NICHCY Connections...to Sexuality Education (page 4)

Teaching Sexuality Education for Young People with Disabilities

• What about sexuality education for individuals with disabilities?
  http://63.73.227.69/pubs/biblio/bibs0009.html
  Find out what's available in SIECUS' Annotated Bibliography: Sexuality and Disability, online at the link above.
• Sexuality education for people with disabilities, take two.
  www.siecus.org/siecusreport/volume29/29-3.pdf
  This issue of the SIECUS Report (Volume 29 Number 3) includes such articles as: Parents as Sexuality Educators for Their Children with Developmental Disabilities, Sexuality and People with Psychiatric Disabilities, and the annotated bibliography noted above.
• Sexuality education for persons with developmental disabilities: Selected resources.
  www.dbpeds.org/articles/detail.cfm?TextID=141
• It's an oldie but a goodie.
  www.nichcy.org/pubs/outprint/nd17txt.htm
  In 1992, NICHCY published Sexuality Education for Children and Youth with Disabilities. The resources we listed in that publication are, of course, hopelessly out of date, but the guidance and discussions are not. We still get requests for this News Digest, which is why it's still on our site, albeit in the "out of print" section! Some of the key sections are: What is Sexuality? How Does Sexuality Develop? What is Sexuality Education? The Importance of Developing Social Skills; Teaching Children and Youth about Sexuality; How Particular Disabilities Affect Sexuality and Sexuality Education; and Special Issues.
• A DD toolkit for parents and professionals.
  www.ppct.org/education/resources/ddintro.htm
• From a resource center on preventing pregnancy.
  www.etr.org/recapp/column/column200110.htm
  ReCAPP, the Resource Center on Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention, offers "Educating Youth with Developmental Disabilities," which focuses on how educators can best meet the sexuality education needs of young people with mental or emotional disabilities.
• Sex education: Building a foundation for healthy attitudes.
  www.disabilitysolutions.org/pdf/4-5.pdf
  A fine read for parents, from Disability Solutions.
• From the commercial publisher, Paul H. Brookes.
  www.brookespublishing.com/store/books/schwier-4285/index.htm
  Sexuality: Your Sons and Daughters with Intellectual Disabilities is intended to help parents "learn how to interact with your children — no matter their age or ability — in a way that increases self-esteem, encourages appropriate behavior, empowers them to recognize and respond to abuse, and enables them to develop life long relationships."
• From the commercial publisher, James Stanfield.
  www.stanfield.com/sexed.html
  James Stanfield Publishing offers several different video series to help educators address the social skills and sexuality education of students with intellectual disabilities.
• In case you're wondering if sex ed is really necessary for youth with disabilities...
  www.agi-usa.org/pubs/journals/3518703.html
  Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health reports that "Teenagers with Mental Disability Lack Reproductive Education and Knowledge; Still, Many Have Had Sex."

• Visit the Resource Center for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention and find:
  
  • What do I say? How do I say it? Specific suggestions, tips, and ideas for effectively teaching youth with developmental disabilities about sexuality topics. http://www.etr.org/recapp/practice/edskills200110.htm#benefits
  • Educating Youth with Developmental Disabilities http://www.etr.org/recapp/column/column200110.htm this article focuses on how educators can best meet the sexuality education needs of young people with mental or emotional disabilities.
• From the Journal Teaching Exceptional Children of the CEC find Sex Education for Students with Disabilities: an Evaluation Guide which provides several strategies to assist educators in reviewing appropriate sexuality curricula for their students with disabilities.
  http://journals.sped.org/EC/Archive_Articles/VOL.36NO.1SeptOct2003_TEC_Wolfe36-1.pdf
• Visit the Special Education Service Agency of Alaska and find under their reference shelf “Sexuality and Puberty”, a series of 10 short articles and suggestions on how to address sexuality education for people with disabilities.
  http://www.sesa.org/newsltr/DSISpring02/dsitocsp02.html
• From The Developmental Disabilities Resources for Healthcare Providers.
  Sexuality and Reproductive Health.
  http://www.ddhealthinfo.org/doc.asp?ID=3175
  This website is a collaboration of California-based information and programs on developmental disabilities. Its purpose is to assist physicians and other healthcare providers in caring for persons with developmental disabilities
• Sexuality Education of Children and Adolescents with Developmental
  Disabilities.
  http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/reprint/pediatrics;97/2/275.pdf
  Courtesy of the American Academy of Pediatrics
• From the Sex Information and Education Council of the US (SIECUS) find a Report and an Annotated Bibliography.
  • Sexuality Education for People with Disabilities, Volume 29 Number 3
    http://www.siecus.org/pubs/srpt/srpt0031.html
    A report that contains six articles regarding sexuality issues and sexuality education for people with disabilities.
  • Annotated Bibliography: Sexuality and Disability.
    http://www.siecus.org/pubs/biblio/bibs0009.html
    You will find general books, books for professionals, parents, youth, curricula and much more!
• An Evaluation of a Community-Based Sexuality Education Program for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities.
  http://www.ejhs.org/volume5/plunkett/titlepage.html
  An article of the Electronic Journal of Human Sexuality that gives a brief background of sexuality and individuals with developmental disabilities, provides an overview of the Responsible Choices for Sexuality Programs, provides the results of an evaluation of the program and offers implications for others developing or evaluating similar programs.
• The birds and the bees and kids with LD.
  www.schwablearning.org/articles.asp?r=626&g=2
• Sex ed for young people with visual impairments.
  www.tsbvi.edu/Education/sexuality-education.htm

