Technology creates inclusive participation for all

Technology creates inclusive participation for all

Danielle Higgs
Western Kentucky University

Technology creates inclusive participation for all

Abstract: Participating in recreation and play is beneficial for all

children but especially children with disabilities. Benefits of recreation
and play are considered to be physical, social and mental benefits.
Children with disabilities can benefit from recreation and play by being
physically active which results in better health. Also children with
disabilities participating in recreation and play can benefit by learning
to become independent and gain self-confidence as well. Assistive
technology opens up several opportunities for children with disabilities
to be able to participate in recreation and play. Various technologies
are discussed throughout to help gain a better understanding of the
opportunities available for children with disabilities. Also there are
multiple recreational programs offered for children with disabilities.
Overall children with disabilities can succeed more efficiently with the
help of assistive technology in recreation and play but technology may
not always be necessary for an individual. Throughout this paper one
will be able to understand the different types of assistive technology
children with disabilities can use to help succeed in recreation and play.

Technology creates inclusive participation for all

It is essential for individuals, and in particular children with disabilities, to

participate in recreation and play. Individuals with disabilities benefit from recreation,
because they are physically active, mentally active, and socially active. Play is a major
component of the daily lives of children with or without disabilities. Play can be
incorporated into all aspects of daily activities. Through the participation of recreation
and play, some individuals with disabilities are exposed to different assistive
technologies. Such technologies allow for these individuals to increase activity and
cognition. Technologies may include a wide range of equipment such as fully adapted,
and accessible playground equipment, adjustable height basketball goals, and balls of
different weights. Assistive technology may include a range of devices, aids and
materials as well. These various technologies are used to support and extend the abilities
of a child with disabilities. The ADA act states that no individual shall be discriminated
against because of his or her disability. (YINGLING, M. P. (2011). So, if a child needs
accommodations in a program, one that is in the recreation field or anyone involving
children with disabilities into programs will provide them with the accommodations that
will allow him or her to participate. One cannot tell a child with disabilities they cannot
participate in a program because of the disability. Understanding how and why recreation
benefits individuals with disabilities is important, because one can aid in the success of
this area. The participation of children with disabilities in recreation and play such as
sports and performing arts is imperative to maximize their physical and social abilities
with the help of assistive technology. Although technology may not always be necessary

Technology creates inclusive participation for all

for children with disabilities to participate in recreation and play, it does serve as an
option for benefitting a child with disabilities participating in recreation and play. Society
should also become more deliberate about the technology available to children with
disabilities involved in recreation and play.
A parent or guardian of a child with a disability may often be busy handling the
childs medical concerns but a parent or guardian shouldnt forget about the benefits of a
child with disabilities participating in recreation may receive. Encouraging a child with
disabilities to participate in recreation is as important as handling his or her medical
concerns. As children with disabilities grow older, it is imperative for parents and
guardians to encourage them to participate in new activities. The periodical titled
Exceptional Parent list steps a parent or guardian should take in finding the right
activity for a child with disabilities. One can start by asking themselves questions about
the participation of ones disabled child in recreation or play. One can ask themselves
questions pertaining to the extra support or individual aid your child may need in a
program. One can allow their child to be in a program specialized for children with
disabilities or an inclusion program. An inclusion program is the placement of a child
with disabilities in a regular setting with individuals without disabilities. According to the
American Disabilities Act one cannot deny a child permission to participate in inclusive
programs but allow accommodations for your child. Thus, allowing a child with
disabilities participate in an inclusive setting can help enhance ones self-esteem.
Additional questions may include how to start, where to look for programs, and what are
the rights of the disabled child. Assistive Technology plays a major role in allowing
children with disabilities to develop necessary skills to learn, grow and play. However

