Sexual Health Curriculum

Access and Instruction

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Professional Development for Adaptive Physical Education Teachers

Following this presentation, Adaptive Physical Education teachers will be able to

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1. Describe the importance of access to health curriculum for all students
2. Actively ensure all students’ access to the sexual health unit(s)
3. Determine and teach others how to determine learning objectives for students with disabilities that are aligned to the district’s health curriculum
4. Direct others to SSD district approved materials and resources to supplement instruction for sexual health (eg., social skills, sexual health, character education, etc.) and high risk behaviors that are in alignment with SSD Board Policy IGAEB - Sexual Health Instruction

Objective #1:

The importance of access to health curriculum for all students.

The Importance of Access to the Health Curriculum for ALL Students

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Prevent abuse, prevent sexual crime or offense, develop healthy relationships, and ensure adult life success.

Connection to Student Success

Equity: All students have access to and learn from the health curriculum, especially sexuality education, per SSD and partner district Board policies.

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The Importance of Access to the Health Curriculum for ALL Students

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Prevent abuse, prevent sexual crime or offense, develop healthy relationships, and ensure adult life success.

Connection to Student Success

Equity: All students have access to and learn from the health curriculum, especially sexuality education, per SSD and partner district Board policies.

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“The rate of rape and sexual assault against people with intellectual disabilities is more than seven times the rate against people without disabilities.”

Normand, C.L &, Sallafranque-St-Louis. Cybervictimization of Young People With an Intellectual or Developmental Disability: Risks Specific to Sexual Solicitation. J Appl Res Intellect Disabil. 2016 Mar;29(2):99-110.

Valenti-Hein, D. & Schwartz, L. (1995). The Sexual Abuse Interview for Those with Developmental Disabilities James Stanfield Company. Santa Barbara: California

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“Among women with intellectual disabilities, it is about 12 times the rate.”

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Normand, C.L &, Sallafranque-St-Louis. Cybervictimization of Young People With an Intellectual or Developmental Disability: Risks Specific to Sexual Solicitation. J Appl Res Intellect Disabil. 2016 Mar;29(2):99-110.

Valenti-Hein, D. & Schwartz, L. (1995). The Sexual Abuse Interview for Those with Developmental Disabilities James Stanfield Company. Santa Barbara: California

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More than ninety percent (90%) of people (both male and female) with developmental disabilities will experience sexual abuse at some point in their lives. Forty-nine percent (49%) will experience ten or more abuse incidents.

Normand, C.L &, Sallafranque-St-Louis. Cybervictimization of Young People With an Intellectual or Developmental Disability: Risks Specific to Sexual Solicitation. J Appl Res Intellect Disabil. 2016 Mar;29(2):99-110.

Valenti-Hein, D. & Schwartz, L. (1995). The Sexual Abuse Interview for Those with Developmental Disabilities James Stanfield Company. Santa Barbara: California

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Internet, social media, and cell phones are increasing this risk exponentially...

Gowen, L. K., & Aue, N. (Eds.) (2011). Sexual Health Disparities Among Disenfranchised Youth. Public Health Division, Oregon Health Authority and Research and Training Center for Pathways to Positive Futures, Portland State University

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Lack of access to

health curriculum

Higher numbers of unplanned pregnancies

and sexually transmitted infections (STI) rates in youth and adults with disabilities.

Gowen, L. K., & Aue, N. (Eds.) (2011). Sexual Health Disparities Among Disenfranchised Youth. Public Health Division, Oregon Health Authority and Research and Training Center for Pathways to Positive Futures, Portland State University

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Lack of or inadequate sexual health education

Youth and adults with disabilities being charged with sexual crimes/offenses/ harassment

The Importance of Access to the Health Curriculum for ALL Students

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Prevent abuse, prevent sexual crime or offense, develop healthy relationships, and ensure adult life success.

Commitment to students and their success.

Equity: All students have to access and learn from the health curriculum, especially sexuality education, per SSD and partner district Board policies.

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To achieve SSD’s mission and vision all curriculum and educational opportunities MUST be included in the planning and delivery of services and supports for all students.

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Mission: To support and empower students of all learning abilities to excel to their greatest potential

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Vision: Every student realizes their fullest potential in life and learning

The Importance of Access to the Health Curriculum for ALL Students

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Prevent abuse, prevent sexual crime or offense, develop healthy relationships, and ensure adult life success.

