As of this time Level 2 requires:

   Register and pay for the course
   Read the syllabus thoroughly
   Email the instructor and identify yourself as a student.
   Get your CDs in the mail.  They should arrive within 10 days...if not, contact Dr. Vicars
   Take 20 quizzes: Units 5 - 8 (keep backups)
   Complete and submit a 500 word research paper
   Request and take the receptive final  (see below)
   Pass an expressive final (video project) (see below)
   Receive your documentation

 

Course Info	Instructor Info
Course description: Students will continue to expand vocabulary and improve skills upon acquired in Level 1. Expansion of conversational range will include talking about other people and activities, giving directions, and making requests. Students will also develop discourse skills appropriate for establishing connections with Deaf acquaintances and handling a variety of interruptions.	Instructor: Dr. William G. Vicars Ed.D.in Deaf Education, ASLTA certified email:   homepage: www.lifeprint.com  (contact info)

Course Format: 
This course is an instructor guided online course. The learning and activities will take place on the web and/or digital media (CDs). You will complete 20 quiz assignments. You will do a 500 word research paper. At the end of the course you will be take a proctored receptive final exam and you will submit a video-recorded signed presentation.  You are expected to have a valid email address during this course and check it at least once a week. Any changes to your email account should be forwarded to your instructor.

Course Materials:
The materials for this course consist of six CDs.  Four of the CDs contain video files demonstrating ASL vocabulary and sentences. One of the CDs contains a copy of the ASLU Website.  The last CD contains the "Level 2 Receptive Test." Students who have registered and paid should receive the first five CDs from the instructor within 10 days of paying.  After students have submitted all 20 quizzes they may request the Level 2 Receptive Test from the instructor.

Assignments and examinations:
20 Quiz Assignments at 20 points each = 400 points
Research Paper = 100 points
Expressive Final (Video Project) = 250 points
Receptive Final = 250 points
Total points: 1000

Grading System: Grades will be based on performance on the quiz assignments, tests, and your research paper according to the following criteria: 100-90% = A, 89 to 80% = B, 79-70% = C, 69-60% = D, below 60% = E (fail)

All quizzes and examinations are cumulative. You design your own schedule of due dates and submit this schedule to your instructor. For full credit, the research paper, and quiz answers are to be submitted in the body of an email on or before the due dates you choose. The quiz assignments are only checked for general accuracy.  If you score lower than 85% on any one quiz the instructor may give you zero for that quiz assignment.

Note: just paste or type your answers and/or paper into the body of the email, do NOT include as an attached document (this costs your instructor extra time downloading and opening your attachment). A good approach is to do your work in a normal word processor document and save your work frequently. Then when your work is ready to submit copy and paste it into an email and send to your instructor.

Quiz assignments:
Your quiz assignments are based on the Unit 5 through Unit 8 CDs.

See the schedule below.  Fill in due dates that will allow you to finish the course by the time you need to be done.  The schedule below has active hyperlinks. By clicking on the quiz links you will be taken to the "end of lesson" quiz. You may need to scroll down to see the blank answer sheet. These blank answer sheets for the quizzes can also be accessed from a link at the end of each lesson.

You should go through the lessons sequentially starting with lesson 21. Go to the website www.lifeprint.com and enter the main campus. Find the "Lessons" link and click on it. Then open up lesson 1. Read through lesson one and click on the links to the vocabulary. For each vocabulary link you should read the whole page and do the sign until you have it memorized. Then sign all of the practice sentences and read any of the other material in the lesson. Then take the quiz on the CD. To help you do that I've created "answer sheets" with the numbers already typed up for you.  These sheets are included on the CDs. After completing a quiz you should copy and paste your answers into your email program and send to me.  No fancy formatting.  No extra blank lines. I copy and paste these into my gradesheet under your name.  Keep your own backup copy incase the email doesn't go through the first time.

On each CD you should see a link to a video file of me. Not pretty--but functional. The file might jump from sign to sign as I press stop and record on my video camera in-between each question.  Feel free to pause and rewind as many times as you need to to catch the signs.

You can adjust the size of the file via your media player's configuration settings. You can also pause the file by pressing pause. In the video file I show a number and then show a sign or a sentence. You type the answer onto your answer sheet, or even better, copy and paste it from the practice sheet (which is also on the CD). Make sure to save your answers periodically so as to avoid losing your work in the event of a crash or power outage.

Then send your answers to me email. Make sure you keep a copy for your own records until the end of the semester. (I might go so far as to recommend that you keep two copies, one on your hard drive and one on a removable disk, but perhaps I'm overly cautious?)

Expressive Final (Video Project)
Pick one sentence from each of lessons 21 through 40. You should end up with 20 sentences.
Copy the sentences to a new document and number them 1-20. Then sit down in-front of a camcorder and videotape yourself signing the sentences the same way I videotaped mine. For example, sign the number and then the sentence. You need only show me the sentence one time. Pay particular attention to your "yes/no" and "WH-question" expressions for each sentence (because I'll be looking for your facial expressions in addition to your vocabulary and general fluency).
If you stop once or maybe twice during the videotaping due to some technical issue or whatever I won't be concerned. But stopping between each question indicates a lack of preparation and smacks of not knowing the material well enough to simply sign the sentences without having to look each sentence up on the web or in the CD.
Some students tape record themselves reading the sentences out loud and then play back the recording while signing the sentences to the video camera. That's okay.
I've even seen students go so far as to write the sentences on poster paper and stick them on the wall behind the camera so they can read them while signing to the camera. That's okay, but a lot of work.
Other students just print out a paper with their sentences on it and put it in front of them. They lean forward to read the sentence and then look up at the camera and sign it.
Then print off your script and mail both it and your video to me. ALSO email me your script so I'll have an electronic copy to edit and make notes on for your feedback.
I'll correct it within a week or so of receiving the video. And then I'll email your feedback. You may submit this video on any of the following: VHS-format full-size cassette, Mini-DV cassette, Video-CD (VCD) using MPEG-1 formatting, Digital Video Disk (DVD) using [DVD-R+, DVD-R-, or DVD-ROM], or as a video file on either CD or DVD in Windows Media File format, Quicktime, or Flash. If your video isn't "good enough" as judged by your instructor, you will be given instructions for improvement and required to do the video again. This is regardless of your other scores.

