The fear factor: Bullying and students with disabilities

This article provides an overview of research addressing bullying and students with disabilities. The studies are discussed within two disability categories: visible and non-visible. Disabilities that are overt and observable were determined by the researchers to be categorized as visible. In contrast, disabilities that are less obvious and would require more time to observe and differentiate were categorized as non-visible. Results from the eleven studies published from 1989 to 2003 indicated students with disabilities, both visible and non-visible, experienced bullying more than their non-disabled general education peers and that boys were bullied more often than girls (Dawkins, 1996; O’Moore & Hillery (1989). Reported forms of bullying included name-calling, teasing, physical attacks, severe verbal bullying, verbal aggression, threats, taking belongings, imitating, and making fun of the students with disabilities. The students with disabilities also tended to be less popular, have fewer friends, and struggle with loneliness. Implications for future research are discussed. Over the past two decades, education for students with disabilities has gone through man