RAISE The Standard, July 2023, v.9 n.7

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Play, Recreation, Hobbies, and Leisure

Recreation and leisure are vital. Not only does play provide joy, it helps with stress, mind and body skills, creativity, and can be a great way to meet people. Recreation can also help youth learn skills to apply in school and at work. For example, trying to excel in basketball can lead a young person to feel more compelled to do well academically. Learning to lose or failing and trying again teaches a young person to recognize that obstacles and struggles can be overcome.

By starting young, while still in school, youth can learn wellness skills that last a lifetime.

So just go play? Not so simple. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) have called recreation and leisure skills a “neglected component of transition planning.” Research from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) suggests that people with disabilities are less likely than those without disabilities to be physically active. The CDC also notes that children and adults with disabilities are more at risk for obesity and secondary conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. In spite of ADA guidelines, there are still many barriers to inclusive opportunities.

In this issue of RAISE The Standard, we look at the role of recreation in transition planning.

Camp Experience Changes Lives

for Generations

If you have never seen Crip Camp, now is the time. The full-length Netflix film produced in 2020 follows the experiences of a group of young campers with disabilities in the 1971 at Camp Jened. What was supposed to be “just summer camp” became an emancipating advocacy training experience; a group of teen campers were inspired to join the fight for disability civil rights. Some of the campers went on to change disability policy: Jim LeBrecht, Neil Jacobson, Denise Sherer Jacobson, and the late Judith Heumann.

Click here to watch the full-length film.

Recreation as a Related Service

Did you know that recreation is an important related service under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)?

Federal law specifically requires “special education, related services, supplementary aids and services, program modifications and supports for school personnel to allow the child to advance toward attaining annual goals, be involved and progress in the general curriculum, and participate in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities and participate with other children.”

Recreation as a related service is defined under the IDEA as “any developmental, corrective, and other supportive service as may be required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education.” It includes:

• Assessment of Recreation and Leisure Functioning: This involves an assessment of current functional strengths and needs of students with disabilities in terms of skills, abilities, and attitudes relative to recreation and leisure.

• Leisure Education: This provides students with recreational and educational instruction to promote positive attitudes toward leisure, recognition of the benefits of recreation involvement, the development of skills necessary for recreation participation (such as social, decision making, and planning skills), knowledge of recreation resources, and attitudes and skills that facilitate independent, satisfying leisure experiences.

• Therapeutic Recreation: This is a process which uses recreation activities to habilitate or rehabilitate functional abilities that contribute to behavioral change. It is also a process involving assessment, development of goals and objectives, and the implementation, documentation, and evaluation of intervention strategies.

• Recreation in Schools and Community Agencies: This involves the provision of recreation services that facilitate the full participation of children with disabilities in school and community programs.

The Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, also addresses recreation. It mandates that public and private providers of recreation and leisure programming provide those with disabilities equal opportunities to receive the benefits of programs and services, including recreation and physical activity programs.

Recreation does not have to mean outdoor activities or sports. In fact, recreation might be a hobby, a craft, scouting, dance, puzzles, reading, music, paintings, or a special interest that provides joy.

Post-Secondary Outcomes

for Recreation and Leisure

What are post-secondary outcomes for recreation and leisure?

• Develop specific and affordable recreation and leisure skills
• Develop spectator or audience member skills
• Identify activities through community education classes
• Identify acceptable dress for a variety of situations
• Arrange social activities
• Establish exercise routines
• Identify possible social supports through family and community

Creating Goals for Recreation and Leisure Activities

• Almost any life skill goal can be related to recreation and leisure activities.
• Ask the student (parents/guardians when appropriate) what he/she likes to do in their free time.
• Find out what the individual likes to do and is interested in.
• Students should assist with the creation of their own goals for recreation and leisure.
• Goals should be written in the IEP and incorporated into daily living. 

