A Sex Education Program for Congenitally Blind Adults in a Rehabilitation Center Setting

During a counseling internship at the Rehabilitation Center for the Blind, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, it became apparent that congenitally blind adults there had little or no knowledge regarding the opposite sex, sex roles, sexual function and process, or socialization. It was noted that these individuals simply had not received basic sexual information either in the home or in school. After noting this need for a sex education program for congenitally blind adults, a curriculum was designed to meet that need. This article presents a summary of the preparation for and presentation of that program to two different class groups in the Sioux Falls facility. The article focuses upon the practical experiences of conducting a sex education course, and on important material of a theoretical nature.