What are the challenges for teachers in educating students with intellectual disability about sexuality?
Recently we conducted a study on sexuality education for students with intellectual disability in New South Wales mainstream high schools. We talked to students with intellectual disability, their parents and their teachers. We found some positive outcomes, but also many problems.
The very best news is that sexuality education is available in the first place. When I (Julie) went to school, students with intellectual disability did not receive sexuality education at all, and I didn’t think it would be ever possible.
But an alarming finding was the extent to which teachers found students had been abused or subjected to domestic violence. This is a huge concern and consistent with what we know from literature – that people with intellectual disability (and especially girls and women) experience more domestic violenceand other forms of gender-based and sexual violence, such as rape, than other people. In the context of COVID-19, people with intellectual disability are even more vulnerable.
Teachers also highlighted the lack of accessible (Easy Read or plain English) resources that they could use for sexuality education. Those that did know of some accessible resources say they don’t feel comfortable with the explicit pictures. This is a worry because students with intellectual disability need explicit instruction. If teachers are not comfortable with using these materials, how will the students learn?
It is important that teachers use accessible and straightforward resources and overcome their discomfort about tackling the subject. Here are some ideas:
- NSW Family planning developed numerous accessible materials that can be used for sexuality education. You can find them here: https://www.fpnsw.org.au/factsheets/individuals/disability
- Talking to children with cognitive disability about sex (Victoria State Government): https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/ConditionsAndTreatments/talking-to-children-with-intellectual-disabilities-about-sex
- Respect Ability: https://www.respectability.org/resources/sexual-education-resources/
- SECCA in Western Australia developed Relationships and sexuality resources: https://secca.org.au/resources/relationships-and-sexuality-resource
- https://secca.org.au/resources/sexuality-relationships-and-your-rights-resource
We will share with you what the students and their parents told us in the forthcoming blogs.
Iva Strnadová and Julie Loblinkz are research partners and friends. They host the blog Disability and Me. Both are strong advocates for people with intellectual disability.
PLAIN LANGUAGE VERSION
Iva and I did a study about sexuality education.
We went to mainstream high school students in New South Wales. We talked to:
- Students with intellectual disability
- Their parents
- Teachers
There were positives and problems.
This plain information is about teachers.
| POSITIVE | PROBLEM |
|---|---|
| Sexuality being taught to students with intellectual disability | In the past it was not taught in schools |
| Students being abused | |
| Students going through domestic violence | |
| Lack of Easy Read information resources |
People with intellectual disability being
- Abused or
- Going through domestic violence or
- Being raped
is a big problem.
In one of our stories we talked about COVID-19 and how people with intellectual disability are at risk.
Teachers should use accessible information resources. See below:
- NSW Family planning developed these accessible materials: https://www.fpnsw.org.au/factsheets/individuals/disability
- How to talk to children with intellectual disaability about sex (Victoria State Government): https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/ConditionsAndTreatments/talking-to-children-with-intellectual-disabilities-about-sex
- Sexuality education resources (Respect Ability): https://www.respectability.org/resources/sexual-education-resources/
- Relationships and sexuality resources (SECCA in Western Australia): https://secca.org.au/resources/relationships-and-sexuality-resource
Iva Strnadová and Julie Loblinkz are research partners and friends. They host the blog Disability and Me. Both are strong advocates for people with intellectual disability.