Samenvatting

This thesis answers the question how you should communicate with children with Intellectual Disability regarding Internet safety. Also, this research will discuss online behaviour of this group and if Internet classes will contribute to more awareness of the dangers on the web. In the future, more children with Intellectual Disability will attend regular education due to governmental intervention. The government wants regular schools to be able to welcome all children, with or without special needs. Therefore, this research will help the teachers at regular education to get more insight about how you should communicate with children with Intellectual Disability. On top of that, these children are more vulnerable to get victimised by criminal activities. At de Ziep, which is a school providing special education, children get involved in cyber bullying, cybersex, meeting with strangers from the Internet, etc. Children with this condition are handing over personal data such as their name or phone number. The school started Internet safety classes to educate their children about these topics. A research needs to be conducted to see if Internet classes will have impact on the children’s online behaviour. The results of the research concluded that literature written about communication are quite accurate but sometimes outdated. Also, there is a difference in online behaviour of children with and without this condition. Children with Intellectual Disability experience more cyberbullying and meet with more strangers from the Internet. Also, more hours are spent on the web compared to children without the condition. It is advised that special education or regular schools start Internet safety classes since children with Intellectual Disability become victim of cyber bullying, cybersex and meeting strangers easily. Also, the Internet classes that have been given, give children with Intellectual Disability tools to solve or prevent certain dangers they may encounter Online. They are more able to recognise warning signs and involve an adult quicker when something gets out of hand. To teach children with Intellectual Disability about behaving safely on the Internet, it is best to teach them a new structure. A new structure is taught by repetition. The more you repeat it, the better they will remember it. The best way is to give them a step by step plan. By giving them a step by step plan which they can apply on different situations Online, they will be able to identify warning signs and receive the tools to solve most issues by themselves. Whenever you discuss important information, you should discuss it at the beginning of the class since then concentration is at its highest. When you communicate with a child with Intellectual Disability it is key to use short and simple sentences. Make sure you use different communication tools simultaneously, for example verbal communication and sign language. Also, give these children enough time to respond to questions since they process information slower than normally.