For educators: Chapter 3, Sex Education, in Health Education for Students With Visual Impairments: A Guidebook for Teachers, published by the American Printing House for the Blind (APH).
BSAN note
APH’s guidebook represents substantial work toward making sexuality education accessible to blind students. Its teaching ideas deserve thoughtful consideration, alongside careful attention to the guidance that needs correction or reconsideration.
BSAN’s review examines Chapter 3 through disability justice and public health perspectives: accurate information, bodily autonomy, meaningful participation, and sexual well-being. We recognize the chapter’s contributions, explain specific concerns, and offer practical alternatives.
Laura Millar, a co-founder of the Blind Sexuality Access Network (BSAN), submitted professional reviewer feedback on an earlier draft and is acknowledged in the guidebook. Several concerns from her original review remain unresolved in the 2019 version examined. These include consent in teaching, assumptions about blind people’s independence, inclusive instruction, and the framing of sexual health. Some changes are consistent with her recommendations, but we cannot confirm which resulted from her feedback.
We also discussed the chapter within BSAN, including approaches we did not find blind positive or sex positive. Those conversations emphasized educational materials that respect blind students’ agency, support sexuality education without shame, and could benefit all students.
As part of our research for the Blind Positive Sex Ed project, we built and tested some of the recommended models. Community feedback ranged from unhelpful or comical to incredibly useful, especially when models were paired with other teaching approaches, including our 3-D printed models and tactile graphics. These varied responses inform our recommendations for learner choice and combinations of teaching materials.
The full review examines nine areas: consent and physical guidance; independence and safety; drink-spiking education; STI symptom models; accuracy of health information; gender inclusion; classroom and tactile access; lubricant education; and pleasure, relationships, and choice.
Each area explains the chapter’s recommendation, its teaching purpose, the feedback, why it matters, and a practical way to improve the lesson. Readers do not need to have seen the chapter. Section references help APH and educators who have authorized access locate the passages.
A revision plan identifies specific changes for APH. Questions for educators support thoughtful use and adaptation of the chapter now. The public health goal is accurate understanding, informed choices, access to care, and sexual well-being, with blind learners’ dignity and agency at the center.
Read BSAN’s full review and teaching recommendations.
Independent editorial opinion: This note and the linked review express BSAN’s perspective.
Version reviewed: 2019.
The chapter is part of a paid guidebook; the private review copy is not provided here. Publication information is available from the American Printing House for the Blind’s official guidebook listing.
Share your experience
Blind people, educators, families, and the resource’s authors all have knowledge that can help strengthen this work. You do not need to have read the chapter to share experiences of accessible sexuality education. What helped, and what would you change?
Email your feedback or use BSAN’s contact form. Please tell us whether we may quote you and how you would like to be credited.
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