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by Gary N. Siperstein, Ph.D., Sarah Pociask, and
Kristy Barnes
For nine months of the year, children spend most of the day in school,
and when the bell rings for the final time in June,
most cannot wait for summer to start. During the
summer, children are free from daily class schedules and get to spend
most of their time just having fun. Some get to spend the summer hanging
out with neighborhood friends, others might play on a community sports
team, and many even get the chance to go to summer camp.
Not all children
are this lucky. For some children, particularly
those with disabilities, summer is not a time of freedom and fun, but
a time of isolation and boredom. These children are faced with a bleak
landscape of things to do, and are often limited to their houses, not
just on the occasional afternoon or weekend, but every single day.
In
September, when teachers ask their students what
they did over the summer, children with disabilities often don't have
the chance to raise their hands like their peers and say with radiant
smiles on their faces, "I went to summer
camp, I had a great time, and I made friends."
The recent movement
for inclusion has led to the development of various
curricula to help schools and other programs ensure that all children
are given equal opportunities to participate in activities within their
communities. Let's ALL Play (L.A.P.), a model for inclusion in
recreational settings developed by the Bubel/ Aiken Foundation, is one
such example. In the summer of 2008, twenty-four programs across the
country implemented Let's ALL Play, providing numerous opportunities
for children with disabilities to attend camp, some for the very first
time.
This article provides a brief overview of how Let's ALL Play fits
into the growing movement for inclusion and also
highlights the successes that programs experienced after implementing
Let's ALL Play last summer.
The Growing Movement for Inclusion
Throughout
the past three decades, there has been a major
push to include individuals with disabilities in
all aspects of society. Various legislative and policy mandates have
been enacted to ensure the welfare and rights of these individuals (e.g.,
the Education for All Handicapped Children Act in 1975, the Regular
Educational Initiative in 1981, the Americans with Disabilities Act
of 1990, and the initial passage of IDEA in 1990), and, as a result,
inclusion is becoming a reality — particularly
in schools. Instead of spending the day in separate
classes, more and more children with disabilities
are included in general education classrooms for at least part of the
day.
While it is promising that children with disabilities are being
physically included in general education classrooms,
full social inclusion has yet to be achieved in this setting (Heiman,
2000; Sale and Carey, 1995; Siperstein, Parker, Norins Bardon, and Widaman
2007). In order to develop positive social relationships, it is important
for youth with and without disabilities to participate equally in activities
and see the similarities in one another (Siperstein, et al., 2007; Jacques,
Wilton, and Townsend, 1998; Siperstein and Chatillon
1982). One of the main challenges in the classroom is that children
with disabilities are all too often singled out and seen as different
by their fellow classmates, which holds them back from succeeding socially.
Fortunately, the movement for inclusion does not end in the classroom.
An increasing number of opportunities are becoming
available outside of school for children with and without disabilities
to participate in together including recreational activities, sports,
and even summer camps (Brannan, Arick, Fullerton, and Harris, 1997;
Siperstein, Glick, Norins Bardon, Harada, and Parker 2007). In these
settings, children get the chance to participate in activities and games
with peers on a daily basis, and with the focus on fun and games, children
learn and develop both individual and teamwork skills. A growing body
of research suggests that these non-academic settings are especially
effective in promoting a number of positive outcomes among those who
participate, including: improved social skills, communication skills,
self-esteem, and even social acceptance (Henderson,
Whitaker, Bialeschki, Scanlin, and Thurber, 2007; Mulvihill, Cotton,
and Gyaben, 2004; Rynders et al., 1993; Siperstein, Glick, and Parker
2009).
The benefits of inclusion in recreational settings are far-reaching
and extend to participants without disabilities
as well. By participating in an inclusive environment, children and
staff without disabilities learn more about tolerance, acceptance, and
what it means to have a disability (Mulvihill, Cotton, and Gyaben 2004).
Directors of these programs see the advantages of inclusion and parents
of children with disabilities are advocating for these opportunities
so that their children can have the same experiences as their peers.