• From the American Academy of Pediatrics.
  Sexuality Education for Children and Adolescents.
  http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/reprint/pediatrics;108/2/498.pdf
• SIECUS- Sex Information and Education Council of the US.
  http://www.siecus.org/
  SIECUS works to make sure that information, knowledge, and skills are within everybody's reach. SIECUS provides information and training opportunities for educators, health professionals, parents, and communities across the country to ensure that people of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds receive high quality, comprehensive education about sexuality.
• Planned Parenthood.
  http://www.plannedparenthood.org/education/
  Planned Parenthood Federation of America is a voluntary family planning and reproductive health organization. You will find fact sheets, health information, health centers, publications and much more!
• Medical Institute for Sexual Health.
  www.medinstitute.org
  The Medical Institute for Sexual Health identifies, evaluates and communicates credible scientific data in practical, understandable and dynamic formats to promote healthy sexual decisions and behavior in order to dramatically improve the welfare of individuals and society.
• The Society for Scientific Study of Sexuality.
  www.SexScience.org
  The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality is dedicated to advancing knowledge of sexuality. They believe in the importance of both the production of quality research and the application of sexual knowledge in educational, clinical, and other settings. Visit their web site and you will find publications, journals, listings of valuable sources in Sexual Science and more!
• American Association of sex educators, counselors and therapist.
  http://mentalhealth.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.aasect.org/
  Is a nonprofit, professional association dedicated to training, education, and research in the field of sex education.
• Advocates for Youth.
  http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/index.htm
  Advocates works to increase the opportunities for and abilities of youth to make healthy decisions about sexuality.
• Talking With Kids About Tough Issues http://www.talkingwithkids.org/local.html
  Is a national initiative by Children Now and the Kaiser Family Foundation to encourage parents to talk with their children earlier and more often about tough issues like sex, HIV/AIDS, violence, alcohol, and drug abuse.

Sexuality and Specific Disabilities

Mental Retardation

From the National Down syndrome Society- NDSS

• Sexuality in Down syndrome
  http://www.ndss.org/content.cfm?fuseaction=NDSS.article&article=454
• Young People with Down syndrome: Transition from Childhood to Adulthood http://www.ndss.org/content.cfm?fuseaction=NDSS.article&article=227
• Issues of sexuality in Down syndrome
  http://www.down-syndrome.info/library/periodicals/dsrp/03/2/065/
  Courtesy of the Down syndrome Information Network Autism

Autism

• The Socio-sexual development of people with autism and related learning disabilities
  http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=364&a=2187
  From The National Autistic Society
• http://www.kluweronline.com/issn/0162-3257/
  From the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorder find two studies on sexual behavior and socio sexual knowledge of individuals with Autism Available through Kluwer online journals. Just go to the address above and search for sexuality in the box to the left on their home page.
• The Communication Dilemma; Teaching facts about sex and sexuality to individuals with communication disorders
  http://www.adamspublications.com/articlesex.htm

Deaf- Blind

• Introduction to Sexuality Education for Individuals who are Deaf-Blind and Significantly Developmentally Delayed
  http://www.tr.wou.edu/dblink/pdf/sex-ed.pdf
  This book address sexuality issues in the lives of school age individuals who are deaf-blind and significantly developmentally delayed. Since these individuals usually do not experience sexuality through typical relationships, they require a different type of instruction.
• From the American Foundation of the Blind
  Sex Education for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults
  http://www.afb.org/Section.asp?DocumentID=2298#2000
  This article describes a model sex education program developed for youths and adults who are deaf-blind by the Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults. You have to be a subscriber to access the entire article.

Epilepsy

• Epilepsy and Sexuality
  http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/answerplace/Life/adults/women/Professional/sexuality.cfm

Information for women with disabilities

• http://www.bcm.tmc.edu/crowd/
  Visit The Center for Research on Women with Disabilities (CROWD). CROWD is a research center that focuses on issues related to health, aging, civil rights, abuse, and independent living. Its purpose is to promote, develop, and disseminate information to expand the life choices of women with disabilities so that they may fully participate in community life.
• From the US Department of Health & Human Services
  visit the National Women's Health Information Center http://www.4woman.gov/
  The center has a variety of publications on sexuality, abuse, health care, resources for women with disabilities, including fact sheets, statistical information, journal articles, organization contacts, and professional guidelines.

General Sexuality Education Info Sources

Part of the report of the APA Committee on Psychology and AIDS discusses the research on, and the advisability of, providing youth with comprehensive sexuality education as a way of reducing HIV/AIDS transmission, an approach that research does support as effective. But where do you find resources on how to do that? And what is comprehensive sexuality education? And how are the needs of students with disabilities in any such course of study to be addressed? Here are some resources on the subject.

