Engaging Students with Physical Disabilities in Physical Education and Recreation

1. Engaging Students with Physical Disabilities in Physical Education and Recreation Diana Helt, CTRS Kelly King, MS Ed, AFS

2. Why do you teach PE? Why is PE important? What do students gain from physical activity?

3. What about students with disabilities? • 55 million Americans have disabilities. • Per capita health care expenditures are four times greater for people with disabilities than for those without. Higher incidence of secondary conditions. • Physical activity is linked to higher achievement and better health for people with disabilities. • BUT…people with disabilities are less likely to engage in regular moderate physical activity than people without disabilities.

4. What Can be Adapted? • Equipment • Field or court size/shape • Rules • Number of players • Anything! Just don’t lose the • essence of the activity or over modify

5. Equipment • Smaller or larger balls • Shorter equipment (lacrosse stick) • Larger equipment (bat, tennis racket) • Add equipment (use a tennis racket for soccer) • Eliminate equipment (jump rope) • Create equipment (add bells to ball, wheelchair soccer guard) • Attach equipment (secure hockey stick to wheelchair) • Choose color contrasting equipment

6. Equipment cont… • Add support (use a wall, person or equipment for support) • Add sound (beeping balls, bells, plastic bags) • Over inflate or under inflate balls to change rolling resistance • Tether balls to practice skills • Add adapted equipment • (Sports wheelchair, track chair • handcycleect.)

7. Playing Fields • Play on the closest court or field • Make the playing field smaller or larger • Choose smooth gym floors instead of bumpy floors • Add color contrast to the environment (track lines, floor tape)

8. Rules • Everyone bats • Everyone touches the ball • Certain number of passes on • offense • Assign students to defend specific • areas • A touch is possession rule • One hand touch

9. What is NOT Appropriate • Having the child be the official jump rope turner, score keeper, timer, water girl/boy, or any other job that will keep them on the sidelines • Replacing PE with physical or occupational therapy • Allowing the child to play on the side with their aid or a peer and not joining in with the class activity • Putting a child with physical disabilities in a separate APE class with other children with intellectual disabilities

10. Things to Keep in Mind… • Children with disabilities are still KIDS! • Allow the child to experience risk, success and failure • ALL children need to win and lose • Don’t underestimate their abilities. Do not have predetermined limits or set the bar lower • Assist when requested, do not be overbearing. • Do not over assist • Set realistic goals • Be knowledgeable about disability • Ask the child!

11. Resources • The National Center on Physical Activity and Disability • www.ncpad.org • US Paralympics- Paralympic Sport Clubs • www.usparalympics.org • PALAESTRA: Sport, PE and Rec. Publication • www.palaestra.com • Lakeshore Foundation • www.lakeshore.org • Digital Media Guides • E-mail consulting

12. Digital Media Resources

13. Digital Media Resources • Guides Available Include • Jump Rope Adaptations • Soccer Adaptations • Adaptations for Students with Visual Impairments • Adaptations for Students with Physical Disabilities • Early Intervention Aquatics Techniques • Goalball • Many more in development. • www.dartfish.tv • Log-in ID- LiveFit • Password- LiveFit

14. Diana Helt, CTRS • Lakeshore Foundation • 4000 Ridgeway Drive • Birmingham, AL 35209 • dianah@lakeshore.org • (205) 313-7426 • Kelly King, ASF • Lakeshore Foundation • 4000 Ridgeway Drive • Birmingham, AL 35209 • kellyk@lakeshore.org • (205) 313-7450