Although, the benefits of inclusion are not achieved by simply extending
invitations to individuals with disabilities. For inclusion to be successful,
certain changes need to be made to existing programs to ensure that
all children are truly able to participate at the same level. Today,
given the rising demand for inclusive opportunities, directors and staff
members of recreational programs and summer camps have been asking for
assistance to make it happen. But what resources are available to help
programs become inclusive?
The Bubel/Aiken Foundation and Let's ALL
Play
Recognizing the benefits of inclusion and
understanding that summer programs need help to
make it happen, The Bubel/Aiken Foundation has
become a major force in promoting inclusion in recreational settings,
particularly summer camps. After witnessing the segregation
of children with disabilities first hand, The Foundation
set a goal to ensure that all children have equal opportunities to be
included — not only
in summer camps, but in all aspects of society.
Specifically, their mission is to promote the inclusion
of youth with disabilities by creating communities where all children
can learn, live, and play together.
In order to provide programs with the support needed
to foster inclusion, The Foundation developed Let's
ALL Play. This field-tested model includes tools, guidelines, and advice
for directors interested in moving forward with inclusion in recreational
settings. It consists of three basic components: 1) program modifications
to enhance program structure and communication; 2) inclusive games to
foster cooperation, personal achievement, and social relationships;
and 3) training guidelines to prepare staff to implement the curriculum.
Program Modifications
Children with disabilities often need structure
to feel comfortable in their surroundings and participate
in new activities. Since camp schedules can be hectic at times, strengthening
the way camp is organized is especially important when creating an inclusive
environment. To help make sure that children stay relaxed and on-task,
especially during transitions or unexpected schedule changes, Let's
ALL Play offers tools like Picture-Schedules, "Fidgets," Activity
Scripts, and Task Cards.
In addition to assisting
with the organization of camp, the modifications
provided by Let's ALL Play also help strengthen communication
lines among camp staff, campers, and their parents.
When picking up their children, the first question that parents ask
is often, "So what
did you do at camp today?" With so many activities that take place
in a single day, it becomes hard for children to remember and explain
everything, especially new activities that they have never done before.
Serving as a conversation starter, Family Communication Cards help remind
children of what they did during the day. Also, for children that might
have a hard time expressing themselves verbally, these cards are an
alternative way for them to tell their parents about the things that
they did at camp.
Inclusive Games
Just about every camp has its own
collection of games that are played each summer.
However, traditional camp games that involve competition and elimination
do not always provide children with the same chances to participate.
Instead of encouraging teamwork and cooperation, games that are too
competitive end up separating campers based on their skill levels. Take
dodge-ball for instance — children
who are experienced with the game get to stay in
and play, and those who are less experienced are often the first ones
out and on the sidelines. When out on the sidelines, children miss out
on opportunities to practice the game, interact with their peers, and
most importantly, have fun.
To make sure that all children can participate
and have fun in camp games, Let's ALL Play includes
a variety of team, tag, and movement games that
are fully inclusive and geared towards all ability
levels. In addition to the new games, the curriculum
also describes ways that existing camp games can be adapted so that
they are more inclusive. For example, if a favorite camp game does involve
elimination, counselors might start up a new game on the sidelines to
keep the "eliminated" players
engaged. Instead of having to sit out, players
would simply jump from game to game instead, all the while having fun
and learning the skills necessary to stay in the game. By introducing
new games and adapting old games to better suit the needs of all campers,
everyone gets a chance to learn and have fun together.
Training Guidelines
Counselors and camp staff play a crucial role in
creating a cohesive camp environment. Since they interact with children
on a daily basis, it is important to be sure that all members of camp
staff feel prepared to serve both children with and without disabilities.
In order to help educate staff, Let's ALL Play includes a full set of
training guidelines that covers reasons for inclusion, "People-First
Language," disability etiquette, respectful accommodations,
and behavior management.
Implementing the L.A.P.