• School Health Education Clearinghouse.
  www.siecus.org/school/index.html
  The mission of the clearinghouse is to strengthen the capacity of state and local education, health, and social service agencies to help young people at risk for HIV infection, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), unintended pregnancy, and other important health problems. Here, professionals can find easy access to essential school health information, including state and local policies, sexual health promotion programs, national guidelines, information on curricula, and links to additional information on the Web. You'll even find training modules!
• SIECUS Guidelines for Comprehensive Sexuality Education.
  www.siecus.org/school/sex_ed/guidelines/guide0000.html
  The SIECUS Guidelines for Comprehensive Sexuality Education: K-12 are a framework to promote and facilitate the development of comprehensive sexuality education programs. The Guidelines identify the goals of comprehensive sexuality education, six key concepts that a comprehensive programs need to cover, and a variety of topics that should be included. The third edition of the guidelines was released in 2004, with the PDF version available at:
  www.siecus.org/pubs/guidelines/guidelines.pdf
• And curricula?
  www.siecus.org/pubs/biblio/bibs0010.html
  What curricula incorporate the key concepts of the SIECUS guidelines? SIECUS provides a review.
• The Responsible Education About Life Act: In the works.
  www.advocatesforyouth.org/real.htm
  Introduced in Congress on February 10, 2005 by Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), the Responsible Education About Life Act (the REAL Act)—formerly the Family Life Education Act—will provide funding to states for medically accurate, age appropriate, comprehensive sex education in the schools—education that includes information about both abstinence and contraception, from both a values and public health perspective. Find out more at the link above.
• Medical info.
  www.plannedparenthood.org/pp2/portal/medicalinfo/
  Sexuality information is often medical in nature, which means it can be technical and detailed. To be accurate in what you say and teach, it may help to review the biology basics! The link above connects you Planned Parenthood's medical info page, where you can pick and choose which topics and details to pursue.

Comprehensive vs. Abstinence-Only Sex Ed

These days, we hear a lot of debate about the virtues of abstinence-only sexuality education for young people. In this approach to the subject, students are taught that abstinence from sexual activity outside marriage is the expected standard for all school-age children. Federal funds are available to schools that use abstinence-only programs.

Comprehensive sexuality education programs stand in contrast to abstinence-only. They approach this delicate subject through the frame that young people should be taught to make responsible decisions about sexuality, and that any sound educational program should provide thorough and accurate information about human sexuality.

So which is it? One or the other, or some combination of the two? Or something else entirely? Let's start this resource page by taking a look at some resources on the two main approaches to sexuality education.

• A quick summary of the approaches---and the debate.
  http://womensissues.about.com/od/healthsexuality/i/isabstinenceonl.htm
  What are the two approaches, and what do proponents and opponents of them have to say? What's the legislative history of abstinence-only, and what is federal policy right now?
• Is abstinence-only effective in preventing HIV transmission? What research shows.
  www.apa.org/releases/sexed_resolution.pdf
  In this age of applying research to decision making, this question has obvious implications for our youth. A recent report from the APA Committee on Psychology and AIDS answers the question----no.

The Committee is charged with providing policy direction and oversight for activities related to HIV/AIDS. It reports that, while current Federal policy actively supports widespread implementation of abstinence-only education programs as a way to prevent HIV transmission, there is little scientific evidence that these programs work. Those few studies that do report evidence in support of abstinence-only and abstinence-until-marriage programs have very limited generalizability, because they did not use appropriate comparison groups nor the type of sampling strategies required to ensure minimum bias in the selection of research subjects. Read the full report at the link above:

Harassment & Abuse

http://www.aacap.org/publications/factsfam/sexabuse.htm
Visit the address above and link to a fact sheet on child sexual abuse of the Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

From the ARC (The national organization of and for people with mental retardation and related developmental disabilities and their families)

• People with Cognitive, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities & Sexual Offenses
  http://www.thearc.org/faqs/sexoffender.htm

Sexual Harassment in School: An Invisible Issue for
Girls and Young Women with Disabilities
http://www2.edc.org/GDI/publications_SR/publications/CRicaPub/RoussoEnglish.pdf
From the Gender & Diversities Institute & Universidad de Costa Rica
Centro de Investigación en Estudios De La Mujer

Escape: An Effective Strategy-Based Curriculum for Abuse Prevention and Empowerment
http://www.tc.columbia.edu/i/a/902_jpkjrfinalreport.pdf
ESCAPE is three year project focused on the development, evaluation and dissemination of an educational curriculum whose purpose was to empower women with mental retardation to become more effective decision-makers so that they can protect themselves against violence and abuse and benefit more fully from increased opportunities for independence and community inclusion

Abuse and People with Disabilities
http://www.ucp.org/ucp_printdoc.cfm/1/8292/8296/8296-8296/4918
Some tips for parents to teach your child about personal safety. Courtesy of the United Cerebral Palsy Michigan

Sterilization of Minors with Developmental Disabilities
A Policy Statement of the American Academy of Pediatrics
http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics%3b104/2/337