A report from the United States Department of Justice identified people with disabilities as four times more likely to be the victim of violent victimization than people without disabilities. Those with developmental or intellectual disabilities experience the highest rate of violent victimization. Another statistic from the report states that although people with disabilities represent 12% of the population, they experience 26% of violent crime incidents. A report from the National Core Indicators outlines several predictors of abuse and neglect for people with disabilities.
Educators play an important role in mitigating these indicators such as developing safe educational environment that foster belonging and acceptance as well as teaching the knowledge, skills, and habits so that students with disabilities are less likely to experience:
- Social isolation (lack of friendships and relationships beyond paid staff)
- Social stigma related to a lack of respect for people with disabilities
- Lack of knowledge of individual rights
- Staff stress and lack of training
- Significant dependence on others
- Lack of control/decision-making
- Lack of community engagement
Educators are encouraged to work with families attending their local schools and districts to ensure students with disabilities have the information needed to be independent self-advocates as well as develop school-wide systems of safety and belonging for students with disabilities within their educational communities.
The following resources may assist administrators, general and special education teachers, parents and family members, and others that support the education of students with disabilities to foster self-determination and understanding of safety, well-being, and rights individuals have to report and communicate crimes including violent victimization such as physical or sexual abuse.
Resources to Teach Students with Disabilities
Living Well Rights Guides, Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities
Wisconsin BPDD developed a series of individual guides for self-advocates (e.g. students), families & guardians, and providers (e.g. educators) that help explain the rights people with disabilities have and includes activities and strategies on how to understand, practice, and talk about those rights. These rights guides may be useful to educators to supplement health education when supporting students with disabilities. See the Know Your Rights YouTube video for a brief description of this resource. In addition, there is a companion video series resource Know Your Rights Video Series available on YouTube. All resources are free of charge.
Living Well Healthy, Safe, and Connected Toolkit, Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities
Students with disabilities need to be healthy, safe, and connected. This toolkit may be useful to educators to supplement health education when supporting students with disabilities. The toolkit features three sections: Stay Healthy, Stay Safe, and Stay Connected. These sections feature plain language resources and worksheets that educators can use with students. All resources are free of charge.
Healthy Body Toolkit, Vanderbilt Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND).
The Healthy Body Toolkits were developed separately for boys and girls and include web versions, downloadable PDFs, as well as an online interactive course. Both options also link to an additional resource Navigating Puberty, Sex, & Sexuality: A Guide for Supporting Autistic Teens and Adults Toolkit that also has a downloadable PDF or interactive online course options. All resources are free of charge.
Sex Ed for Self Advocates, Organization for Autism Research (OAR).
“This guide is a sexuality and sex education resource written specifically for autistic people ages 15 and up. Autistic people sometimes don’t have the chance to learn about sexuality and sex in ways that work for them, so OAR created this guide as a starting point to change that. In each of the nine sections of the guide, self-advocates will be able to read articles and watch brief videos before testing their knowledge about a given topic and practicing new skills.” All resources are free of charge.
Elevatus Training, Elevatus Training LLC
This site provides a variety of resources developed by leaders in the field of sexuality and intellectual, developmental disabilities and autism. The site includes curriculum, online training, in-services and workshops to help professionals, educators, self-advocates and parents skillfully and confidently navigate the topic of sexuality.
The Circles Curriculum, James Stanfield.
Curriculum materials consisting of three programs that teach social and relationship boundaries, interpersonal skills, and relationship-specific social skills in an easy to understand format.
Opening Doors to Self Determination, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
This resource may assist educators with identifying key knowledge and skills students need to develop to be independent and successful when leaving K-12 education.
Self Advocacy Suite, Transition Improvement Grant, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. “The Transition Improvement Grant has developed and revised several online tools to assist educators in providing instruction in self-advocacy to students with IEPs. Students who are able to self-advocate for their rights, and abilities are more successful with their post school goals as they are able to ask for accommodations on jobs and in college settings.”
Self Advocacy Suite, Transition Improvement Grant, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. “The Transition Improvement Grant has developed and revised several online tools to assist educators in providing instruction in self-advocacy to students with IEPs. Students who are able to self-advocate for their rights, and abilities are more successful with their post school goals as they are able to ask for accommodations on jobs and in college settings.”
Additional Resources for Educators
The School’s Role in Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
“Educators see and work with children on a daily basis during the school week throughout the school year. This reality puts these school staff "on the front lines" of identifying possible child maltreatment.” This resource was developed with common Questions and Answers that outline responsibilities in recognizing and reporting child abuse and neglect as well as describing ways educators can intervene when identifying potential abuse and neglect.
The Risk and Prevention of Maltreatment of Children With Disabilities, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families Administration on Children, Youth and Families Children’s Bureau. “This bulletin for professionals describes the scope of the problem, risk factors, and strategies for prevention. It examines the problem in terms of statistics and research; covers critical issues encountered when assessing a child with a disability for maltreatment; and provides information about promising prevention, collaboration, and training approaches. The bulletin also includes a listing of helpful resources.”
Health Education, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
This webpage page outlines Wisconsin’s content standards and resources related to Health Education for all students in Wisconsin.
Human Growth and Development, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
This resource guide is available to assist school districts in policy and program development and Implementation related to Human Growth and Development. Information specific to students with disabilities are addressed on pages 29-31 and pages 117-118.
Wide Open Spaces, Maggie's Story, Impact
Article from Impact Magazine, features inclusive education for K-8 students with the most significant disabilities.