failing to work with other students will make it difficult to pass the class. 20 % - Weekly one-one with your language mentor 15 % - Final Video Project 10 % - Mid-term Video Project 10 % - Cultural Field Papers (12 hours) FA Indicates the student failed due to attendance. This grade will be given to any student who disappears from the course for three or more weeks. See the Attendance section of this Course Syllabus for additional information. METHOD OF INSTRUCTION AND EVALUATION: The method of presentation will be textbook review, lecture, homework, examinations, quizzes, and so forth. This is ecampus class. It is not a correspondence course in which students may work at his/her own pace. Each week there will be assignments, online learning activities, and/or examinations with due dates. This course requires at least hours of work each week. Students are required to keep track of which assignments are due and when they are due. Students are to have an access to and utilize, according to the course instructor s instructions, the technology listed in this syllabus. Page 11 of 12

12 COURSE SCHEDULE: (Subject to Change) Week 1 Unit 1:1-1:5 Introducing Oneself Part 1 Week 2 Unit 1:6 Introducing Oneself Part 2 Week 3 Unit 2:1-2:6 - Exchanging Personal Information Part 1 Week 4 Unit 2:7-2:12 Exchanging Personal Information Part 2 Week 5 Week 6 Unit 3 - Telling Where Unit 4 Talking about Family Week 7 Unit 5:1-5:5 - Telling About Activities Part 1 Week 8 Unit 5:6 5:9 Telling about Activities Part 2 Week 9 Unit 6 Storytelling Page 12 of 12