Accessible summary
Both good and bad things can happen when people use the Internet, and people with learning disabilities are not using the Internet as much as other people.
Worry about the bad ...things that can happen online might be one reason people with learning disabilities are not supported to access the Internet as much as other people.
We wanted to find out what people without learning disabilities believe about these good and bad things for people with learning disabilities.
We wanted to find this out because the way people without disabilities think about the good and bad things online might affect how people with learning disabilities are treated.
We found out that people without learning disabilities think that both the good and bad things are more likely to happen to people with learning disabilities when they use the Internet.
Background: Information and communication technologies, with the Internet at the forefront, have the potential to enhance the knowledge, service, employment, development and social interactional opportunities available to people with intellectual disabilities. Despite this, people with intellectual disabilities are not accessing the Internet to the same degree as people without intellectual disabilities. Issues of safety, risk and protection online for people with intellectual disabilities have yet to be adequately investigated, and these currently serve as reasons given for hindering people from gaining online access.
Materials and Method: This survey aimed to gauge the views people without intellectual disabilities have of risks and benefits of using the Internet for themselves and for people with intellectual disabilities and to compare self‐ratings of risk and benefits to ratings for people with intellectual disabilities.
Results: The survey findings indicate that, with only a small number of exceptions, both the risks and benefits of being online were believed to be greater for people with intellectual disabilities compared with those without intellectual disabilities. Greater use of the Internet was associated with increased perception of benefits to being online for both people with intellectual disabilities and for participants.
Conclusions: Perceptions of increased benefits suggest more needs to be performed to improve online access whilst a perception of increased risk may help to explain the reduced inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in the online world.
Introduction
This paper aims to identify to what extent staff training interventions are successful in enhancing the development of communication skills in people with profound intellectual and ...multiple disabilities.
Methods
A systematic review was undertaken, conforming to PRISMA guidelines. English language, peer reviewed, empirical studies of staff training interventions to enhance the communication of people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities were included. Databases Scopus, Web of Science, Proquest, Linguistics and Language Behaviour s (LLBA) and Medline were searched in July 2015 and updated in December 2022. Quality appraisal was conducted on 13 studies using Crowe's Critical Appraisal Tool (CCAT).
Results
Few good quality evaluations of interventions were found. Challenges to research rigour included the diversity of people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities, small sample sizes, intervention intensity and the management of fidelity.
Conclusions
Manualised and bespoke interventions showed promise in improving staff communication and responsiveness.
The focus of this position paper is Internet use by adolescents and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Drawing on existing literature in the field we will identify problems with ...and gaps in the current research. Our review is framed by three main questions: What constitutes a ‘normal’ life for adolescents and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities? What constitutes ‘normal’ use of the Internet for adolescents and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities? How does risk mediate the ability of adolescents and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live a normal life by using the Internet? The key focus of this review is the complex relationship between adolescents and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and those providing support; how they negotiate access to and use of the Internet and how perceptions regarding risk and normalcy mediate this negotiation. As a result of this review we will argue that identified gaps and problems in the research field need to be addressed by expanding both methodological and conceptual approaches. In particular we will propose the need for more in-depth qualitative research that is inclusive in nature. We will also propose that an adapted positive risk-taking framework might be useful in framing the design, implementation and analysis of future research.
This review gives an overview of the societal inequalities faced by people with intellectual disabilities, before focusing specifically on challenges people face accessing the Internet. Current ...access will be outlined along with the societal, support and attitudinal factors that can hinder access. Discussion of carer views of Internet use by people with intellectual disabilities will be covered incorporating consideration of the tension between protection, self-determination and lifestyle issues and gaining Internet access. We will address how impairment related factors may impede access and subsequently discuss how supports may be used to obfuscate impairments and facilitate access. We will move on from this to critically describe some of the potential benefits the Internet could provide to people with intellectual disabilities, including the potential for self-expression, advocacy and developing friendships. Finally, strategies to better include people with intellectual disabilities online will be given along with future research suggestions.
Understanding online risk for adults with intellectual disabilities is important to improve digital inclusion in society. Perceptions of online risk can determine behaviours that obstruct or ...facilitate Internet access and use. This current study aimed to qualitatively investigate the psychological implications of online victimisation risks, including online negative comments and/or messages for adults with intellectual disabilities, as a novel area yet explored in-depth. Semi-structured interview data was collected remotely. Template analysis found there to be both negative and positive psychological implications experienced in response to online risks. Specifically, participants reported a wide range of negative emotions but also positive growth in the form of learning from the experience and increased confidence. The attribution of blame process in cybervictimisation can involve both blaming the perpetrator but also internalised victim-blaming which may be a consequence of the type of online risk (i.e. sexual risks). Implications for both practice and research are suggested.
This scoping review examines cyberbullying victimisation in people with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities, focusing on specific types of cyberbullying behaviours, such as flaming, ...harassment, and stalking. A five-stage review of empirical research was conducted using 15 electronic databases, covering publications from October 1969 to January 2024. Twelve studies were selected, reporting cyberbullying victimisation rates ranging from 5% to 64%. Harassment was the most common behaviour experienced. However, flaming, cyber-stalking, griefing, and shaming have not been thoroughly investigated. The impact and coping strategies, including support mechanisms, also lack research. Further investigation is needed to understand the various types of cyberbullying experienced by people with intellectual disabilities and to develop coping and resilience strategies. Recommendations for future research and practice are provided.
Background
People with intellectual disabilities' voting rate within the United Kingdom remains significantly below the population average despite government enacted voting promotion measures. No ...published academic literature directly involves people with intellectual disabilities when considering their UK general election experiences – this study aims to address this omission.
Methods
Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with people with intellectual disabilities (N = 20) about their election experiences during the 2017 (n = 18) and 2019 (n = 8) general elections. Six participants were interviewed around both elections. Data was analysed with template analysis.
Results
Eight themes were produced – election information, political knowledge, political opinions, voting choice process, polling station experience, voting outcome, capacity and support. Theme interactions impacted on election experiences.
Conclusions
While acknowledging diverse experiences, voting outcomes and experiences were particularly impacted by factor interactions concerning election information and/or polling station accessibility, capacity and support. Voting promotion interventions and future research should consider these areas.
Background
COVID‐19 is a life‐threatening virus which has circulated the globe resulting in unprecedented effects on the daily lives of people across the world. Countries across the globe have ...advocated measures, including self‐isolation and maintaining social distance to reduce the spread of COVID‐19. The pandemic has seen an increase in the use of information and communication technology (ICT) for many aspects of life. This study aimed to find out from people with intellectual disabilities what it was like using ICT during COVID‐19 and how this affected their lives.
Method
Interviews and focus groups were conducted with 19 people with learning disabilities throughout the COVID pandemic. The qu/alitative data gathered was analysed using longitudinal thematic framework analysis to identify the main ways technology use had impacted on people's lives and the challenges and facilitators of technology use during this time.
Findings
Technology played an important role in the lives of the people with learning disabilities who took part in the study. Technology facilitated continuation and maintenance of important daily activities and roles in people's lives (e.g., jobs, getting support and leisure), keeping people meaningfully occupied and maintaining social contact which reduced feelings of loneliness and isolation. People adapted and learned new skills, with help from friends, family and support staff, which boosted self‐confidence. Despite some identified barriers, prior technology use, tenacity and a positive attitude towards ICT supported learning new skills and adaptation to increased ICT use.
Conclusions
Supporting the development of digital competence, confidence and persistence in people with learning disabilities was important during this international crisis and has had a fundamental positive effect on wellbeing.
Accessible summary
COVID‐19 restrictions means that things that used to happen face‐to‐face now happen using technology online.
We talked to 19 people to find out their experiences of using technology during COVID‐19.
They told us that though they would be lost without it. It helped people to keep doing things but keeping in touch using technology was not the same.
Experience, education, support from other people, being positive and not giving up helped people use technology during COVID‐19.
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities remain more digital excluded than many other groups within society. Perceived vulnerability of people with intellectual and developmental ...disabilities by those providing support may increase their digital exclusion and the digital divide. Few studies have considered online risk from the perspective of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Online risks have previously been classified as contact, conduct and content but little is known about how adults with intellectual disabilities experience these specific risks. Underpinned by post-postivist and phenomenological epistemologies, perceptions and meanings of online risks for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities were gathered. Individual interviews were conducted with thirteen adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who all identified themselves as self advocates. Interview discussions considered online risk experiences of being online and using social media. Data were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. Overarching themes of risk experiences, awareness and support to manage salient risks, and developing independence and resilience through online participation were identified. Accounts also identified concerns around online risks and carer gatekeeping as potential instrumental factors in digital exclusion, such exclusion was considered detrimental to wellbeing. Adults with intellectual disabilities with low support needs appeared more able to manage online risk than may be presupposed by a vulnerability-focused perspective. The importance of utilising language salient to the person when discussing risk was also highlighted. Experiential learning to better understand and manage salient online risks appears a way forward for both research and practice.
PDF
