Adapted Aquatics for Students with Disabilities

1. Adapted Aquatics for Students with Disabilities Matthew Cummiskey, Ph.D. Central CT State Univ., New Britain Materials available via website

2. Background • AAPAR Adapted Aquatics Certified • CAPE • Collaboration with schools in Connecticut • Pull-out setting • Adapted PE instructor at CCSU

3. Why the Water? • What are some possible benefits of including aquatics for student with disabilities?

4. Why the Water • Immersion in water improves: • Stroke volume, cardiac output, work of breathing, oxygen delivery, blood flow… • Increases range of motion • Improves muscle strength and endurance, great form of cardiovascular exercise • Stimulates the senses (skin balance, visual, auditory) • Can be too much for students with autism • Kids (students) generally love the water • Students can often do MORE • Safety: if possible everyone should be able to stay afloat • Develop lifelong skills and feelings of accomplishment /self-worth • Freeing environment, help foster independence (leave the wheelchair and the crutches on the side) • Therapeutic pools (88-92 degrees) help relieve pain and promotes relaxation and mobility • Contraindicated for MS • Reeducation of paralyzed muscles

5. Why the Water • 1975 Education for All Handicapped Children Act • PL94-142 defined physical education as: • (I) the development of: (A) physical and motor fitness; (B) fundamental motor skills and patterns; and instruction in aquatics, dance, individual and group games, and sports (including intramural and lifetime sports). (Federal Register, 1977a) • What is the significance of the definition?

6. Pre-Instruction • Safety • Rule: Unless accompanied 1 on 1, students are not permitted in the deep end • Lifeguard: Have one on duty • Avoid doubling as the lifeguard (protect yourself) • Class size: In a pull-out setting, 4 or 5 students maximum • Aides should be present in the pool

7. Pre-instruction • Time • In a 45 minute class, you will often have only 20 minutes for instruction due to extended changing times…prioritize • Considerations • Is the water or air too cold? • Is there too much going on in the pool/noise? • Accessing the pool

8. Several model “curriculums” are available Learn to Swim Special Olympics Levels of Competency Sherrill Model Planning – What to Teach?

9. Personal safety Knowledge of entry and exit Knowledge of personal limits Pool rules Deep vs. Shallow Personal growth What are their goals Show me what you can do Planning – What to Teach? YMCA Progressive Swim Levels

10. Stroke development Assess typical strokes Crawl, sidestroke, breast, back Crawl is quite advanced for many students, esp. considering present technique Rescue Reaching Extending Throwing Water sports and games Can they sit on a noodle? Get on a raft or tube? Throw a ball to another with balance? Planning – What to Teach? YMCA Progressive Swim Levels

11. Pre-assessment if possible Lone Star Adapted Aquatics Inventory “Provide level of needs within the curriculum and vice versa” p.33 Planning – What to Teach?

12. Goals and objectives Personalized depending on a student’s IEP Anything from just feeling comfortable in the water to snorkeling or playing water polo Fitness related – increasing range of motion, improved muscular endurance… Combination of student’s present level of performance and goals/objectives coalesced from several sources Sources may include: Your own expertise Programs or curriculums (YMCA, Special Olympics , LSAA, etc STUDENT INTEREST Planning – What to Teach?

13. Planning – What to Teach? • Goals and Objectives Continued… • Pool rules and safety • Use of steps, ramps, lifts • Mouth closure during splashing • Breath control • Swim strokes • Minimize competitive starts and turns • Synchronized swimming movements • Masks, fins • Tubes or life jackets • Rolling (front to back) • Inflate clothing for survival • Change in directions • Recovering from horizontal • Treading water • Making a reaching rescue

14. Planning – What to Teach? • The basic motor components include: • water orientation, water entry, breath control, buoyancy and body positioning, arm actions, leg actions, and combined movements

15. Planning – What to Teach? • YouTube Video • Write down your initial thoughts on some goals for this student • Http:///www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXm8T-AG7Uk&NR=1 • Somewhat limited due to the small sample but do your best

16. Getting into the Water - Independent Transfers Forward Pivot Sliding Board Transfer

17. Getting into the Water - Dependent Transfers Standard Lift Arms-through lift

18. Getting into the Water Ramps and stairs (ADA compliant)

19. Getting into the Water http://www.abledata.com/abledata.cfm?pageid=19327&top=12968&productid=185187&trail=22,12691,12963&discontinued=0

