EDAC252 - Belonging and Inclusion

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

Unit rationale, description and aim

The units EDAC137 Disability Studies and EDAC133 Attitudes and Inclusion provided students with an understanding of the importance of inclusion in achieving a 'good life' and the unit EDAC135 Inclusive Learning provided students with some skills to assist inclusiveness. EDAC252 Belonging and Inclusion explores the concepts related to social inclusion in depth and provides students with skills to instigate and maintain inclusion for marginalised individuals in the ordinary community.

This unit develops students' ability to achieve the overall course outcomes of recognising how attitudes are formed and perpetuated and critiquing their own practice and that of others to identify attitudes and practices that prevent or limit inclusion. This unit will involve students in a detailed examination of the concept of social inclusion and community belonging. Socialisation, identity formation and role theory will be examined. The nature of social relations, friendships and relationship norms will be explored, particularly as they apply to people who are socially isolated and experience social rejection. Service responses in schools, employment, local community and neighbourhoods, and in intimate relationships will be discussed. Examples of practical supports to enable marginalised people to be included will be examined and tested.

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1 - Describe theories of socialisation, identity formation, role theory and deviance theory (GA4, GA5)

LO2 - Discuss the impact of social isolation and rejection on people with living disability and their families (GA1, GA5)

LO3 - Describe the interpersonal and social/environmental processes that assist in the development of social relationships (GA4, GA5, GA6)

LO4 - Design practises that would assist people living with disability to develop and maintain friendships in a range of contexts (GA1, GA4, GA5, GA6).

Graduate attributes

GA1 - demonstrate respect for the dignity of each individual and for human diversity 

GA4 - think critically and reflectively 

GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession 

GA6 - solve problems in a variety of settings taking local and international perspectives into account

Content

Topics will include:

• Socialisation, identity formation, role theory
• Deviance theory, social isolation, rejection
• The social and physical environments that support inclusion
• Friendships and relationships in a range of contexts including school, adult relationship/friendships, community, and employment
• The role of services, families in community relationship development and support

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

150 hours in total with a normal expectation of 36 hours of directed study and the total contact hours should not exceed 36 hours. Directed study might include lectures, tutorials, webinars, podcasts etc. The balance of the hours then becomes private study.

The teaching and learning organisation may take a number of forms, depending on specific course/subject requirements at the time of delivery, this may include a combination of face to face and/or online learning delivered on a weekly or intensive schedule. Tutorials and/or synchronous learning will enable students to participate in cooperative and supportive learning opportunities. All learning modes will be delivered and/or supported by a range of resources and activities on ACU’s technology learning platform (LEO).

Assessment strategy and rationale

Assessments in this unit aim to build upon students previous understandings of the importance of inclusion by strengthening their knowledge of social inclusion and community belonging. Assessment task one requires students to complete a short answer quiz reviewing the key elements of social theory (LO1). Assessment two requires analysing and reviewing of unit readings to ensure students understand the impact of social isolation and rejection on people with disabilities (LO2, 3). The final assessment task is a report on service design and supports for social inclusion demonstrating student’s application of theory and readings to actioning effective practice which promotes social inclusion (LO3, 4). 

These assessments provide a platform for students to discuss social isolation and deviance theory and the impact on friendships/relationships in a range of context including schools, community and employment. Students critically examine how practical supports can enable marginalised people to have a sense of belonging and inclusion. 

Assessment Tasks 

The assessment tasks and their weighting for this unit are designed to demonstrate achievement of each learning outcome. In order to pass this unit, students are required to submit and participate in all assessment tasks. 

The total of assessment tasks will amount to the equivalent of 4,000 words. In order to pass this unit, students are required to obtain a pass in all assessment tasks. 

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Amado A.R.N. (1993). Friendships and community connections between people with and without developmental disabilities. Michigan: Paul H. Brookes. 

Anderson, E.L., & Thomas, S. (2012). Socialization: Theories, processes and impact. Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers.

Ashley, S. (2014). Asperger syndrome (autism spectrum disorder) and long-term relationships. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Kersh, J., Corona, L., & Siperstein, G. (2013). Social Well-Being and Friendship of People with Intellectual Disability” in M.L. Wehymer, (Ed.) The Oxford Handbook of Positive Psychology and Disability. New York: Oxford University Press

McLean K.C., & Syed, M. (2015). The Oxford handbook of identity formation. Cary, NC: Oxford University Press.

Shakespeare, T. (2014). Disability rights and wrongs revisited (2nd ed.). New York: Routledge.

Underwood, M.K., & Rosen, L.H. (2011). Social development relationships in infancy, childhood, and adolescence. New York: Guilford Publications.