ABSTRACT
The issue of sexuality education can cause reactions ranging from avoidance, to mild discomfort, to giggles in a middle school class, to sadness and frustration when sex education does not meet a child’s unique needs. In the realm of research, the study of sexuality education is relatively behind other areas of pedagogy, likely due to the content covered. Topics such as plant biology have been commonplace for decades, whereas formal education directed at human sexuality is a newer arrival. Oftentimes, the need for information is not being met by programs already in place. For instance, teenagers in the United States express that they want more information about how to prevent sexually transmitted infections, how to respond after sexual assault, how to cope with being pressured to have sex, and how to prevent pregnancy. These same topics are either not covered or not covered in-depth enough in the sexuality education these teenagers are receiving (Lindberg, Santelli, & Singh, 2006; Martinez, Abma, & Copen, 2010). Beyond this gap, individuals
with disabilities have had even less access to sex education, especially as it relates to their own abilities and challenges (for a review, see Kempton & Kahn, 1991). Here, we provide an introduction to sexuality education and disability, methodological challenges, and applications of sexuality education programs.
