Accessible summary
Students with intellectual disabilities in mainstream and special schools can benefit from information and communication technologies, including the Internet.
We asked teachers ...about the benefits, risks and safety of online activities for students with intellectual disabilities.
Teachers perceive that online activities are not safe enough for this group.
Teachers in special and mainstream schools hold different perceptions.
Teacher training is necessary to promote digital inclusion.
Background
Although there is research‐based evidence on the educational potential of information and communication technologies as teaching and learning resources for schools, studies focused on the real benefits and risks associated with online activities of students with intellectual disabilities are still scarce. The purpose of this study was to describe and compare teachers' perspectives on this topic in relation to a school setting (mainstream and special schools), teaching specialty (general and special educators) and teaching level (primary and secondary education).
Methods
A cross‐sectional survey design was conducted in which a sample of 208 general and special education teachers from mainstream and special schools participated. Participants had to respond to a questionnaire that included questions related to the opportunities and risks of the Internet and online safety.
Findings
Teachers perceive that the Internet is unsafe for students with intellectual disabilities and it entails more risks than benefits for these students. Such perceptions may determine the educational intervention, especially when the Internet has shown to be crucial during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Differences were found regarding school setting, teaching specialty and teaching level. The data reflect a lack of consensus regarding the potential benefit of digital inclusion for students with intellectual disabilities, based on the perception that the online environment is not safe for this population.
Conclusion
There is a need to train teachers on how to achieve the maximum educational potential of the Internet for these students, as well as to learn to implement strategies to prevent and manage online risks.
The COVID‐19 pandemic has meant a rapid transfer of everyday activities to the online world. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have become more embedded than ever in people's lives. ...This investigation addresses how this change has affected the lives of people with intellectual disabilities (ID). A two‐step design was used. A rapid review was conducted on empirical studies published between January 2019 and June 2021. Search terms related to ID, ICT use and COVID‐19. A qualitative international bricolage was also conducted corresponding to author nationalities. Data gathered from the review and bricolage were analysed separately using thematic analysis and relationally synthesised. Digital solutions to provide access to COVID‐19 information and guidance seemed inadequate but were seldom empirically studied. Digital poverty, literacy and exclusion remain significant issues for people with ID internationally. People and their carers experienced reduced and removed service provision, loneliness and impoverished daily lives during the pandemic; amelioration of which was facilitated by digital solutions. One solution often used was videoconferencing. Prior experience of digital participation, adequate finances, connection, support and digital literacy mentoring for both people with ID and those providing services and support facilitated digital inclusion. Digital exclusion during COVID‐19 was exacerbated by sociopolitical, structural, individual and support‐related barriers. Although awareness of digital exclusion appears to have been raised, the extent to which this has led to action and change remains unclear. Despite digital exclusion and digital participation benefitting continuation of life, social and emotional well‐being and autonomy, COVID‐19 has not provided the impetus to eradicate digital poverty for people with ID. Governmental support, digital education, creativity and problem solving are required to enable people with ID the human right to be included in the digital world at this essential time and into the future.
The purpose of this study was to examine the beliefs that teachers have about diversity and their level of sensitivity towards some topics related to it. Moreover, beliefs were compared according to ...teachers' personal and professional views and teaching experience. The Personal and Professional Beliefs about Diversity Scales (Pohan and Aguilar, 1999) were administered to a sample of 233 teachers. Results showed highly positive beliefs towards diversity in all its dimensions (cultural, linguistic and social diversity, ability, gender, sexual orientation and religion), especially regarding its personal implications compared to the professional ones. Likewise, it was observed a significant relationship between years of teaching experience and professional beliefs about diversity, so teachers with no school experience showed a higher tolerance than those with teaching experience, mainly in aspects related to cultural, linguistic and social differences, ability and gender. The implications that these results have for educational practice and the need for the development of multicultural education courses that favour an effective teaching are discussed.
The aim of this study was to examine support workers' perceptions of the benefits and risks of Internet access by adult service users with intellectual disability and their online activities and ...behaviours. It also aimed to explore support workers' training needs and mediation strategies implemented to prevent and address online risks. A cross-sectional survey design was conducted including 135 Spanish support workers participating in the study. Findings show that support workers perceive the Internet as an unsafe environment, emphasising online risks over benefits for people with intellectual disability. Support workers reported undesirable online behaviours (e.g. cyberbullying) experienced and engaged in by service users. Although support workers declared the use of active mediation strategies to prevent online risks, they lacked training on Internet safety. Training programs should be designed and implemented by service providers to provide their support workers with strategies to promote the safe use of the Internet.
Points of interest
People with intellectual disabilities' access to the Internet is increasing, and while this has brought about many opportunities for them, it has also raised some concerns among family and support workers.
This article discusses Internet-related issues experienced by adults with intellectual disability from the perspective of their support workers.
According to support workers, the Internet is more risky than beneficial for adults with intellectual disability and they report some undesirable online behaviours experienced and/or perpetrated by their service users (e.g. cyberbullying, online threatening, requesting personal information).
