Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon Portland Community College

CCOG for ASL 220 Spring 2024

View archive version »
Course Number:
ASL 220
Course Title:
Black American Sign Language
Credit Hours:
3
Lecture Hours:
30
Lecture/Lab Hours:
0
Lab Hours:
0

Course Description

Examines language use within the Black Deaf community in America. Focuses on the history of Black Deaf American Sign Language, language variation and structure and its influence on the Black Deaf experience. Concentrates on the development of a unique group of people, and carefully analyzes intersectionalized identity and language use that can result from being part of both the Deaf community and the Black community. Prerequisites: ASL 103 or ASL 151.

Intended Outcomes for the course

Upon completion of the course students should be able to:

  • Analyze through a critical framework the sociohistorical foundation of Black ASL.
  • Dissect the linguistic roots and influences of African American Vernacular English.
  • Examine the language contact and code-switching effects of language contact between Black ASL and spoken English.
  • Consider implications of intersectionalization between language and race.
  • Examine technology, legal and systematic constraints, and social trends in relation to Black ASL in order to assess future trends.