Comprehensive sexual education is fundamental for health of individual. Sexual education for autistic students in high school is essential. This group of students is often ignored as they are seen unable to have sexual pleasures due to their disability. These students often have poor social interactions and behave inappropriate in public due to lack of sexual education. The paper discuses the rationale for provision of education for this group, the educational benefits accrued and the development of a successful training session to address education for autistic students.
Introduction
Providing sexual education for autistic students is difficulty, this is because some may have severe disability in communication. Those with high impairment require a lot of time to teach, however, a significant number of this group of students can be reached by educating those who are in daily contact with them. This includes high school teachers, professional teaching associations, private organizations, Para professionals and care givers. There are several benefits that are associated with providing sexual education to the autistic students and many negative implications that result when this group is ignored. This justifies the provision of sexual education for the autistic students. The comprehensive sexual education should include the social, emotional, spiritual, vocational, physical, and intellectual dimensions.
Target group
The learning session aims at promoting health sexual relationships among autistic students in high school. Most high school students are usually within the teenage age. To reach this group of students the learning session aims to provide information to high school teachers, professional teaching associations, private organizations, Para professionals and care givers who are in direct contact with the autistic students. Teaching this group of professionals on sexual education health will help in reaching the autistic students in the areas of profession. Autism refers to lifelong development disability which results to poor social relationships, ineffective communication and behavior related problems. (Roome, 2010).
Autistic students have severe communication impairment. This makes their social interactions are limited because of impaired use of non-verbal communications such as facial expressions. Their relationships do not develop to the required developmental level. The major characteristic of autistic students includes the underdevelopment in communication, social interactions, unusual behaviors and poor learning characteristics.
The rationale behind the provision of comprehensive sexual education to autistic students in high school can be viewed from two perspectives. Firstly, it can be justified by the benefits that the autistic students and the society accrue from the sexual education. Secondly, negative consequences that result from ignoring sexual education for this particular group.
Sexual education to this group of students will enable them to express their intimacy in appropriate ways, develop meaningful relationships and improve their personal skills. The sexual education program enables the autistic students to acquire social skills and communications skills that help in enhancing social interactions. They help them to improve on their sexual safety as they would communicate sexual assaults and harassments to the right people, as well as protecting themselves.
All human beings are sexual beings. Autistic students may need to have sex like any other human being. However, due to their disability they are often considered unable to do so. This assumption should not undermine their sexual desires. Autistic children who lack sexual education misbehave in public such as masturbating in public, rubbing their genitals inappropriately, touching other children genitals or masturbating with objects that may cause harm to their genitals. Sexual education can enable them to satisfy their sexual desires privately. (Sheri & Mclaughlin, 2002)
Most children with autism are sexually abused. 8% of girls and 50% of boys with Autism spectrum disorders are sexually abused. (Satter, 2007). It is essential to provide sex education to these children so that they can be able to report cases of sexual harassment and abuse. Autistic students may not learn sexual norms and this increases the risk of abuse. lack of sexual education would increase the abuse against the autistic students
Lack of sexual education would deny this group fundamental human right of enjoying sex and good sexual relationships increasing social inequities within the society. Furthermore, discrimination against this group would increase. This would also deny the autistic groups the benefit of enjoying good sexual relationships
Objectives
Knowledge domain
1. To provide the teachers, professional teaching associations, private organizations, Para professionals and care givers who are in direct contact with the autistic students with accurate sexual information that ought to be taught to autistic students
2. To provide teachers, professional teaching associations, private organizations, Para professionals and care givers who are in direct contact with the autistic students with information of autism spectrum disorders and the characteristics of autistic students.
3. To provide adequate knowledge teachers, professional teaching associations, private organizations, Para professionals and care givers who are in direct contact with the autistic students on how to deal with autistic students sexual safety in cases of abuse
Attitudes domain
4. To enable the teachers, professional teaching associations, private organizations, Para professionals and care givers who are in direct contact with the autistic students understand the attitudes held by the society regarding sexuality within autistic students.
5. To enhance critical thinking in teachers, professional teaching associations, private organizations, Para professionals and care givers who are in direct contact with the autistic students in order to improve their decision making capabilities
6. To help teachers, professional teaching associations, private organizations, Para professionals and care givers who are in direct contact with the autistic students to learn their responsibilities in ensuring that autistic students have good sexual relationships with all the other social groups.
Skills domain
7. To enhance communication skills for the teachers, professional teaching associations, private organizations, Para professionals and care givers who are in direct contact with the autistic students within the adolescents in order to improve their interpersonal relationships so that they can give a more direct and straight forward
8. To help the teachers, professional teaching associations, private organizations, Para professionals and care givers who are in direct contact with the autistic students acquire skills for making sound decisions regarding cases of autistic students such as of sexual abuse.