In addition, support workers report a lack of training on Internet safety and a limited use of strategies that help to prevent and address online risks.
The perceptions of risk may result in overprotection. More training programs should be implemented to promote the meaningful but safe use of the Internet by adults with intellectual disability.
The aim of this study was to explore caregivers’ views about the risks of the Internet for people with intellectual disabilities and their preparation and ability to use prevention strategies to ...address them. The participants (20 family members and 24 staff members) belonged to a non-profit association working with people with developmental and intellectual disabilities and were asked to respond to a questionnaire about Internet safety and risks. Findings show some concerns from caregivers with regard to the use of the Internet by people with intellectual disabilities and suggest that this group is more vulnerable to online risks. Participants use different kinds of strategies to prevent the risks but they have not received any formal training. They think that this training should come from the Administration and other organisations. Some differences were found between family and staff members’ responses. Training programmes for all the groups involved in this process (i.e. people with intellectual disabilities, staff and family members) should be designed, implemented and assessed to promote the inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in the digital arena.
Educators and social workers are essential to promote the social and digital inclusion of people with intellectual disability. Their perceptions about Internet use by people with intellectual ...disability may lead to prejudices that can hinder the opportunity of this group to get equal and meaningful access to the virtual arena. To identify potential prejudices among future professionals and to determine their initial training needs, a cross-sectional survey study was conducted. The aim was to examine and compare 433 education and social work students' perceptions about Internet use by people with and without intellectual disability, in terms of online benefits, risks and safety. Results showed that students perceived the Internet to be more beneficial, but also riskier and less safe, for people with intellectual disability than for the general population. Differences were observed with regard to gender, university degree and frequency of contact with people with intellectual disability and a positive relationship was found between students' Internet use and their perceived online benefits, risks and safety. These findings highlight the need for initial training programs that overcome future professionals' prejudices towards people with intellectual disability and their capability to use the Internet safely.
The presence of the Internet in society has raised a growing interest in the potential benefits and risks of this tool and its consequences in certain groups like students with intellectual ...disabilities. The purpose of this study was to explore teachers' perceptions about the behaviours conducted by this population and the ability of these professionals to prevent and/or manage potential risks on the Internet for this group. A cross-sectional study was conducted based on a survey design in which 258 Spanish teachers participated. Descriptive and nonparametric analyses were performed to examine and compare teachers' responses. Findings indicate that, according to respondents, students with intellectual disabilities frequently connect to the Internet, mainly to watch videos or films, listen to music and socialise with friends. They also reveal the presence of unwanted online behaviours that this group has experienced or engaged in. Teachers report they are not sufficiently prepared or have received the necessary training to prevent and/or manage these risks. However, they have put into practice active mediation strategies to prevent them. Significant differences were found in teachers' perceptions based on teaching level and teaching position. The need to implement training plans is recommended.
Many studies have shown that children with Autism Spectrum Disorders show lack of skills using social and communication skills. However, they understand, assimilate and retain better information ...using virtual aids. Therefore, the objective of this study has been to assess the effectiveness of an augmented reality training program based on visual support for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder to improve their social skills. The investigation was carried out following a quantitative approach, quasi-experimental method and pretest posttest design with control group. Participants, were 11 individuals (10 male and one female) grouped into control (
n
= 5) and experimental group (
n
= 6). They were assigned using a non-probabilistic intentional sampling method. Likewise, the experimental group worked with different augmented reality activities such as a player who had to score a goal; playing with a cow. In contrast, control group received a similar intervention but without the use of this tool; for instance pick up the objects according to the therapist’s orders. The intervention lasted for 20 weeks, in 15 min sessions twice a week. The instrument for data collection was the Autistic Spectrum Inventory of Riviere. The Quicker Vision application was used as the AR-based intervention method. The results of the experiment do not show statistically significant differences between both groups, although slight improvements appear in some items. For example item 8 (flexibility) and item 11 (imitation). This indicates that in the future we could work on areas that have not been studied in other research. Nonetheless, it is necessary to develop a greater number of investigations in this aspect to obtain a better knowledge of its effects.
Teachers´ perceptions about the benefits and safety of the Internet for students with intellectual disabilities may affect their willingness to promote online access for this group. Therefore, the ...purpose of this study was to explore and compare the views of pre-service and in-service teachers concerning the opportunities and hazards that the Internet has for students with intellectual disabilities. A cross-sectional survey design was conducted with the participation of 582 pre-service and in-service teachers from south-eastern Spain. Findings reveal that teachers have great concerns about the use of the Internet by students with ID, with higher ratings for perceived online risks than for online benefits. They also perceive that the Internet is not safe enough for students with intellectual disabilities. Overall, pre-service teachers perceive greater online safety, benefits and risks compared to in-service teachers. Female teachers showed higher ratings for online risks as well. Finally, in-service teachers' experience with students with ID was related to lower perceived online benefits. Initial and on-going training programmes should provide teachers with the strategies to manage and promote the use of the Internet by students with intellectual disabilities in a responsible way, and refrain from excluding them from the digital arena.
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