Technology creates inclusive participation for all

another barrier parents run into when wanting the help of assistive technology is getting
an assessment for a child with disabilities. Another barrier is finding the funding
necessary to pay for the correct assistive technology. But a child stated by the law has the
right to assistive technology when necessary.
For children with disabilities, participating in recreation and play will enhance
ones over all well-being. Play skills are associated with development in emotional,
social, communication and physical/motor domains. This statement is stated by many
authors such as Athey, 1988; Curry & Bergen, 1988; Kaplan-Sanoff, Brewster, Stillwell,
& Bergen, 1988; Whaley, 1990. Participating in recreation and play can help maintain
body weight and help keep one healthy. When speaking about children with disabilities,
they have restrictions within their participation in recreation. So with assistive technology
we can help children have higher levels of fitness and lower obesity rates. Also when
participating in recreation and play we can enhance muscle strength, flexibility and
functioning of the joints. Some children with disabilities are home bound to wheelchairs
so if one can involve these individuals in recreation with assistive technology, a child
with disabilities can hope to enhance in such areas. The article Pediatrics states
children with cerebral palsy are significantly weaker. (Murphy and Carbone, 2008, pg.
1057 -1061) So getting children involved in recreation and play can help an individual
strengthen their muscles and enhance their skills. An activity that could help an individual
with disabilities strengthen their muscles would be shooting basketball.
As well as enhancing ones over all wellbeing while participating in recreation
and play one can argue there are social benefits that come with participating in recreation
and play. If individuals with disabilities participate in recreation and play they have the

Technology creates inclusive participation for all

opportunity of interacting with peers resulting in higher self-esteem. One has seen this
working with children with disabilities. But not only does the child with disabilities result
in higher self-esteem, a peer can have a positive outcome in understanding a child with
disabilities more effectively. There are limited opportunities for children with disabilities
when referring to recreational activities. An article from Pediatrics states Special
Olympics is now the largest program for children with disabilities having approximately
one million athletes participating. (Murphy, and Carbone, 2008, pg. 1057 -1061) With
the program Special Olympics children with disabilities can develop social skills they
may never develop with the participation in recreation and play. Special Olympics has
many opportunities for children to participate in sports, anywhere from bowling to sports
such as basketball, cheerleading and softball. Special Olympics programs are a way to
enhance social skills because children with disabilities are able to be on teams with others
and begin to build relationships with peers. Also allowing children with disabilities to
have independence can boost self-confidence. If one involved with a child with a
disability allows that individual to perform tasks independently such as sports they can
learn to have self-confidence. Also if a child with disabilities can perform an activity
independently one may be more motivated to carry out the exercise or task. A child with
disabilities working independently reduces the request of staff supervision. Lower staff
supervision demand would be critical to enable staff personnel to arrange extra
opportunities of exercise engagement for them, with beneficial consequences for their
responding. (Murphy, and Carbone, 2008, pg. 1057-1061) One working with athletes
that have accomplished a goal independently can see a boost in self-confidence as well.

Technology creates inclusive participation for all

There is nothing more pleasing than seeing a child with a disability make a simple shot
on the basketball court and jump up and down with excitement.
More importantly without the help of assistive technology children with
disabilities may not have the opportunity to participate in recreation and play. The only
way one may arrange a program that ensures the participants motivation and independent
performance is through the use of assistive technology. Murphy, and Carbone, 2008, pg.
1057-1061) Assistive technology can help aide in performing tasks independently that
results in building self-confidence. Building self-confidence in children with disabilities
is important because some children may not be able to perform certain tasks due to
certain disabilities. If one allows the opportunities for children with disabilities to interact
with other individuals in inclusive settings, individuals without disabilities can assist in
helping others accomplish a goal. For example, Special Olympics offers bowling as a
sport. During bowling tournaments one can participate in unified bowling which is where
there is a volunteer that plays a game of bowling with the child that has a disability. The
volunteer or buddy will help assist with scoring and overall enjoyment of the experience.
If a child with a disability has someone to help him or her during programs it will
promote positive social interaction.
As well as boosting self-confidence, assistive technology provides alternate
strategies for completing various tasks. Technologies can aid children with disabilities to
make decisions visually, or even using motor skills such as pointing to make a choice. In
the article Developmental Neurorehabilitation two studies were conducted to assess the
effectiveness of technology aided programs. One study focused on position, responses,
technology and stimuli of two children with profound disabilities. Two children with