Strategies Used to Encourage Participation in Activities

• Look into clubs/programs that provide recreation/leisure activities. Examples include: community center sports, drop-in opportunities, church programs, scout programs, 4-H, Boys & Girls Club, etc.
• Help students figure out what they love to do.
• Promoting inclusion settings at every grade level.
• Implement technology if you can.
• Communicate with parents to help encourage participation in extracurricular activities.
• Learn the students’ likes and dislikes, interests, and hobbies.
• If an individual has no interest, help them explore options.
• Students who are involved in their goal writing for recreation and leisure are more likely to be committed to that goal and incorporate the learned skills in their everyday life.
• Once outcomes are determined, they will drive the goals and objectives of the IEP.
• Stress the importance of playing and being outside instead of inside.

Questions to Consider

• What recreation and leisure activities are available in your community for adults with and without disabilities?

• What barriers exist in your community for participation in recreation and leisure activities and how can they be removed?

• What are the unique skills and interests of your student(s) and what recreation activities align with them?

Adaptive Sports

Cycling

The most common way for people with disabilities to cycle is with the use of modified bikes. Tricycles, modified with special seats and handlebars, provide the best stability. If pedaling a bike or staying upright is hard, try hand cycling while seated or reclined. Tandem cycling is a safe way for people with visual or hearing problems to enjoy cycling. Modifying cycles can also allow another person to push the cycle if needed.

Golf

Adaptive golf can be played standing or sitting. In addition, adaptive golf carts can help stabilize the body while swinging the club. Golf clinics can teach people with disabilities about adaptive equipment. They also can teach you how to play golf if you have limb loss, paralysis, problems seeing or hearing, and emotional or cognitive problems.

Horseback Riding

Riding horses can improve physical, social, cognitive, sensory, and emotional well-being. Look for programs that offer hippotherapy, therapeutic horseback riding, and equine-assisted therapy.

Paddling

Paddling sports include canoeing, kayaking, rowing, and rafting. A canoe or kayak, modified for special positioning and grip, can make it possible to join outings. Canoes, tandem kayaks, and rafts allow people of all abilities to take part in paddling sports together.

Volleyball

In sitting volleyball, players sit on the ground. The game follows the same rules as stand-up volleyball, but with a shorter net and smaller court.

Skiing

Skiing can be done while sitting or standing. People with all types of disabilities

can enjoy skiing with help or adaptive equipment. People with less strength, stability, and coordination can ski seated on one or two skis. Tethers and tandem skis allow you to ski with the help of another person. Trained guides can ski with a visually impaired skier and call out instructions.

Swimming

Adaptive swimming includes all swim strokes and distances. People with disabilities of all kinds can participate. Adaptive swimming does not require special equipment and can be done with very few modifications.

Tennis

Tennis uses adaptive equipment for mobility, such as a wheelchair. Rules get modified based on the type of disability. This allows a stand-up player to compete against or on the same team as a player in a wheelchair.

Related groups: Let's Roll Wheelchair Tennis

Wheelchair Basketball

Wheelchair basketball is accessible to those with a variety of physical disabilities. The same rules and standards of basketball apply, with a few variations for dribbling and contact from the wheelchair.

Related groups: National Wheelchair Basketball Association

Other Adaptive Sports

Other activities and sports for people with disabilities include:

• Archery
• Bocce
• Bowling
• Fencing
• Fishing
• Hunting
• Lacrosse
• Pool
• Rugby
• Sailing
• Scuba
• Shooting
• Softball
• Table tennis
• Water skiing

Adapted from "Adaptive Sports: Staying Active While Living With A Disability"

Asking About Accommodations

in Recreation

Even when a recreational program claims to be accessible, it might not be accessible to every person with a disability. Each person (and their disability) is unique and may require a different type of access. Before heading out to play, it is a good idea to ask yourself: “What supports and accommodations do I need to enjoy myself safely and fully participate?” The following questions about accessibility can help.

