Adventure Education & Outdoor Pursuits

1. Adventure Education & Outdoor Pursuits Special Populations

2. STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES Participation in adventure education programs can increase: Self Image Sense of responsibility Cooperative learning (Herbert, 1996)

3. POSITIVE OUTCOMES • Engage participants cognitively and affectively (McAvoy, 1992) • Help achieve personal goals (Holman & McAvoy, 2005) • Develop relationships with others (Holman & McAvoy, 2005) • Increase outdoor skills (Rynders & Schleien, 1992) • Develop social skills (Rynders & Schleien, 1992) • Increase self-concept (Rynders & Schleien, 1992)

4. DEFINITION OF TERMS Adventure Recreation: a subjective challenging experience that occurs in the outdoors which contains actual or perceived danger (Dalttilo & Murphy, 1987) SENSE OF CHALLENGE IN THE PRESENCE OF RISK

5. Terms Integrated adventure program: an adventure program that includes persons with and without disabilities (Holman, Goldenberg, McAvoy & Rynders, 2003)

6. Terms Adventure-based counseling: a treatment intervention for rehabilitation clients which is used in addition to other rehabilitation efforts for the purpose of creating individual change (Herbert, 1996)

7. RESEARCH McAvoy did a study on benefits of integrated outdoor education and adventure programs and found: • Increase in social interaction between children with and without disabilities • Increase in understanding capabilities and needs of persons with disabilities • Positive change in attitudes of the children without disabilities toward the children with disabilities • Persons with disabilities can successfully acquire leisure outdoor skills

8. RESEARCH Herbert did a study on attitudes and perceptions concerning persons with disabilities and found: • Staff attitudes are generally positive toward people with disabilities • Programs that include both persons with and without disabilities are therapeutically better than programs that include persons of similar disabilities only • Programs are perceived to be accessible • Staff training and consultation on disability issues could be improved

9. RESEARCH Farnham & Mutrie did a study on the potential benefits of outdoor development for children with special needs and found: • Decrease in tension and anxiety levels over the four day trip • Increase in group cohesion over the four days • Increase in participant self-confidence • Increase in self-motivated behavior

10. RESEARCH Holman & McAvoy did a study on transferring benefits of participation in an integrated wilderness adventure program to daily life and found that participants: • Value developing relationships with others • Increase understanding of themselves • Gain awareness and appreciation for nature • Value having a new opportunity • Value learning new skills Participants transferred the benefits of the experience to their lives in the following areas: • Self-awareness & self-confidence • Succeeding at a personal challenge • Establishing warm relationships with others • Increasing coping/transition skills • Higher levels of motivation

11. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS Common benefits of participation in adventure-based outdoor programs: • Increased self-confidence • Increased self-awareness • Increased self-motivated behavior • Increased success in completing personal challenges

12. Summary continued… Benefits of integrated programs: • Increase in social interaction and group cohesion • Increase in understanding of disabilities by non-disabled participants

13. REFERENCES Carlson, J. & Evans, K. (2001). Whose choice is it? Contemplating challenge-by-choice and diverse-abilities. The Journal of Experiential Education, 24(1), 58-63. Dattilo, J. & Murphy, W. (1987). Facilitating the challenge in adventure recreation for persons with disabilities. Therapeutic Recreation Journal, 3, 14-20. Farnham, M. & Mutrie, N. (1997). The potential benefits of outdoor development for children with special needs. British Journal of Special Education, 24 (1), 31-38. Herbert, J. T. (1997). Attitudes and perceptions concerning persons with disabilities: Potential for growth. AEE International Conference Proceedings, (pp. 147-153). Herbert, J. T. (1996). Use of adventure-based counseling programs for persons with disabilities. Journal of Rehabilitation, 62(4),3-8. Holman, T., Goldenberg, M., McAvoy, L., & Rynders, J. (2003). Outcomes-Consequences-Values of an integrated wilderness adventure program. The Journal of Experiential Education, 25(3), 353. Holman, T. & McAvoy, L. (2005). Transferring benefits of participation in an integrated wilderness adventure program to daily life. Journal of Experiential Education, 27(3), 322-325. McAvoy, L. (1992). Benefits of integrated outdoor education and adventure. Impact, 4(4), 3. McCleary, I. & Chesteen, S. (1990). Changing attitudes of disabled persons through outdoor adventure programmes. International Journal of Rehabilitation Research, 13, 321-324. Rodgers, D. (2000). To the top. Parks & Recreation, 35(3), 76-87. Rose, S. & Jones, P. (date). Adventure for all: Disability is no handicap. The Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Leadership, 12(3), 16-17. Rynders, J. E. & Schleien, S. J. (1992). How to integrate successfully: Promoting positive interactions. Impact, 4(4), 11. Schlaefer, M. & Stark, G. (1992). Participant comments from integrated outdoor adventures. Impact, 4(4), 3.