Effects of an awareness program on attitudes of students without an intellectual disability towards persons with an intellectual disability

Background We tested whether social and educational integration combined with training in awareness of disability for secondary school students resulted in more positive, long-lasting attitudes about educational and social inclusion of people with an intellectual disability. Method Attitudes of 259 participants (116 males, 143 females) were assessed by questionnaire. Effects of awareness of disability programs (ADPs) were tested by comparing attitudes of current secondary school students participating in a 3-session or 8-session ADP (n=67) and past students who had participated in a 10-session ADP 8 years prior to the present study (n=46), with same-age controls without training (n=146). Results Students completing 8-session ADPs reported more favourable attitudes than students in the 3-session ADP and peers without training. Past students' attitudes were also highly positive, compared with same-age controls without training. Conclusions ADP programs can promote positive attitudes towards people with an intellectual disability. Such training may have long-term benefits.