Self-Study: Developmental Disabilities and Sexuality 101

An Engaging Self-Study, Online Course to Help Staff Work One-on-One With This Sensitive Topic

Feel More Confident and Skillful When Discussing Sexuality

When it comes to discussions about sexuality, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are often excluded, almost as if they’re incapable of having sexual thoughts, feelings, and needs. In reality, they too are sexual beings who need information and skills to make healthy decisions about sexuality and relationships.

If you are like many professionals who work with people with I/DD, you know sexuality issues need to be addressed, but you may not have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to do so.

That’s about to change …

This six-module, online course offers you a proven, nuts-and-bolts approach to discussing sexuality and responding to behaviors. Like so many other professionals who’ve completed this course, you’ll come away feeling more skillful, comfortable and confident when discussing sexuality with the people you serve.

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Developmental Disabilities and Sexuality 101

The training modules and curriculum that Katherine has designed set the standard for sexual education for individuals with ID/DD. They are straight forward, sensitive, humane, and with compassion.

Dr. Robb Weiss Psy. D., BCBA-D

Benefits of this Online Course

Use With All Your Staff

Enables new hires to begin training immediately. Appropriate for direct support staff as well as management. Assures consistency of training.

Easy Scheduling

Learn when you want, where you want – makes it easy to coordinate training with your staff.

Reduce Training Cost

No travel or extended time out of the office. Buy it once and get unlimited use.

Included in This Course

6 Video Training Modules

High-quality, well-paced learning modules developed by Katherine McLaughlin, an expert in sexuality education.

PDF Downloads of Course Materials

Accompanying PDF versions of training exercises, handouts, and checklists.

Email Support for Your Questions

Email your questions to our support team as you go through the program.

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Research Shows Online Learning is More Effective

The U.S. Department of Education recently released a report on the effectiveness of online education. Their meta-analysis found that, on average, students in online learning conditions performed better than those receiving face-to-face instruction.

Course Learning Objectives

Define sexuality and sexual self-advocacy and create positive messages for people with developmental disabilities.

Discuss sexual development and explain issues related to sexuality and developmental disabilities.

Recognize and examine how your own values and attitudes impact your ability and effectiveness in teaching this topic.

Discuss ways to teach this topic, answer questions, and respond to behaviors.

Access tools and strategies to answer questions, respond to behaviors, and address sexuality in an effective way.

Identify tools and strategies for working with parents and guardians.

Here’s What You’ll Learn in Each Module

Module 1 – Getting Back to Basics

This module explores what sexuality and sexual self-advocacy mean. It examines messages that we received growing up about sexuality and how those impact our ability to talk about this topic. We will create positive messages to use when working with people with developmental disabilities.

Module 2 – Sexuality 101

This module gets you up to date on Human Sexual Development and the issues regarding sexuality that people with developmental disabilities face. You will gain a better understanding of how to support people with developmental disabilities in their sexual development.

Module 3 – Barriers to Being Effective

This module examines the barriers we face in communicating about this topic. We will explore our own values and attitudes and how these impact our ability to discuss this sensitive topic.

Module 4 – Answering Questions: Practical Tips and Tools

This module is designed to give you the tools to overcome any barriers you have with addressing this topic. We will explore the different types of questions and effective ways to answer questions.

Module 5 – Responding to Behaviors: Practice, Tips and Tools

This module provides a framework for responding to sexual behaviors. We will explore different scenarios involving sexual behaviors and how you might respond to these behaviors in an effective and positive way.

Module 6 – Working With Parents and Guardians

This module will help you learn ways to build your relationship with parents. We will discuss tips for working with parents and guardians and how to relieve their concerns.

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Here’s a Brief Sample of the Course Content

To find out what the course is like, watch this short montage video. It compresses nine hours of content into five minutes to give you an idea of what to expect.

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Order Your Copy Now

Buy Now

$397

Course Includes

6 Video Training Modules

Downloadable PDF’s

Email Support for Questions

Buy Your Copy Now

Pay with credit card or check/PO.

Note: After you complete your purchase, watch for a confirmation email from us with instructions and a link to access the course. If you do not receive this email, please check your SPAM folder.

Katherine McLaughlin is a phenomenal trainer full of energy and knowledge. She is skilled at creating an extremely comfortable environment for people to learn about such an important and sensitive topic.

Katie ArnoldCommunity Support Coordinator
Institute on Disability and Human Development
University of Illinois-Chicago

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the course designed for?

This course is designed for direct support staff or any individuals who work with people with developmental disabilities. It’s also good for agency admin, managers, or teachers.

How will I receive the course materials?

Once you purchase the course and create your account and profile, you’ll get access to the entire course, all its modules, and supporting PDFs. You can log in at any time from any computer that has an internet connection.

What’s the format of the materials included in the course?

The main content comes from a video which is a narrated PowerPoint presentation. During the video, you will be asked to pause the video and do some activities with PDF handouts that you printed or downloaded from the module. There may also be some videos to watch after the module video is complete.

How much time should I set aside for each module?

Each module takes about 90 minutes to complete.

Is there a way to prove I took the course so I can get credit from my supervisor?

Yes, there is a Course Assessment document as part of the course. After each module, you are asked to fill out the Assessment. When you’ve completed the course, you can turn it into your supervisor as documentation that you successfully completed the course.

Do I need to be in a particular place or time to access the course?

Nope, you can access the course anytime, any where you can connect to the internet.

How many people can use the course?

Anyone in your agency has access to the course. Please do not distribute outside your agency. You can repeat the course over and over.

How Does My Staff Access the Course?

If you are an agency/school buying this course for multiple staff, give the URL link (to access the course) along with the username and password you set up to anyone you want to access the course. Everyone shares one account. The login credentials are the same for everyone.

Can I buy with a purchase order and check rather than online?

Yes, if your agency or organization requires this type of purchase, it is a payment option.

What happens after I click Buy Now?

After you purchase you will get an email from Katherine McLaughlin with instructions and a link to access the course. When you click the link you will be taken to the site that houses the course (the course portal). First, you set up your account and create a password, build a profile and then you can access all your course content.

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