Course Syllabus

DRD 390.2 Communication Skills
Section 0369 - Course Syllabus

Course Description

This course will provide students with an overview of the communicative process and strategies for effective communication in daily life, especially focusing on school and workplace environments, as they relate to individuals with disabilities. Students will identify and apply strategies that address the functional limitations of his or her disability.

Student Learning Outcomes

Class Meetings

We will meet synchronously on Tuesday and Thursdays at noon. Tuesdays class will be from 12:00-2:00 and Thursdays we will meet from 12:00-1:30. These classes will be held over Zoom.

Instructor Contact

Andrea Alexander

Email: aalexander@santarosa.edu

Phone: (707) 872-7088 Text, phone and voicemail

Office Hours: Tuesdays from 2-2:30 and Thursdays from 1:30-2:00 or by appointment.

I respond to emails within 24 hours Monday through Friday. I do not respond to emails on weekends.

Course Web Site

Students will use the Canvas course web site for assignment instructions, submitting assignments, viewing classmate's work, sharing resources, and viewing grades.

Textbook

There is no textbook required for this course. I will include any necessary materials in Canvas.

Required Software

You will need the following software for this course. [If linking to PDF or Word documents, QuickTime or Flash videos, put in a link to the helper applications in your Syllabus or Getting Started section of your course materials.]

Important Dates

Day Class Begins: Tuesday August 18, 2020

Day Class Ends: Thursday December 10, 2020

Last Day to Add without instructor's approval: August 23, 2020

Last Day to Add with instructor's approval:September 6, 2020

Last Day to Drop without a 'W' symbol: September 6, 2020

Last Day to Opt for Pass/No Pass: September 27, 2020

Last Day to Drop with a 'W' symbol: November 15, 2020

Dropping the Class

If you decide to discontinue this course, it is your responsibility to officially drop it to avoid getting no refund (after 10% of course length), a W symbol (after 20%), or a grade (after 60%). Also, for several consecutive, unexplained absences, the instructor may drop a student.

Pass‐NoPass (P/NP)

You may take this class P/NP. You must decide before the deadline, and add the option online with TLC or file the P/NP form with Admissions and Records. With a grade of C or better, you will get P.

You must file for the P/NP option by September 27, 2020. Once you decide to go for P/NP, you cannot change back to a letter grade. If you are taking this course as part of a certificate program, you can probably still take the class P/NP. Check with a counselor to be sure.

Instructor Announcements

The instructor will post announcements on the “Instructor Announcements” page in Canvas throughout the semester. Canvas notifies students according to their preferred Notification Preferences as soon as the instructor creates an Announcement.

Attendance

Students who fail to attend the first class (face-to-face courses) or do not log-in to an online class after the second day of the semester will be dropped from the class. It is strongly advised that if you need to miss more than one class/homework deadline in a row that you contact me to avoid being dropped from the class.

Late Policy

All assignments are due at midnight PST on the due date. A late submission will receive a 20% penalty. Submissions more than one week late are not accepted without prior arrangement. Late work will not be graded unless student sends instructor an email with URL for late work.

Exams

There will be online quizzes and exams. The material comes from the class lectures, activities, discussions and supplemental materials posted in Canvas. If any exam is missed, a zero will be recorded as the score. It is your responsibility to take the online exams by the due date.

Grading Policy

Visit the “Grades” in Canvas to keep track of your grades. I grade once a week and post grades and comments on the online Canvas gradebook. If your grades will not be posted within a week I will let you know.

Grades will be assigned as follows:

A	90%
B	80%
C	70%
D	60%

If taking Pass/No Pass you need at least 70% of the total class points and complete the midterm exam and the final exam to pass the class.

Standards of Conduct

Students who register in SRJC classes are required to abide by the SRJC Student Conduct Standards. Violation of the Standards is basis for referral to the Vice President of Student Services or dismissal from class or from the College. See the Student Code of Conduct page.

Collaborating on or copying of tests or homework in whole or in part will be considered an act of academic dishonesty and result in a grade of 0 for that test or assignment. I encourage students to share information and ideas, but not their work. See these links on Plagiarism:
SRJC Writing Center Lessons on avoiding plagiarism
SRJC's policy on Academic Integrity

Other Important Policies and Practices

Avoid Plagiarism Like the, er, Plague or COVID-19!

Although most students have likely heard about plagiarism during their years of schooling, it still is prevalent-even in higher education.

The video below reviews what plagiarism is and how not to do it.

Plagiarism: How to avoid it

Netiquette, or Why Is It Harder to Be Polite Online?

Netiquette refers to using common courtesy in online communication. All members of the class are expected to follow netiquette in all course communications. Use these guidelines:

Use capital letters sparingly. THEY LOOK LIKE SHOUTING.
Forward emails only with a writer's permission.
Be considerate of others' feelings and use language carefully.
Cite all quotations, references, and sources (otherwise, it is plagiarism).
Use humor carefully. It is hard to "read" tone; sometimes humor can be misread as criticism or personal attack. Feel free to use emoticons like :) for a smiley face to let others know you are being humorous.
Use complete sentences and standard English grammar to compose posts. Write in proper paragraphs. Review work before submitting it.
Text speak, such as "ur" for "your" or "ru" for "are you" etc., is only acceptable when texting.

Special Needs

Students with disabilities who believe they need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact Disability Resources (527-4278), as soon as possible to better ensure such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.