Connection to Student Success

Equity: All students have access to and learn from the health curriculum, especially sexuality education, per SSD and partner district Board policies.

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SSDs Equity Statement:

Educational Equity exists when EACH STUDENT has opportunity and access to resources that focus on positive learning outcomes. This is achieved through an intentional focus on purposeful engagement, rigorous and individualized instruction, and relevant experiences.

Access to Health Curriculum for ALL Students is CRITICAL

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Objective #2:

Actively ensure all students’ access to the sexual health unit(s).

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Develop ongoing collaboration opportunities with the health teacher.

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• Introduce yourself early.
• Describe students with IEPS and their strengths and needs.
• Ask early about when sexuality education and other grade-specific events are covered.

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Promote that students’ families get a notification letter that the sexual health unit is going to be taught.

• Determine the process the school and health teacher use to notify families.
• Communicate that process to the special education teacher/case manager.
• Mark the date in your lesson plan book and/or calendar to stay alert to when the notification letter is sent to the students’ families.

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Agree on and teach the role of Special Educator, the Paraprofessional, and the Adaptive Physical Education Teacher to the Health Teacher.

• Special Education and Adaptive Physical Education Teachers
• Communicate accommodations and modifications
• Available to determine learning objectives for student in the curriculum
• Guide how the paraeducator supports instruction
• Paraprofessional
• Supports the students use of accommodations and modifications
• Is familiar with the learning objectives for student in the curriculum

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Collaborate with the Special Education Teacher to support learning.

• Establish communication routines.
• Share insights regarding the health curriculum instruction:
• Content
• Pacing
• Materials
• Support and promote collaboration between special education teacher and health teacher.

Objective #3:

Determine and teach others how to determine learning objectives for students with disabilities that are aligned to the district’s health curriculum.

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Promote the use of Student Profile Sheets.

• Health Educator and other General Educators need to know:
• Student learning profile
• Modification and accommodations
• Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) or other behavior management information
• Other helpful hints for engaging the student

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Ensure that any communication sent to general education students is sent home to all students on their caseload.

• Develop a process for collecting information to send home.
• Develop a communication process to share information with:
• Special Education Teacher
• Specialists
• Other Student Service Providers

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Promote that students’ accommodations and modifications are being used and are aligned with the identified learning objectives.

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• Don’t just give, explain the accommodations and modifications
• Accommodations - provide equitable instruction and assessment for students by reducing or eliminating the effects of a student’s disability, but do not reduce the learning expectations.
• Modifications - alterations that change the curricular or behavioral expectations and or standards, and provide an opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned or know. (*Modification of the General Education Curriculum can have a variety of long-term consequences, therefore, it should be done with great thought and caution.)
• Give examples of how to modify tasks, if needed.

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Communicate the role of the special educator and the paraprofessional.

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• Explain the role of the special educator:
• Provides resources and ideas on how to modify tasks
• Helps to communicate with family.
• Explain the roles of the paraprofessional:
• Provides direct support to student under direction and guidance of teacher-level staff.

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Outcome #4:

Direct others to SSD district approved materials and resources to supplement instruction for sexual health (eg., social skills, sexual health, character education, etc.) and high risk behaviors that are in alignment with SSD Board Policy IGAEB- Sexual Health Instruction

Use teacher-directed materials and resources

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Identify when replacement/supplemental instructional methods are necessary.

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• Accommodations or modifications are not sufficiently ensuring access to curriculum.
• Sexualized behaviors are impeding overall learning.
• Student has risk factors suggesting need for more sensitivity or possibility of triggers (trauma, :GBTQ+, etc.)

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Know where/how to access instructional materials.

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• Use district-approved resources.
• Know what additional SSD resources are available to support when high-risk behaviors are involved.
• High-risk sexuality/sexualized behaviors are those that impedes their learning or the learning of others.
• Contact the SSD Administrator to address this and access supports and resources as needed.

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Following this presentation, Adaptive Physical Education teachers will be able to

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• Describe the importance of access to health curriculum for all students
• Actively ensure all students’ access to the sexual health unit(s)
• Determine and teach others how to determine learning objectives for students with disabilities that are aligned to the district’s health curriculum
• Direct others to SSD district approved materials and resources to supplement instruction for sexual health (eg., social skills, sexual health, character education, etc.) and high risk behaviors that are in alignment with SSD Board Policy IGAEB - Sexual Health Instruction.

For more information, please contact the following SSD supports: