Protecting Youth with IDD in Digital Spaces

Brian Geiger, EdD

The Horizons School

Many students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are vulnerable when using technology, as they have not learned how to protect themselves when threatened with emotional and physical harm.

To address this need, a collaborative initiative between nonprofits and public schools teaches students, educators, and families to recognize signs of unhealthy relationships and practice protective actions. The program emphasizes wise use of smartphones, gaming, and social media, and uses videos with teen actors to model safe behaviors and encourage discussion. Post-participation surveys have demonstrated the program’s effectiveness: of the 600 participants surveyed, most report increased knowledge of technology-related risks and greater confidence in reducing exploitation.