Technology creates inclusive participation for all

profound disabilities were tested during this study. A specific object of physiotherapy for
both children was to promote head movements/rotation to counter their increasing
tendency to keep a static position. During this study it was highly recommended these
children have a technology-aided program to help them exercise their head and neck by
parents and teachers. The study consisted of baseline one and two studies and two
interventions. The second study completed was recording a childs responses of forward
movement of the left leg/foot and forward movements of the childs hand(s) to reach and
touch objects. The assistive technology used during this study was an optic micro-switch
that was attached to the childs foot and was activated when the childs left foot touched
something placed before the child. The childs hand movements were monitored through
tilt micro switches attached to objects hanging in front of the child, about 25cm away.
Hand movements were recorded when the child touched the objects placed in front of
him or her also. The stimulus that was used during this particular study was songs and
voices of familiar people to this child. The data of the two studies indicate that the use of
technology-aided programs enabled the participants to practice/exercise adaptive
responses independently. After conducting the two studies considerations were brought
forward. One being programs would positively emphasize the exercise engagement of
the participants, changing it from a relatively dependent (externally supervised) activity
involvement to a largely independent (self determined) performance. (Lancioni, 2013,
pg. 237-244) This is important because if children with disabilities are motivated to
perform tasks or activities independently it will insure positive self-esteem and social
status, also allowing for one to be widely accepted by peers. Another consideration made
from the studies is the participants active engagement, promoted and maintained

Technology creates inclusive participation for all

through automatically delivered stimulation, would probably qualify as a pleasurable and

enjoyable experience. (Lancioni, 2013, pg. 237-244) One can conclude that if a child
with disabilities has an enjoyable experience in an activity the child will see a boost in his
or her self-confidence.
Furthermore, there are various types of assistive technology for children with
disabilities. The various types include Low-tech, mid-tech and high-tech devices.
Examples of low-tech assistive technologies would include magnifiers, color-coding, peer
support, and extra time. The different types of low-tech assistive technologies may not
seem very important but to children with disabilities this could help them excel in areas
never imagined. Offering more time for a child with a disability is very important. Also
with the support of peers, a child with disabilities can boost self-confidence, which is a
benefit children receive from participating in recreation and play. Mid-tech assistive
technology may include things such as text to speech, adapted toys, and digital recorders.
Some children with disabilities may have speech problems so allowing children with
disabilities to have text will allow them to communicate more effectively. Also adapted
toys play a major role in assistive technology when concerned with recreation and play.
As stated previously, basketballs of different weight can be an example of an adapted toy
for children with disabilities. Toys with switches to turn on and off can be considered an
adapted toy for children with disabilities. Also attaching strings to toys to make the toys
more accessible as well as easier to grasp on to for children with disabilities. Even having
large sized puzzles for children with disabilities to put together can be considered
assistive technology. Lastly, high-tech assistive technology may include computers,
speech output devices, and voice recognition. Computers are beginning to play a very

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important role in childrens lives today. There are many computer systems that help aid
children with any type of area.
Subsequently, there are certain areas where assistive technology can be
implemented to assist the development of play in children with disabilities. These areas
include positioning, communication, play/learning, mobility and self-care. Children with
disabilities may need assistance with sitting or standing. Positioning may have an impact
on the toys children decide on or the type of play a child is engaged in. The examples of
assistive technology pertaining to positioning may include chair inserts or towels rolled
up for extra cushion. Children are in need of communication to interact with peers and
express personal thoughts and ideas, as well as having a choice on the recreation
activities and play one may participate in. Selective children with disabilities may have
communication disorders but with the help of communication devices children are able to
express themselves. Low-Technology assistive communication devices may include
picture boards, and tape recorders. Play and learning is also an area where assistive
technology can be implemented to assist children with disabilities during play. If one can
modify toys, children with physical and sensory disabilities can utilize these toys.
Computers can also be used to assist children with disabilities in enhancing interaction
and learning. There are many programs on the computer children can use to help aid in
learning. A very important area where assistive technology can be used to help children
with disabilities succeed is mobility. Children with disabilities may be homebound to
wheelchairs, visually impaired or have physical disabilities that limit them in
participating in recreation and play. Many devices are available to assist children with
disabilities in their mobility. Devices can range from scooters to powered wheelchairs for