Parks and Picnic Areas:

• Are the accessible picnic tables located on a firm and stable surface with an accessible route?
• What types of restroom and bathing facilities are provided?
• Is there a private changing area for adult or teens?
• Is there a fenced area to help prevent wandering and elopement?

Museums and Exhibits:

• Are exhibits in the museum visible to a person in a seated position?
• Are there accessible elevators?
• Are brochures, playbills/programs, exhibit text, and interpretive handouts available in Braille, large print, audio, or computer disk formats?
• Is a sign language interpreter available?
• Are tactile maps, models, and objects included in exhibits?
• Are there sensory-friendly spaces?

Theater and Sport Venues:

• Does the site provide accessible seating areas? Will a person using a wheelchair need to transfer?
• What is the venue’s policy on service animals?
• Is an assistive listening device available?
• Is real-time captioning and/or sign language interpretation available for performances?
• What accommodations are in place to allow a person with a disability to avoid large crowds, long lines, or busy waiting areas?
• Are there sensory-friendly performance options?

Recreation Programs/Pools:

• What supports are provided to make swim lessons accessible for people with disabilities?
• Is there a pool lift or sloped entry for those who use a wheelchair?
• Is there small group instruction for those who cannot tolerate larger groups?
• What kinds of social accommodations are provided?
• Are there special leagues for people with disabilities or are teams and services fully inclusive?

These questions are not all-encompassing. Remember, asking questions specific to your needs will increase the likelihood of an enjoyable experience.

There are eight (8) Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) Parent Centers throughout the United States that provide training and programming to youth and young adults with disabilities, their families, professionals, and other Parent Centers. The focus is on issues surrounding youth transition.

RSA Parent Centers are funded by the Rehabilitation Service Administration (RSA) under the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), which is part of the US Department of Education.

In this issue of RAISE, meet The Midwestern Collaborative (C2). They bring a unique opportunity for eight (8) Parent Training and Information Centers (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming) to explore, create, and celebrate statewide services that focus on self-advocacy, self-discovery, and independence for youth with disabilities. Working closely with professionals from both Vocational Rehabilitation Centers and Centers for Independent Living, they will bring collaborative and innovative services to guide youth with disabilities and their families, centering on secondary transition and life after high school.

While they offer many resources, here is one to check out: Short webinars (around 10 minutes long) on a wide range of issues that are relevant to advocates nationwide. Click here to peruse the webinar listing.

NCHPAD: Founded in 1999, the National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability (NCHPAD) is a public health practice and resource center on health promotion for people with disabilities. NCHPAD seeks to help people with disabilities and other chronic health conditions achieve health benefits through increased participation in all types of physical and social activities, including fitness and aquatic activities, recreational and sports programs, adaptive equipment usage, and others. Learn more about NCHPAD.

Special Olympics: SO is a global organization offering unified and separated sports training and competitions. Learn more about Special Olympics.

Move United: With 210 members in 45 states, Move United seeks to ensure that everyone has access to sports and is included in their community. Learn more about Move United.

National Sports Center for the Disabled: A Colorado-based nonprofit that creates and provides adaptive outdoor recreation experiences. Learn more about NSCD.

National Ability Center: This Utah-based organization works to make recreation and outdoor adventures accessible to people of all abilities. Learn more about National Ability Center.

National Wheelchair Basketball: https://www.nwba.org/

Let’s Roll Wheelchair Tennis: https://letsrollwheelchairtennis.com/

PATH Therapeutic Horseback: https://pathintl.org/

RAISE The Standard enewsletter identifies and shares resources that the Rehabilitation Services Administration Parent Training and Information Centers (RSA-PTI) can use and share with families.

The RAISE Technical Assistance Center is working to advance the accessibility of its digital resources, including its websites, enewsletters and various digital documents.

* For more on SPAN Parent Advocacy Network and all of the complementary programs supported, visit spanadvocacy.org.