UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
REHABILITATION PSYCHOLOGY AND SPECIAL EDUCATION

RPSE 500
FOUNDATIONS OF REHABILITATION
Fall 2006

Professor: Robert Gervey, Psy.D.
Email: gervey@wisc.edu
Phone: 908 217-5070
Office Hours: By appointment
Bldg/Room: Ed Science Bldg- Room 301
Date of Class: Tuesdays
Class Hours: 2:45 – 5:45

TA: Hyun-Uk Shin
Email: HYUN-UK SHIN
Office Hours: By Appointment

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is web-enhanced, that means that a portion of the course meeting time will be spent working within the course web site instead of in class. In general, one hour per week of course time will be spent in the course website. Two hours per week will be spent in class.

This course provides an overview of the foundations of the rehabilitation counseling profession including: the history and philosophy of rehabilitation counseling; legislation that affects individuals with disabilities; ethical principles that guide decision-making; the vocational rehabilitation process; and the effects and impact of disabilities on individuals and society. Topics that will receive special attention in the course include:
1. Findings, purposes and policies in current rehabilitation legislation as well as laws and ethical standards affecting rehabilitation counseling. Application of ethical principles in ethical decision-making;
2. The organizational structure of vocational rehabilitation systems including public, not-for-profit, and private, for-profit service systems;
3. Informed consumer choice, review and personal responsibility in the rehabilitation process;
4. Societal issues and trends affecting rehabilitation.


COURSE GOALS: The goals of the course are:
1. Develop a foundation in the history and philosophy which underlies the practice of rehabilitation counseling;
2. Have a working knowledge of key legislation affecting rehabilitation counseling, including the purposes and policies of current legislation;
3. Describe the organizational structure of vocational rehabilitation;
4. Identify areas of ethical decision-making, and apply ethical principles in addressing these areas;
5. Understand issues around consumer choice, review and responsibility, and how to operationalize these principles in practice;
6. Discuss current issues and trends in society that impact upon the field of rehabilitation counseling.

REQUIRED TEXTS: Rubin, S. & Roessler, R. (2001). Foundations of the vocational
rehabilitation process (5th edition). Austin, Tx: PRO-ED, Inc.


At the discretion of the instructor, articles from other sources may be assigned throughout the term, in addition to the textbook assignments.

Students are also encouraged to read a daily newspaper to identify current societal issues and trends affecting rehabilitation counseling. There will be a requirement for at least one class to identify a specific article (s) that are relevant to issues discussed in the course.

http://www.nytimes.com/
http://www.latimes.com/
http://www.madison.com/tct/
http://www.madison.com/wsj/
http://www.nydailynews.com/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
http://www.washtimes.com/
http://www.chicagotribune.com/
http://www.suntimes.com/index/


This is a listing of other free newspapers listed by state or country
http://library.uncg.edu/news/


COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

Course Participation (Discussions/Debates) 25%
Web based weekly assignments 25%
Web-based weekly quizzes 25%
Semester Projects (2) 25%


CRITERIA FOR GRADING:

Grades given for each classroom debates and/or discussions, quiz, web-based assignment:
0 = For classroom debates/discussions this would mean that you have not submitted your written arguments for the debate and/or have not participated at all or have contributed insignificantly by only restating what has already been said, adding nothing new to the discussion.
For quizzes this means not submitting the completed quiz (there will be a time limit as to when each quiz needs to be completed)
For web-based assignments this means either not completing the assignment at all, or not on time or not answering the question

1 = For classroom debates/discussions this means that you submitted you written arguments and participated in the debate but formulated only a minor point to the discussion and probably only stated one or very few perfunctory comments that did not add substantively to the discussion
For quizzes this means making one or two attempts and not getting a perfect
score on the quiz
For web-based assignments this means completing the assignment but doing only
a perfunctory job

2- For classroom debates/discussions this means that you submitted your written arguments and participated in a significant manner contributing novel or well developed ideas to the debate
For quizzes this means getting a perfect score on either the first or second
submission
For web-based assignments this means completing the assignment on time and
answering the question(s) in a very thorough, thoughtful and insightful manner

Each of the two Semester Projects is worth 50 points

Relationship between points and grades for each type of assignment

In-Class Debates/Discussions-
A = 21 points or above
AB= 18 - 20
B = 15 - 17
BC = 12 - 14
C = 10-11
D = below 10

Web-based quizzes-
A = 20
AB = 18 - 19
B = 16 - 17
BC = 13 - 15
C = 12
D = Below 12

Web-based assignments-
A = 21 points or above
AB= 18 - 20
B = 15 - 17
BC = 12 - 14
C = 10-11
D = below 10

Course Projects
A = 93 or above
AB = 88 -92
B = 82- 87
BC = 77 - 81
C = 70 - 76
D = 69 or below


COURSE EVALUATION:

This course and the quality of instruction will be evaluated at the end of the semester using a student course evaluation survey.

ACCOMMODATIONS:

Students are encouraged to discuss requests for accommodations with the Instructor.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

1. READINGS and QUIZZES: Students are expected to complete assigned readings from the textbook and take weekly, web-based topical, multiple-choice quizzes. Quizzes can be taken up to two times within the week of the class. The expectation is that you get a perfect score given that you have two chances to take the quiz and the quiz is open book and you learn after the first quiz which questions you get wrong

2. CLASSROOM DEBATES/DISCUSSIONS: Students are required to come to the class with a type written argument that they will reference during the in-class debate. The type written notes for the debate are to be submitted to the TA or instructor at the end of each class. Students are expected to participate actively in the discussion group assigned to them. Students will be divided into two sections so as to break the class into smaller, more manageable debate teams. Assignments for each week are likely to change and will be distributed at the end of each class. Students will be assigned to debate either in favor or in opposition of a particular issue and will be expected to prepare their comments accordingly. Debate/discussion ground rules and format will be discussed in class.

3. WEB-BASED ASSIGNMENTS: Students are required to complete a weekly, web-based activity (i.e., a review of a designated web-site). These assignments are to be completed and submitted to the Instructor (via the web site) for review on a timely basis.

4. PROJECTS: There will be two (2) semester projects to complete. Additional information and due dates for the projects will be distributed in class and/or provided on the course web site. All written work is to be typed, and free of errors in spelling, grammar and word usage.

Project Description #1

ADA assessment: With permission from the instructor, select a public facility in which to conduct an ADA assessment using the 16 page guide that can be found in the link provided below. Prepare a memorandum (1-page) summary of your findings with recommendations to bring the facility up to compliance with ADA regulations.

Project Description #2

Timeline of Important Dates of Rehabilitation Counseling History in the US: Using an excel file, construct a timeline that lists the important dates of legislation, acts and/or events that tell the history of the development of rehabilitation counseling practice and policy in the United States.


SUGGESTED LEARNING ACTIVITIES: (NOT GRADED)

1. CROSSWORD PUZZLES