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Chapter

11Inclusive Sports

11Inclusive Sports

chapter

Ronald Davis

Sport and recreation are universal; consider the similarities rather than differences between sport for those with and without disabilities.

–Ronald Davis

Sport Is Sport

• Sport is universal.• It provides common ground for societies.• It involves many differently abled

participants, each with unique skills and abilities.

Sport is sport, no matter who is playing or what his abilities.

As a Professional

• A unique opportunity to contribute to sport• Especially sport for those with disabilities• As you read, think about these things:

– How various abilities can be summoned to help people participate in sport

– The similarities, not differences, between sports for those with and without disabilities.

Organizational Overview: International Level

• Sport for people with disabilities represented by– the U.S. Olympic Committee and– suborganization called U.S. Paralympics

• Paralympics– Para means parallel or equal, not paraplegic.– All sports represented by U.S. Paralympics participate

in the Paralympics.– BUT not all national-level sporting organizations

participate in the Paralympics.

Organizational Overview: National Level

• Disability-specific organizations– U.S. Association for Blind Athletes (USABA)– USA Deaf Sports Federation (USADSF)

• Sport-specific organizations– National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA)– Special Olympics

Paralympic or Non-Paralympic

• Paralympic category– Goal is to participate at highly competitive national

and international events– National wheelchair rugby championships– Paralympics

• Non-Paralympic category– Participation occurs as a recreational pursuit or

interscholastic competition– National Wheelchair Poolplayers Association– Georgia Wheelchair Basketball Championship

Important Distinctions

• Understanding the nature of a person’s participation will influence these factors:– The participant’s goals and desired outcomes– The nature of the sport programs you provide

• Not all programs are geared toward high competition.

• Consider disability sport vs. adapted sport.

Disability Sport

• Move athlete from entry level to high level• Focus is on competition• Elite athlete development programs• Usually community based, not school based• Club sports:

– Junior Olympic Volleyball– BlazeSports of America – National Disability Sports Alliance

Adapted Sport

• Sport opportunities and organizations tied to educational systems

• School-based, interscholastic competition• Rules more likely to be modified to address

players’ functional and skill development• Examples of rule modification:

– AASP basketball program does not classify athletes, allowing inclusion of kids without disabilities

– Substitution and playing time

Inclusive recreation makes allowances for the environment and equipment to be modified to match students’ abilities.

Classification

• Both interesting and controversial• Few traditional sports classify athletes• Goal is to create an equal playing field• Two systems:

– Medical– Functional

Classification Process• It’s both medical and functional.• Athlete enters the classification area.• Team of classifiers examines the athlete.• Results are recorded and athlete leaves.• Results are sent to competition director to

establish– lineups for team sports, and– heat or lane assignments for individual sports.

Medical Classification

• Based on athlete’s condition or level of injury

• Focus is on disability• Examples:

– Visual acuity and field of vision– Location of amputation– Length of residual limb

Functional Classification

• Combines disability and skill performance.• Swimming uses this approach.

– Medical considerations are evaluated.– Athlete is asked to perform strokes.– Rugby and track and field also use this approach.

• Scores from both evaluations are combined to determine level of classification.

Advantages of Functional Classification

• Sport specific• Awards training and preparation• Allows for cross-disability competition• Reduces the number of heats, trials, races• Simplifies event administration

– Track has 44 classifications duplicated by sex– How many if each disability had separate divisions?

Disadvantage of Functional Classification

• Cheating• May minimize effort during evaluation• If you later demonstrate function during an

event, you will be– reclassified or– disqualified.

Opportunities for Involvement

• BlazeSports– Training camps for athletes– Workshops for coaches– Educational training for professionals

• AAASP coaching certification– Wheelchair football– Basketball– Team handball– Beep baseball for blind or visually impaired people

Becoming a Classifier

• Typically professionals from these areas:– Adapted physical education– Physical or occupational therapy– Recreation

• Classification workshops• Certification required

– National Center on Physical Activity and Disability: www.ncpad.org

– BlazeSports: www.blazesports.org– U.S. Paralympic team: www.usparalympics.org

Inclusion in Sport: A Systematic Approach

Step 1

• Determine the sport of interest.• Cross-reference nondisability sport with

counterpart disability sport (see table 11.2). • Look for similarities in skill sets.

Table 11.2

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Table 11.2 (continued)

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Table 11.2 (continued)

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Table 11.2 (continued)

Step 2

• Learn about rules and skills required for playing.

• Disability sports may have unique rules.• But any rules are the same.• Know and practice rules before playing.• If you’ve experienced it, you’ll be better

equipped to facilitate inclusion.

Step 3

• Identify functional level of participants.• Consider classification systems.• Use this to develop your own system that

best fits the participant’s capabilities.• Ensure activity is appropriate for participant

skill level and functional performance level.

Step 4

• Implement the game.• Place person with disability in a decision-

making role.• Consider all domains as you modify.

Game Modification Models

• The functional approach for modifying movement experiences (FAMME)

• The game design model

Four Steps of FAMME

1. Determine underlying components of skills.2. Determine the participants’ capabilities.3. Match modification efforts to capabilities.4. Evaluate effectiveness of modification.

Game Design Model: Step 1

• Understand structure of game (see table 11.6).– All games have interactive components– Purpose– Players – Movement– Objects– Organization – Limits

Table 11.6

Game Design Model: Step 2

• Modify the basic structure.• Modify one component at a time.• Changing one component forces change in

another.• Basketball example:

– Walking instead of running– How does this affect other components?

Game Design Model: Step 3

• Manage the game’s degree of difficulty.• Challenge is to create modifications that

satisfy all players.• Consider the modifications in table 11.7.

Table 11.7

Summary

• Sport is sport.• Look for the similarities in sport.• Be aware of various opportunities and the

purposes of each avenue for participation.• Promoting sport in a way that includes

people with varying abilities is worthwhile.• Promote sport for all.