New Course Spotlight: Understanding Disability, Health, and Participation Through the ICF

How do children with neurodevelopmental disabilities participate in daily life at home, in school, and in their communities? And how do developmental, social, and environmental factors shape those experiences? A new course through the Communication Sciences Program (COSI 364) dives into those questions using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF). The ICF is a global framework created by the World Health Organization to help health professionals describe and measure health and disability in a consistent, meaningful way.

If you’re planning a career in any healthcare field, the ICF is a tool you will encounter in graduate training and professional practice. This course gives you a strong, early foundation so you can confidently apply the ICF in graduate school, clinical care, research, policy, or interdisciplinary teamwork.

Throughout the semester, you’ll explore:

• How body functions, activities, and environments interact to influence child development and participation
• Strength-based and family-centered approaches to care
• Models of disability and how they guide real-world decision-making
• Inclusive practices across educational, medical, and community settings
• Translational applications of the ICF in communication sciences and across diverse health disciplines

You’ll learn through case-based and project-based activities, using examples from communication sciences and disorders while also drawing from your own future career interests.

If you’re curious about child development, health, disability, or working with people and families in any capacity, this class is a powerful and practical launch point for your future in the healthcare world!

COSI 364: Disability and the ICF will be held this Spring semester on Mondays and Wednesdays 3:20-4:45p. Register today!