Teachers’ and parents’ views on the Internet and social media usage by pupils with intellectual disabilities

Abstract

This article reports experiences from a Swedish study, discussing teachers’ and parents’ views on how young people with intellectual disabilities use the Internet and social media. Five semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted with teachers ( n = 8) in special programmes in upper secondary schools for pupils with intellectual disabilities and parents ( n = 5) of pupils in the same form of schooling, and they were analysed with thematic analysis. Teachers more strongly emphasize a pupil’s use of the Internet for interactive purposes. Parents had expectations that the Internet could be a tool for gaining more awareness of one’s own disability and a way to meet other peer group pupils. Teachers’ and parents’ perspectives on the Internet and social media usage are important since it is imperative to show how support can be provided for young people with intellectual disabilities.