Receptive Final:
This is a proctored examination. When you've completed the 20 quizzes (or when you've almost completed them), send me a request to take the "Receptive Level 2 final."  Include the name and mailing address of a responsible adult who will function as your proctor.  Upon your request the instructor will mail the testing disk to your proctor. The disk will contain a video file of the instructor signing various sentences from level 2.

You take the test with the proctor in the room making sure you do not use any books, websites, or other external material.
Insert the CD the video should start automatically after a few moments.  If it doesn't, navigate to the video file on the disk and double click on it. On the video the instructor will sign a number of sentences to you. Write them down (or type them) in either English or ASL gloss (just string the ASL signs together). You may pause and rewind the video as many times as you would like. If you miss a concept or change the meaning of the sentence you may miss the whole sentence so practice hard and don't try to bluff your way through this test.

The sentences are based on the practice sheets in the lessons.  It is important for you to do the practice sheets throughout the course so you will be able to do well on your receptive final. These sentences will be extremely similar to the ones on the website and on the CDs.
When you get done, email your answers to your instructor. In the email, include your name, address, and local school name along with your answers.  Also include your proctor's name, phone number and email address.

You may take the test as early as you would like. Your answers need to be turned in, emailed or postmarked by the due you chose at the beginning of the course.

This syllabus and any later email communication from the instructor supersede whatever information you may find at the general ASLU website.

Make ups and backups:
Since this class is offered via the web and you can submit your assignments via email--late submissions of quizzes and assignments may receive zero credit. This is not punishment.  It is simply a grading issue.  Excellent students plan ahead, get organized, keep track of assignments, and turn things in on time (or early).  Poor students wait until the last minute, miss deadlines and then make excuses and ask for leniency.  Excellent students get "A's."  Poor students get "D's" and "F's." Prepare ahead of time to have backup internet access in case your regular computer crashes. If your computer is prone to crashing, save your work often and submit it early. Dead computers are not an excuse for late work.

[Honestly though, if you are an independent study student -- you are in charge of your schedule. If you need more time...just redo your schedule and send me a copy.]

If you have an urgent request and you are in doubt as to whether your email has gone through, send a second email with the subject line "*** ASL Student- Reply requested." Feel free to email me everyday if you think I haven't received your email. Feel free to write any time.

Don't worry overly much about confirmation of individual quizzes. I try to go through once a week and enter in everybody's quizzes at the same time.
I'm working to set up an AUTOMATED system that will give you instant feedback. But that is taking a lot of time. So I will stay flexible until then.
The important thing to do is keep a backup file of all your quizzes.
Another point is that you can work ahead and get them ALL done and turn them in early.

Note: Always include in the subject: ASLU FIRSTNAME LASTNAME
or if submitting a quiz include in the subject: ASLU FIRSTNAME LASTNAME Quiz #__
Thanks!
Cordially,
Dr.Vicars

Remember:  Keep a backup copy of all submissions until the end of the course and your grade has been received.  

Schedule 

Legal matters:

This syllabus and the schedule are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances. For persons physically attending class:  If you are absent from class, it is your responsibility to check on announcements made while you were absent. No makeup tests without an obituary of a relative or a note from your medical professional or school administrator. Turn cell phones to vibrate or silent settings. Do not wear baseball caps during quizzes. No reading newspapers in class or other distracting behavior. No videotaping the lecture or bringing visitors or guests without permission. Students are always expected to work independently on graded quizzes and/or assignments unless specifically directed otherwise by the instructor. Assignments turned in late for any reason may receive 0 credit. Penalties for cheating and plagiarism may include receiving an F for a particular assignment, an F for the course, or expulsion from the program or university. Upon identifying themselves to the instructor and the university, students with disabilities will receive reasonable accommodation for learning and evaluation.

Pep talk:
You can do this.  I have near infinite patience. I love teaching and explaining.  If you have questions, ask in class or  just email them to me and I'll get back to you within 48 hours.  If you think I've overlooked your email, feel free to send your question again I won't feel bothered--rather I'll be grateful for the communication.  If there is something I can do to make the class better for you please do suggest it.  This class may be one of your more challenging accomplishments but I know if you work hard and put in the time you will succeed.

Notes:  There is something I wish to give you advance notice of.  Typically students, (even high achievers), do not do as well on the expressive portion of the exam in a "distance education" course as they do on the receptive.  Many students who get an "A" on the receptive end up getting a "C" on the expressive because signing without having had someone to practice with is like swimming without water.  (Which often results in an "A" caliber student receiving a combined grade of a "B.")  So, please understand that I will grade you according to college standards as if you were one of my in-class students who had been attending class twice a week for three months. To pass an expressive test in an asynchronous (you and I are in different places at different times) distance education environment will require a serious effort.  I don't wish to discourage you, quite the opposite.  But I do want you to be informed ahead of time.