Curriculum
In the summer of 2008, twenty-four summer
camps across the country were funded to implement
Let's ALL Play. Demonstrating the versatility of the curriculum, these
camps varied in size, were geographically diverse, and included a range
of facilities available to campers. Although activities
offered at each camp were different, most offered a combination of sports,
team-building games, arts and crafts, drama, and field trips. Across
camps, directors reported serving campers with a wide range of disabilities
of varying severities (e.g., intellectual and developmental disabilities,
emotional and behavioral disorders, and physical disabilities). While
staffing varied depending on the size of the camp and the needs of the
campers, all camps reported a 10:1 or lower camper/ staff ratio, and
the majority of camps utilized volunteer support.
In order to begin
to understand the benefits of the curriculum, we
asked directors, counselors, campers, and parents from a number of these
programs to provide information about their experiences during the summer
through interviews and surveys. Providing us with early evidence of
the benefits of the Let's ALL Play, directors and counselors agreed
that program modifications and activities enabled them
to better serve their campers with and without
disabilities. As one director explained, "Let's
ALL Play modifications such as fidgets and Family
Communication Cards allowed campers with disabilities to be successful,
while group-based initiatives such as 'People-First Language' contributed
to an environment that was more accepting and inclusive."
Many
directors found the modifications useful for all
campers. One commented, "Most
of the L.A.P. accommodations and modifications
help all campers, not only those with special needs." Another director
expressed similar feelings, "All of our kids benefited from picture
schedules, which were much easier to read than
our written schedules."
Highlighting the success of the Let's ALL Play games, another director explained, "The
games were very good in terms of being conducive
to success by all campers, as well as being fun
for everyone. A favorite new game is the 'musical
hoops,' which is a vast improvement over the traditional
musical chairs."
Let's ALL Play provided valuable support for
both programs new to inclusion as well as programs
that have had prior experience. After implementing Let's ALL Play for
the first time, one director new to inclusion commented, "We
were able to provide a safe, fun, interactive,
and meaningful environment to campers who have very limited options
when it comes to summer activities in our area. The tools that the Bubel/Aiken
Foundation provided us with prior and during camp came as a big help
in cooperation this program into our camp for the first time this summer." Another
director who had experience with inclusion and had been moving
towards inclusion for the past few years explained
that Let's ALL Play was helpful in unifying the camp group by saying, "We
have been working in a very limited way with children
with special needs for a few years in a program parallel to that experienced
by our typical campers, so it was very encouraging and inspiring to
be able to actually become inclusive and to see healthy supportive relationships
develop among all campers."
Four camps in particular stood out
in their implementation of Let's ALL Play: Mountain
Day Camp (Boulder, Colorado); Camp Shriver Boston
(Boston, Massachusetts); Camp by the Sea (Margate, New Jersey); and
Caring Strategies (Drestrehan, Louisiana). These camps
participated in Let's ALL Play training, implemented
the majority of the program modifications as described in the guidebook,
and made a significant effort to incorporate inclusive games into their
existing camp structure.
Focusing on these four sites, we looked at
the impact of the Let's ALL Play on campers with disabilities.
During the final week of camp, counselors rated the improvement of the
campers with disabilities that they worked with on a scale of 1 ("no
improvement") to 5 ("a lot of improvement") across
five areas: sport/motor skills, self-esteem, social
skills, social relationships with campers without
disabilities, and engagement in camp activities. Table
1 presents the
average camper improvement in each of the five
areas, and Table
2 lists the percentage of campers at each level of improvement.
Evidence from counselors suggests that campers
showed improvement in each of the five areas assessed.
In fact, over half of the campers improved
"a lot" in engagement (64 percent); social skills (56 percent);
and self-esteem (58 percent). These results reflect
the positive nature of inclusive programming at the camps. Modifications
and games gave children with disabilities more
opportunities to interact with their peers and also allowed them to
be more engaged during the activities. Experiencing success and developing
confidence in their abilities, children also showed improvements in
their self-esteem. For many campers with disabilities, sports and motor
skills are a real challenge, and the fact that the majority of campers
(88 percent) were able to show moderate to high improvement during camp
illustrates the value of the games and activities provided by Let's
ALL Play.
