Recognize, Respond, Report

Preventing and Addressing

Bullying of Students with Special Needs

by
Lori Ernsperger, Ph.D., BCBA-

Contents

• About the Author
• Acknowledgments
• Foreword: Dorothy Espelage
• Preface
• Overview of the Book
• Part I: Recognize Bullying and Disability-Based Harassment in Schools
• Part II: Respond to Bullying and Disability-Based Harassment in Schools
• Part III: Report Bullying and Disability-Based Harassment in Schools
• Resources and Special Features

1. Types of Bullying

• Cyberbullying
• Bully-Victim Dynamic
• Staff Mistreatment of Students with Disabilities
• Implementation Checklist

2. The Impact of Bullying and the School Response

• Impact on Academic Achievement
• Impact of Parental Involvement
• Impact on School Safety

3. Research-Based Interventions to Prevent Bullying in Schools

• Nine Core Components for Preventing and Responding to Bullying and Disability-Based Harassment
• Multitiered Framework
• District- and Schoolwide Interventions
• Creating a Positive School Climate
• Social-Emotional Learning
• School Safety Teams
• Parental Involvement
• Parent Training
• Staff Training
• Implementation Checklist

Prevalence and Definition of Bullying and Disability-Based Harassment

Bullying was once a silent epidemic endured by millions of children daily. Most school professionals do not recognize the severe implications of bullying, its long-term impact on childhood victims, and its overall negative impact on the school environment and student achievement. Today, bullying in schools is being recognized as an international problem and public health concern.

Key Statistics:

• The U.S. Department of Education estimates that 28% of all middle school students are bullied.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that approximately 20% of students report being bullied across various grade levels.
• The National Crime Victimization Survey states that 27% of boys and 30% of girls reported being bullied.

Bullying and Students with Disabilities

In addition to the high rates of bullying for typically developing students, students with special needs are bullied at twice the rate of their peers:

• Ability Path (2011) reports that 60% of students with disabilities are bullied in schools.
• The Interactive Autism Network (IAN, 2012) reported that 63% of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) were bullied in schools.
• Youth Voice Project reports that students with physical disabilities were 1.94 times more likely to be bullied.

Definitions of Bullying

Bullying involves a real or perceived imbalance of power, and it typically entails repeated harmful actions against another individual.

Disability-Based Harassment

According to research, students with disabilities are vulnerable and at greater risk of being bullied, which may rise to the level of disability-based harassment. Key legal protections exist under:

1. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
2. Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 2008
3. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) of 2004

Implementation Checklist for School Personnel