20. Getting into the Water Tot dock – sits in the shallow end of the pool Wet the mat and slide the student into the water (safe, fast, and inexpensive)

21. Instruction - Keys to Success • When to progress a student from one level to the next? • For each assessment level, progress can be noted in terms for: • Degrees of performance: • % of times completed, distance, duration, quality of skill • Verbal cues required • Amounts of physical assistance needed • Advancement to the next level is not necessarily all or none

22. Instruction - Keys to Success • Teaching style – allow students to choose the level of their challenge or desired equipment • Teaching styles in PE • Challenge stations for flutter kick • 1 – Sitting poolside • 2 – In the water holding the gutter • 3 – Hold a kickboard in open/near water • 4 – Unassisted in open water • Challenge stations for immersing head in water

23. Instruction - Keys to Success • Use small-sided activities that don’t single students out • Students with disabilities may collaborate with non-disabled peers • “Swim-helpers” - assist in the pool • Should sign a permission slip • Consistent helper if possible

24. Instruction - Keys to Success Communication • Demonstrations • Photos, picture exchange • Simplify language • 1 direction at a time • Ask to repeat • Communication board

25. Teaching Strategies/Equipment

26. Teaching Strategies/Equipment Flotation devices • Assistive device when used supplementally (belay fear) • Devices can sometimes gets impede strokes • Floatation devices are not Coast Guard Certified PFD’s! • For upright position, may need to weigh feet down

27. Teaching Strategies/Equipment • Fun, bright color, tactile equipment works wonders!

28. Teaching Strategies/Equipment Hand over hand – guide through the movements Visual display of activities or tasks to complete Surfing

29. Teaching Strategies/Equipment

30. Teaching Strategies/Equipment Flotation with hand over hand (again) Assisted Ambulation

31. Teaching Strategies/Equipment Vital capacity (lung) Diving lead-up

32. Teaching Strategies/Equipment Fitness • Cardiovascular (kicking, wall crawl, games) • Muscular endurance/strength • Moving arm through the water • Add resistance through a webbed glove, holding a lolli-pop paddle, etc • Flexibility – shallow end

33. Teaching Strategies/Equipment Resource Documents • Basic Adapted Aquatic Activities and Games (TWU-Ms. Gomes) • Activities document • Stopka equipment articles: 1, 2, 3 • Highlights: • Goggles – step towards immersion • Musical bob (not chairs) with inner tubes or hula hoops • Sinkable toys for retrieval • Kickboard as bat and bases for baseball (held by basement)

34. Teaching Strategies/Equipment • Possible rewards: • Dividing board • Favorite activity - Surfing • Free time with favorite equipment • Water squirters • Group game

35. Group Practice • Design an individualized 20 minute mini-lesson for the student described on each handout. • The challenge: Try not to use any of the activities discussed thus far • Create goals, strategies for success, and possible activities • Latitude in determining present level of performance (mild, moderate, profound) and other factors

36. Resources • Apache, R.R.G., Hisey, P., & Blanchard, L. (2005). An adapted aquatics assessment inventory and curriculum. Palaestra, 21(2), 32-37. • Lepore, M., Gayle, G. W., & Stevens, S. (2007). Adapted Aquatics Programming: A Professional Guide (2nd ed.) . Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. • Stopka, C. (2001a). Equipment to enhance an adapted aquatics program – Part 1. Palaestra, 17(1), 36-42.

37. Resources • Stopka, C. (2001b). Equipment to enhace an adapted aquatics program – Part 1. Palaestra, 17(2), 40-43. • Stopka, C. (2001c). Equipment to enhace an adapted aquatics program – Part 1. Palaestra, 17(3), 39-42. • Texas Women’s University – Project Inspire. (n.d.). Aquatics. Retrieved January 19, 2008 from http://www.twu.edu/inspire/aquatics.htm

38. Questions

39. Materials/Contact Info • For all materials used in today’s presentation, visit: • Http://thenewpe.com/ (click conference presentations) • Contact info: • Matthew Cummiskey • cummiskeymad@ccsu.edu • (860) 832 - 2123