Educators’ Perspectives on School-Based Sex Education for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) & Developmental Disabilities (DD) in Grades 5-12
Event Type
Presentation
Start Date
12-9-2018 9:00 AM
End Date
12-9-2018 12:00 PM
Description
Background: Individuals with ID/DD are often sexually exploited or abused due to lack of education about sexuality and sexual behavior. Currently, sex education is inconsistently taught at schools within the United States (US). Sex education taught to individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) and developmental disabilities (DD) may reduce vulnerability, reduce inappropriate sexual behaviors, and encourage positive sexuality.
Purpose: To examine educators’ perspectives on school-based sex education for students with ID and DD in grades 5-12 from select cities within the United States
Method: This phenomenological study used purposive sampling, followed by snowball sampling. Eight face-to-face interviews were conducted utilizing a list of predetermined questions and topics to discover educators’ perspective on school-based sex education for students with ID/DD. Interviewers transcribed, coded, and analyzed interviews, for several themes.
Results: Three main themes were identified: 1. personal experience and perspectives on training; 2. perspectives of students’ needs and teaching; and 3. values related to sex education. All participants had experience teaching students with some type of ID/DD. However, only one participant had a special education degree. All participants expressed it was important to teach individuals with and without ID/DD sex education in school, especially at an early age.
Conclusion: Educators from select states of the US believe that students with ID/DD should receive school-based sex education, and that they should be taught at their level of understanding with or without same age peers. Future research should examine the perspectives of the students’ needs regarding sex education.
Recommended Citation
D'Amico, M., Mangione, K., Pastirko, D., Rose, J., & Runyan, K. (2018), Educators’ Perspectives on School-Based Sex Education for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) & Developmental Disabilities (DD) in Grades 5-12, Presentation, Fourth Annual Research Colloquium, https://nsuworks.nova.edu/ot_colloquium/fourth/events/3
Educators’ Perspectives on School-Based Sex Education for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) & Developmental Disabilities (DD) in Grades 5-12
Background: Individuals with ID/DD are often sexually exploited or abused due to lack of education about sexuality and sexual behavior. Currently, sex education is inconsistently taught at schools within the United States (US). Sex education taught to individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) and developmental disabilities (DD) may reduce vulnerability, reduce inappropriate sexual behaviors, and encourage positive sexuality.
Purpose: To examine educators’ perspectives on school-based sex education for students with ID and DD in grades 5-12 from select cities within the United States
Method: This phenomenological study used purposive sampling, followed by snowball sampling. Eight face-to-face interviews were conducted utilizing a list of predetermined questions and topics to discover educators’ perspective on school-based sex education for students with ID/DD. Interviewers transcribed, coded, and analyzed interviews, for several themes.
Results: Three main themes were identified: 1. personal experience and perspectives on training; 2. perspectives of students’ needs and teaching; and 3. values related to sex education. All participants had experience teaching students with some type of ID/DD. However, only one participant had a special education degree. All participants expressed it was important to teach individuals with and without ID/DD sex education in school, especially at an early age.
Conclusion: Educators from select states of the US believe that students with ID/DD should receive school-based sex education, and that they should be taught at their level of understanding with or without same age peers. Future research should examine the perspectives of the students’ needs regarding sex education.