Topic outline

  • General

  • WEEK 1 Introduction to the Disability Community

    • Week 1 - Discussion - Intro to the Disability Community Forum

      We encourage you to join the Week 1 forum with any idea or experience you would like to share with your fellow participants in this course. Feel free to share examples and/or quotes that could be interesting for your fellow participants.


      Please complete your profile and upload your photograph.

    • Unit Learning Outcomes
      At the end of this unit, you should be able to

      1.  explain the nature of disabilities

      2. discuss the factors that contribute to disability

      3. describe the groups and sub-groups in the disability community.

      4. outline the individual nature of the disability experience

    • Experiencing Disability Forum
      Restricted Not available unless: The activity People with Disabilities is marked complete


      A discussion topic has been posted in this forum. You should complete the following tasks:

      1. Reply to the discussion topic already posted.
      2. Reply to  two other responses from your fellow participants.


  • WEEK 2 Introduction to the Disability Community

    • Week 2 - Discussion - Intro to the Disability Community Forum

      We encourage you to join the Week 2 forum with any idea or experience you would like to share with your fellow participants in this course. Feel free to share examples and/or quotes that could be interesting for your fellow participants.

    • OVERVIEW

      Last week we explored the experiences of persons with disabilities. Although most of us will at some time in our life be temporarily or permanently impaired and have difficulty functioning, we still tend to look past the fact that they are people first and focus instead on their disabilities or impairments.

      This week you will explore disability as a health and environmental condition. 


    • Understanding Disability Lesson
      Restricted Not available unless: The activity Experiencing Disability is marked complete
    • Reflection and Discussion Forum

      In this forum, you will share your reflections. Your discussions should be guided by the following questions:
      1. Has the material viewed so far modified your understanding or perspective of disabilities?
      1. How have journalists been environmental facilitators or barriers for persons with disabilities?
      You may raise any other pertinent question or observation for discussion in the forum.
      You must make at least two posts in order to successfully complete this task.


    • UNIT 1 QUIZ Lesson
      Restricted Not available unless: The activity Reflection and Discussion is marked complete

  • WEEK 3 MEDIA PORTRAYAL OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES


    • Unit Learning Outcomes
      At the end of this unit, you should be able to
      1.  discuss how media representations serve or undermine the rights of persons with disabilities
      1. appraise media texts for inclusivity and positive representation of issues related to persons with disability.
      1.  outline approaches, guidelines, and strategies for representing persons with disabilities that comply with UN Conventions for the Rights of Persons with Disability

    • OVERVIEW
      Media representation shapes our views and opinions about various minority and vulnerable groups. A lack of representation in the media or a skewed media spectrum hinders our perception of these groups, promotes misinformation, encourages stereotyping and, in some cases, leads to social alienation. 
      Media includes radio, press, books, television, films, advertising and video games. This responsibility of media portrayal should not be taken lightly. It is indeed paramount. This important entity can influence recruitment agencies, education professionals, politicians and the way society develops.
      The representation of disability in the media has evolved with more awareness but negative stereotypes persist. News reports, films and documentaries have a responsibility to give a fair, authentic and accurate picture of the lives of people with disabilities.  According to the Diamond Report 2020 fact sheet, the disability community has a media visibility of 7.8% on UK television, making it one of the most under-represented groups on this medium. Current media trends focus on the medical model of disability, emphasizing impairments and labelling disability as an illness. Pitiful, burdensome or sinister filters are often used in films when it comes to characters with disabilities. The same tendency is found in novels or news reports. Communicators and journalists play a lot on the feelings of pity. As a result, the focus is more on the existing situation of the person with a disability than on the changes that need to be made in general, such as accessibility and inclusion. The under-representation of people with disabilities as professionals contributes to a wide access gap between people with disabilities and the labour market. Adding to all these negative trends, there are also forms of media that are still inaccessible to this community.

      In the lesson "People with disabilities", you will explore guidelines for representing persons with disabilities and evaluate media representations of persons with disability or coverage of disability issues to determine the extent to which these texts observe the guidelines. 

      At the end of this lesson, you will participate in another forum. The forum allows you to explore the web for media stories and presentations on persons with disabilities or disability issues. You will share your assessment of these representations in discussion with your fellow participants.


    • Media Potrayal of the Disability Community Lesson
      Restricted Not available unless: The activity UNIT 1 QUIZ is marked complete
    • Media Representations of People with Disabilities Forum
      Restricted Not available unless: The activity Media Potrayal of the Disability Community is marked complete





      In this activity, you will explore online news sites (print and video). Your quest is to find 2 stories or messages that meet the following criteria:


      1. Inclusive: They cover general issues and include persons with disabilities alongside persons without disabilities as sources and subjects.
      2. Positive representation of Persons with Disabilities: They cover disability issues or persons with disabilities without resorting to popular stereotypes.

      The messages may be news reports, news features, public information messages or public service announcements.


      Copy and paste the links in the forum and discuss your reason for selecting the messages for the forum.


  • THE POWER OF WORDS: REPORTING ON PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES - 3 Hours

    • WEEK 4

    • Words - Reporting on Persons with Disabilities Lesson
      Restricted Not available unless: The activity Media Representations of People with Disabilities is marked complete

  • SENSITIVITY IN DIGITAL REPORTING - 9 Hours


     


    • WEEK 5

    • Unit Learning Outcomes

      At the end of this unit, you should be able to

      1. propose strategies for sensitive and inclusive digital coverage of an interview with a person with a disability.

    • Sensitivity in Digital Reporting Lesson
      Restricted Not available unless: The activity Words - Reporting on Persons with Disabilities is marked complete
    • BRAINSTORMING YOUR ARTICLE Forum
      Restricted Not available unless: The activity Sensitivity in Digital Reporting is marked complete

      Final Assessment

      Choose one of the following:

      1. Write a story on a disability issue for a newspaper or magazine (500 words).
      2.  Interview a person with a disability and write a short feature  for a newspaper or magazine (500 words).
      3. Write and record a five minute story  on a disability issue for a radio programme/podcast.
      4. Interview a person with a disability for a five minute slot in a radio programme/podcast.

      In this forum, you discuss your ideas for your final assessment. 

      Remember your ideas may reflect any of the following:

      1. A profile of a person with a disability that does not focus on the disability but on a newsworthy issue associated with that person.
      2. A profile of a person with a disability that focuses on the person's experiences with environmental barriers/facilitators.
      3. A disability issue using the representational strategies and guidelines covered in this course.
      4. A topical issue that includes the voices and perspectives of persons with disabilities.


    • WEEKS 6 & 7

    • Unit Learning Outcomes

      At the end of this unit, you should be able to

      1.  use digital technologies sensitively and effectively in interviewing a person with a disability.
      2. display appropriate representational practices in interviewing a person with a disability.
      3. follow guidelines for promoting the positive portrayal of persons with disability.

    • OVERVIEW

      Continuing from Week 5 you will be working on your final assignment. Facilitators will be available in the forum to answer questions and discuss work in progress.


    • Work in prorgress Forum

      Final Assessment

      You will continue working on your final assessment. In this forum, you discuss your work in progress with facilitators and other participants.


    • Inclusivity and Sensitivity in Digital Reporting Assignment

      FINAL ASSESSMENT

      Upload your stories here



    • COURSE EVALUATION

      Click here to complete the course evaluation e-form.