Education and social work students’ perceptions of Internet use by people with and without intellectual disability

Abstract

Educators and social workers are essential to promote the social and digital inclusion of people with intellectual disability. Their perceptions about Internet use by people with intellectual disability may lead to prejudices that can hinder the opportunity of this group to get equal and meaningful access to the virtual arena. To identify potential prejudices among future professionals and to determine their initial training needs, a cross-sectional survey study was conducted. The aim was to examine and compare 433 education and social work students’ perceptions about Internet use by people with and without intellectual disability, in terms of online benefits, risks and safety. Results showed that students perceived the Internet to be more beneficial, but also riskier and less safe, for people with intellectual disability than for the general population. Differences were observed with regard to gender, university degree and frequency of contact with people with intellectual disability and a positive relationship was found between students’ Internet use and their perceived online benefits, risks and safety. These findings highlight the need for initial training programs that overcome future professionals’ prejudices towards people with intellectual disability and their capability to use the Internet safely.