Talk-LD and Talk-LD+: A pilot trial of school-based interventions to challenge discrimination and promote inclusion

Abstract

To counteract stigma and discrimination a series of five lessons Talk about Learning Disability (Talk-LD) to promote young people's understanding and acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities were developed for the Scottish secondary school curriculum. This study examined the feasibility of carrying out a randomised control trial comparing the delivery of the lessons alone with the lessons plus an attempt to promote positive contact between participating students and people with intellectual disabilities. The aim was to recruit and randomise 12 schools to receive the lessons alone or the lessons plus contact. The Attitudes Towards Intellectual Disability (ATTID) questionnaire was completed at baseline and a questionnaire about students' understanding of the lesson content was completed at follow-up alone. Twelve schools were recruited and randomised. The lessons were delivered to 23 classes across the 12 schools. Baseline data were obtained for 480 participants. However, school closures due to COVID-19 meant that follow-up data were only obtained from 220 students (six schools) prior to school closures. The attitude measure only detected change in one ATTID scale, indicating students may be more willing to interact with a person with intellectual disabilities post intervention. Three of the six schools randomised to the lessons plus contact group had plans in place for joint activities between students and young people with an intellectual disability. Despite the disruption caused by the Covid pandemic, the findings were encouraging in relation to future research on the Talk-LD lessons. The schools also engaged positively with the process of promoting positive contact with young people with an intellectual disability.