Looking back at the service delivery models of sex education in the United States: Adults with visual impairments report on their experiences

Abstract

This study investigated the sex education experiences of adults with visual impairments who attended either an itinerant or residential service delivery model during their school age years in the United States. We sought to answer the research questions through an online survey instrument that included quantifiable survey items. Findings demonstrate particular sex education content presented to participants in the school curriculum was more frequent for participants who attended residential schools. However, there were little or no meaningful methods or materials (e.g., role plays, explicit talk, tactile graphics, electronic materials, anatomically correct models) used by the participants in their sex education experiences regardless of their educational school setting. The information reported by participants in this study underscores the claim that more thorough and in-depth sex education is needed in all types of service delivery models that takes into account the needs of students with visual impairments.