I’ve been giving some thought to drafting a proposal for a Law School seminar course on Disability, Law, & Ethics. The course would focus on the disability experience, the laws that have been created to recognize the right of people with disabilities to participate in everyday human pursuits, and the ongoing ethical and policy debates that surround issues of disability. I want students to examine issues like the continued economic marginalization of people with disabilities, despite laws like the ADA, Rehab Act, and others. I want to look at the the funding crises in Medicaid and Medicare in conjunction with the continued evolution of expensive assistive technology devices. And of course, something on the interplay between disability and the refusal of medical treatment. This would bear some resemblance to other disability studies courses, but with more of an emphasis on law and policy.
Maybe I can put something together to present to the Law School for a possible offering in Spring 2006. I’m open to any suggestions regarding themes, content, readings, etc. My cursory Google research hasn’t revealed too many courses like this at other law schools. But if people have syllabi or course outlines that could be used as models for my own idea, I’d love to see them. I think this could be fun, assuming I actually follow through on my daydreaming.