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children with physical disabilities. Aids also exist to support the mobility of children
with visual impairments in independent exploration stated from Play and Assistive
Technology Issues for Infants and Young Children with Disabilities. Lastly, self-care is
an area where assistive technology can help children with disabilities in recreation and
play. There are daily routines of life such as feeding oneself, dressing and bathing. To
assist with these daily routines there are devices that are available so children with
disabilities can be independent. An example of a device that helps aid children with
disabilities including in the periodical is built-up handles on spoons and toothbrushes and
potty chairs and car seats that that are adapted. These various small accommodations of
assistive technology can make a big difference in a child with disabilities life.
In addition to types of assistive technology for children with disabilities, there are
recreational opportunities for children with disabilities to participate in. Residing in
Bowling Green, Kentucky is a program called Special Populations. The different
programs Special Populations offers are specifically designed to meet the needs of
individuals with a mental and or physical challenge. The Special Populations partners
with Special Olympics and has athletes that participate in various sports such as
cheerleading, basketball, bowling, track and softball. Also the Special Populations
program host an event called the Christmas Blowout. This event is where children with
disabilities come together for a meal, fun games and gift giving. In addition to the
discussed aspects of Special Olympics previously, this organization through the power of
sports, people with disabilities discover new strengths, abilities, skills and success.
Special Olympics athletes find joy, confidence and fulfillment during play. Most
importantly Special Olympics inspire people in communities to open their hearts to a

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wider world of human talents and potential. Special Olympics programs not only focus
on sports for children with disabilities but also continue to build communities. This
program works to spread compassion and acceptance that can unite the world. There are
up to 200 million people with disabilities around the world (Special Olympics, 2015).
As a world this is important because it helps to understand why children with disabilities
need the assistive technology to help one succeed as well as providing the opportunities
to children with disabilities to benefit from.
All aspects considered assistive technology could help a child with disabilities
succeed while participating in recreation and play. Also children with disabilities
participating in recreation and play receive benefits such as physical, social and mental.
The benefits children with disabilities may see from participating in recreation and play
can include enhancing ones overall well being, improvements in social skills and
assisting in helping one become independent. Although there is excellent evidence for
the efficacy of using various technologies to enhance emergent literacy skills in young
children with disabilities, society, including parents and professionals, has been slow in
acknowledging these positive findings states Preventing School Failure. (Lane S. and
Mistrett S., 1996). It is very important as individuals such as teachers, recreational
leaders and parents to understand the importance of recreation and play within a child
with disabilities. Also it is important for one to understand the types of assistive
technology a child with disabilities may receive while participating in recreation and
play. Recreational leaders should understand the small adaptations one can make so a
child with disabilities can participate in recreational programs inclusively.

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Works Citied:
Finding Recreation Options For Your Child. (2004). Exceptional Parent, 34(3), 77.
Lancioni, G. E., O'Reilly, M. F., Singh, N. N., Green, V. A., Oliva, D., Campodonico, F.,
& ... Buono, S. (2013). Technology-aided programs to support exercise of
adaptive head responses or leg-foot and hands responses in children with multiple
disabilities. Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 16(4), 237-244.
doi:10.3109/17518423.2012.757661
Lane, S. J., & Mistrett, S. G. (1996). Play and assistive technology issues for infants and
young children with disabilities: A.. Focus On Autism & Other Developmental
Disabilities, 11(2), 96.
"Make A Gift, Change A Life." Special Olympics: What We Do. The Joseph P. Kennedy
Jr. Foundation for the Benefit of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities Website
Made Possible by Perfect Sense Digital, 2015. Web. 22 Nov. 2015.
Murphy, Nancy and Carbone, Paul. May 1, 2008. Promoting the Participation of
Children with Disabilities in Sports, Recreation, and Physical Activities,
PEDIATRICS, Vol. 121, No. 5, pg. 1057 -1061. (doi: 10.1542/peds.2008-0566)
YINGLING, M. P. (2011). LEARNING DISABILITIES AND THE ADA: LICENSING
EXAM ACCOMMODATIONS IN THE WAKE OF THE ADA
AMENDMENTS ACT OF 2008. Cleveland State Law Review, 59(3), 291-313.
Weikle, B., & Hadadian, A. (2003). Can Assistive Technology Help Us to Not Leave
Any Child Behind?. Preventing School Failure, 47(4), 181.