9. To equip the teachers, professional teaching associations, private organizations, Para professionals and care givers who are in direct contact with the autistic students with social skills to be passed to the autistic students in order enable them communicate sexual insecurity and abuse.
Educational strategy
Readiness
The facilitator should clearly introduce what is going to be learned through the section. Allow learners to raise argument regarding sexual health. This will be help to create rapport between the participants and facilitator. Make the participants appreciate the importance of the topic to their life and in promoting the sexual health of others. (McAllister and McLeod 1997)
Reference points
It is essential to use language which is understandable by all the participants. Listen to the points thy raise and do not dominate the entire session. Therefore, engage learners by asking them relevant questions during the session.
Relevance
Limiting the discussion to the topic is critical in order to maintain relevance. Make sure that the participants realize the importance of all what they are learning in their day to day life. This is enhanced by giving practical examples and relating the topics with your personal experience in life. (Shore, linda & Grandin, 2006).
Remediation
The facilitator should request one of the participants to give a summary of what they have acquired in the session. A quiz can help to gauge whether learners have understood. Revise the quiz with the learners.
Participant activity
1. The participants will be organized in groups of five including both genders and choose a group leader and secretary
2. Each group shall discuss on the best approach to use when providing sexual education for the autistic students.
3. Each group shall be allowed to discuss the issue for five minutes. the discussion should include approaches considered vital for successful autistic students sexual education.
4. Groups will list the main points of discussions that shall be presented shortly by the group secretary
5. Summary of the main points will be noted on the board.
Benefits associated with the sexual education session
A successful session of sexual health education, would be beneficial to the teachers, professional teaching associations, private organizations, Para professionals and care givers who are in direct contact with the autistic students who under through such session. Consequently these benefits would be transferred to the main target group (autistic students). According to the Sexuality information and education council of the United States (2004) guidelines for comprehensive education the autistic students would benefit by:
1. They would realize that their sexual needs are cared for. This will promotes the relationship between the autistic students and other members of the society
2. Enhancing sexual health among the Autistic students, they would acquire communication and social skills that would enhance their sexual safety
3. Sexual education would enable sexual expression in various ways. This group of Autistic students they are limited in social relationships and thus sexual education would improve their ability to express their sexual desires in a better way
4. The educational session would let the teachers, professional teaching associations, private organizations, Para professionals and care givers who are in direct contact with the autistic students to understand the need to have sexual education for this group of students
5. The session would enable the teachers, professional teaching associations, private organizations, Para professionals and care givers who are in direct contact with the autistic students to understand the dimensions of sexuality. This involves physical, social, psychological, emotional and ethical dimensions
6. The teachers, professional teaching associations, private organizations, Para professionals and care givers who are in direct contact with the autistic students would appreciate the diversity of beliefs and values that exist within the society
7. The teachers, professional teaching associations, private organizations, Para professionals and care givers who are in direct contact with the autistic students would appreciate the fact that individual within the society have the right to make sexual decisions including the autistic students
8. The teachers, professional teaching associations, private organizations, Para professionals and care givers who are in direct contact with the autistic students would realize that for the autistic students to engage in sexual relationships, access to health care services is very essential
9. The autistic student will be able to appreciate their condition and have positive sexual relationships as a result of self acceptance
10. Autistic students will be able to relate with all genders in a respectful and appropriate manner with the acquisition of social skills
11. The autistics can seek for more reproduction information especially those who are of medium impairment.
Sexual health application
In Physical dimension, the autistic students will need to realize that they can adapt their own unique circumstances to help them enjoy and explore fully their sexual identity. Thus physical impairment should not be a tabling block to sexual enjoyment because one can use additional lubricant, sex toys or opt for non penetrative sex. (Lawson, 2005)
In Social life, the disable should be able to appreciate that making a network of experienced friends can help him/ her to improve on sexual health. They should develop a relationship based on mutual respect and trust. Talking to this people can help them improve on their sexual health.( Sexuality information and education council of the United States, 2004).
Emotional health, this section will help the disabled learn to express and manage their sexual emotions appropriately. They should not hide their sexual emotions, but, should rather express them because. This helps in developing right environment to receive and give sexual pleasures.
Spiritual dimension, the learners should be able to appreciate that there are some natural forces which a person cannot eliminate. One should accept the expanse and depth of life. Thus having sexual feeling is normal and being disabled cannot in any way insure one against such feelings. (Sexuality information and education council of the United States,2004).
Intellectual dimension, the learners should appreciate continuous learning and pursuing all activities which enhances not only sexual knowledge, but also, general life knowledge. Therefore, what one has gained from the session should act as basics of learning more.
Vocational dimension, the participants should appreciate that one has to choose roles which are in line with personal goals, beliefs, personality and life style. This helps in fulfilling socially defined roles that are inherently rewarding and stimulating. (Sexuality information and education council of the United States, 2004).
Materials needed
1. Power supply
2. Projector
3. Writing board
4. Data reader (laptop)
References
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