Department Chair
Nancy L. Hurlbut, Ph.D.
Department of Child
Development
Jenkins Hall 206C
(707) 826-3471
The American Sign Language and Special Populations Minor is designed to assist individuals who wish to work with the deaf or hard of hearing and/or children with special needs. Individuals will find the minor useful if they seek employment as early interventionists, family services providers, teachers of special education, teachers of the hard of hearing or deaf, or teachers of children with language delays.
The minor is designed to help prepare students to work in an entry level position with children and families that use American Sign Language as a means of communication or who might benefit from using signed speech in combination with verbal communication. The minor provides the student with background in child development, language acquisition, American Sign Language, life and culture of the deaf and hard of hearing communities, and experiences of families with children with special needs.
Students must complete a total of 19 units as described below.
CD 253 Prenatal
and Infant Development or
CD 255 Early
Childhood Development or
CD 256 Middle
Childhood Development or
CD 350 Perspectives: Life-Span Development
American Sign Language (6 units of credit)
CD 109Y
American Sign Language I* and
CD 109Z
American Sign Language II
Language Acquisition (3 units)
CD 355 Language Development
Special Needs Populations (7 units)
CD 366 Exceptional Children and Their Families and
COMM 417
Second Language Acquisition 9cross listed as ENG 417) or
COMM 322
Intercultural Communication or
COMM 324
Nonverbal Communication
*Students with extensive prior experience using ASL may take a challenge exam to complete CD 109Y. Note: Challenge process requires students to enroll in the course and inform instructor of desire to challenge and take the exam within the first two weeks of the semester. The student must earn a 70% or greater on the challenge exam to earn a credit in CD 109Y and before proceeding to CD 109Z.