Supporting the data provided by counselors,
parents also noted that their children improved
in a variety of areas over the course of the summer
including communication, social skills, and sport
skills. For instance, one parent mentioned that
her son's experience was "an
ongoing learning experience" and that throughout
the summer she noticed "an overall improvement with speech and
communication skills." Likewise, another parent noticed that her
son "talked
more as a result of camp." Improvements in sports
skills, notably swimming, were mentioned by many
parents, and one parent commented specifically, "[My
daughter] improved her swimming — they did that every day and
she loved it!"
Successfully Fostering Inclusive
Environments
With the support of Let's ALL Play,
summer programs across the country were able to
successfully foster inclusive environments. Children
with disabilities were able to interact with their
peers and participate in activities that were previously
unavailable to them, and the benefits from these
opportunities were unmistakable.
Across all programs,
directors expressed that Let's ALL Play played
a key role in creating an inclusive environment. The model not only
provided the necessary support, but it also oriented staff and helped
to spread awareness about inclusion. What counselors and directors found
particularly useful about Let's ALL Play was
that they did not have to drastically change the
structure of their existing program to incorporate
the program modifications and activities. Also,
while most of the Let's ALL Play tools
were simple and could be integrated with few difficulties
or added expenses, the benefits they provided to
the campers were dramatic.
The daily anticipation
that parents saw in their children further reflects
the positive nature of participating in camp. Illustrating
this point, one Camp Shriver parent commented, "I
noticed that every morning it was like I was giving
[my son] a million dollars. He loved going, and on weekends he would
ask, 'Oh mom . . . I am not going to camp today?'" Similarly,
a parent from Camp by the Sea mentioned that her
son "could not
wait for camp every day."
Overall, parents
were thankful to have the opportunity to send their
children to camp, and since it was such a positive
experience, they reported that if it were possible
they would most definitely send their child to camp again in the future.
Emphasizing the value of inclusive programming, one parent explained, "I
have spoken with some parents whose kids were turned
down for camps, and I know that could have been
us at one point. I'd like to hold out hope that
someday everyone will have the chance to participate."
References
Brannan, S.; Arick, J.; Fullerton, A.; and Harris, J. (1997).
Inclusionary practices: A nationwide survey of mainstream camps serving
youth. Camping Magazine, 70(1), 32-34.
Heiman, T. (2000). Friendship
quality among children in three educational settings. Journal of Intellectual & Developmental
Disability, 25, 1-12.
Henderson, K.; Whitaker, L.; Bialeschki, M.; Scanlin,
M.; and Thurber, C. (2007). Summer Camp Experiences. Journal of Family
Issues, 28(8), 987-1007.
Jacques, N.; Wilton, K.; and Townsend, M. (1998).
Cooperative learning and social acceptance of children with mild intellectual
disability. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 42(1) 29-36.
Mulvihill, B.A.; Cotton, J.N.; and Gyaben, S.L. (2004). Best practices
for inclusive child and adolescent out-to-school care. Family & Community
Health, 27(1), 52-64.
Rynders, J.E.; Schleien, S.J.; Meyer, L.H.; Vandercook,
T.K.; Mustonen, T.A.; Colond, J.S.; and Olson, K. (1993). Improving
integration outcomes for children with and without severe disabilities
through cooperative structured recreation activities: A synthesis of
research. Journal of Special Education, 26, 386-407.
Sale, P., and Carey,
D.M. (1995). The sociometric status of students with disabilities in
a full- inclusion school. Exceptional Children, 62, 6-19.
Siperstein,
G.N., and Chatillon, A.C. (1982). Importance of perceived similarity
in improving children's attitudes toward mentally retarded peers.
American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 86, 453-458.
Siperstein, G.;
Glick, G.; and Parker, R. (2009). The social inclusion of children with
intellectual disabilities in a recreational setting. Intellectual and
Developmental Disabilities.
Siperstein, G.N.; Parker, R.C.; Norins Bardon,
J.; and Widaman, K. F. (2007). A National Study of Youth Attitudes toward
the Inclusion of Students with Intellectual Disabilities. Exceptional
Children, 73, 435-455.
Siperstein, G.N.; Glick, G.; Norins Bardon, J.;
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Children with Intellectual Disabilities in Summer Camp. Camping Magazine,
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Originally published in the 2009 November/December
issue of Camping Magazine.
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