2. Gary N. Siperstein, Ph.D.
Center for Social Development and Education
University of Massachusetts Boston
3. What is Inclusion?
Social Inclusion
• Persons with a
disability are
socially accepted
Functional Inclusion and enabled to
• Persons with a participate in
disability have school and
necessary supports community
to participate in activities
Physical Inclusion normative
experiences
• Persons with a
disability are present
in the classroom, a
sports team, in a
recreational setting
etc. Schleien et al. 1999
4. Inclusion in
Classroom vs. Recreational
Settings
Classroom Recreational Settings
Structure inhibits social Structure promotes equal
interaction participation
Emphasis on academic Emphasis on FUN
achievement
Differences more salient Differences less salient
5. Students Attitudes toward
Inclusion in the Classroom are
Favorable…
Students Believe:
Students with ID contribute to the class 74%
Having students with ID in class helps other students be
75%
more accepting of diversity
Students with ID benefit socially from being in the class 73%
Students benefit socially from having students with ID in
62%
the class
6. And Continue to Positively
Increase.
What would you do with a What would you do with a
student with ID in school? student with ID out of school?
2012 2012
Lend the student a Invite the student out
91% 94% 38% 52%
pencil with my friends
Talk with the student Invite the student over
59% 71% 35% 43%
at lunch to my house
Choose for Go to the movies with
54% 69% 33% 47%
teammate in gym the student
Work with on a Talk about personal
52% 67% 29% 29%
school task things with the student
7. But Friendships between children
with and without disabilities
Do Not Occur at School:
In 2004, 10% of middle school students indicated
that they had a friend with ID.
In 2012, 34% of middle school students indicated
that they had a friend with ID.
8. Friendships between children with
and without disabilities
Do Occur at Camp Settings:
92% of campers named at least one person
they “liked to hang out with.”
80% of campers named at least one new friend
they had met at camp.
70% of campers without a disability nominated a
camper with a disability as someone they like to
“hang out with.”
Camp Shriver Outcomes, 2011
9. In fact, Camp Directors Identified
Friendship as a Primary Goal in the
Let’s All Play Evaluation
Most common goals for all campers
Make friends
Have fun
Learn new skills
Improve self-esteem and self-confidence
Most common goal for campers with
disabilities
Experience social inclusion
Most common goal for campers without
disabilities
Gain an understanding of disabilities
10. By Friendship, We Mean…
For young children:
Shared play/common activities
For school-aged children:
Shared play/common activities
Understanding and trust
Self-disclosure
11. By Friendship, We Mean…
For adolescents:
Engaging in shared activities
Intimacy
○ Trust
○ Communication of ideas and feelings
○ Emotional support
For adults:
Instrumental support (e.g., helping, doing
favors)
Shared affection
Mutual respect
12. …but few Camp Settings are
Inclusive.
More than 12,000 day and overnight
camps in US
7,000 overnight camps
5,000 day camps
Of 2,400 camps registered with the
American Camp Association:
Only 7% are dedicated to the inclusion of
campers with disabilities (listed as
“inclusion/mainstreaming” camps).
American Camp Association, February 2012
13. Maximizing Success at Your
Camp
Know Your Campers
Functional Ability
Personal Interests
Nature of the Impairment
Life Stage
Know Your Families
Parent expectations and goals for their child
Parent experiences in schools and the
community
14. Maximizing Success at Your
Camp
Know Your Camp’s Readiness for:
Physical Inclusion
Functional Inclusion
Social Inclusion
15. Physical Inclusion
Know Your Space
Facilities
○ Pool, gym, bathroom, cafeteria…
Transportation
○ Parking, field trips…
Equipment
○ Playground, bats, balls…
16. Functional Inclusion
Know Your Staff
Understand program staffing needs
Determine appropriate camper to staff ratio
Incorporate disability and inclusion training
Pursue suitable certifications
17. Functional Inclusion
Know What Adaptations Are Needed
Programming
Materials and Equipment
Coaching / Instructional Techniques
Scheduling
Disciplinary Action Plan
Behavioral Supports
18. Functional Inclusion
Know Specific Activity Adaptations
Slowing down games
Shorter duration of games
Extending time limit
Increasing counselor-camper ratio for support
Playing games sitting
Reducing the playing field
Modifying the equipment e.g. balloon for balls
19. Social Inclusion
Know how to create opportunities for
Structured contact between children with
and without disabilities
Cooperative learning
Equal status interactions
Perceived similarity
Positive role models
20. Know Your Evaluation Plan
Set objectives
Identify / implement specific measures
Involve counselors, coaches and parents
21. Inclusive Recreational Programming
Benefits Everyone Involved
Allows children and adults to gain a
realistic understanding of people with
disabilities
Creates opportunities for positive social
interactions and friendship
Builds social skills and self-esteem
Teaches kindness, patience and respect
Develops tolerance and appreciation for
those different from ourselves
22. Inclusive Recreational Programming:
Why We Do It
What we are doing matters.
We make a difference in kids’ lives.
Recreational programming is beginning to
lead the way in inclusion
Yet still, there are too few inclusive camps
Successful social inclusion is not easy.
It is not something that just happens when
you bring two kids together
It is a structured process that takes time and
effort
Defining InclusionInclusion is based on the idea that people with disabilities should be allowed to participate equally alongside their peers without disabilities When we talk about inclusion, we need to think about three levels of inclusion. At the most basic level, there is physical inclusion – where people with disabilities are physically placed in the classroom or in the community. Physical inclusion often involves making adaptations to the physical environment that would make it possible for a person with a disability to be in that environment. Functional inclusion is the next level. It recognizes that in addition to adaptations to the physical environment, people with a disability may need other supports that will enable them to participate in activities. In the classroom, this is often referred to as instructional inclusion. Social Inclusion is the final level of inclusion. People often assume that if people with disabilities are in the classroom, or on the sports team, they will automatically become a part of the social environment. However, as will show later – this is not the case. Social Inclusion occurs when people are social accepted by their peers and are enabled by others to participate fully in community activities.
Now that we know what inclusion is – why is it important to promote inclusion in recreational settings?There are certain barriers in academic / classroom settings that are not present in recreational settings.Non-academic settings are more conducive to promoting positive outcomes like improved social skills, self-esteem, social acceptance
Student attitudes concur with previous slide: that academically, students with ID can contribute class.Additionally, students believe: including students with ID will help other students become more accepting, that students with ID socially benefit from classroom inclusion, and that they themselves socially benefit from classroom inclusion.
Even though students are sure that there is a social benefit in including students with ID inside the classroom (as the previous slides show), there is no friendship development there.Note: 93% of adults in a Multinational Survey of Attitudes toward individuals with Intellectual Disabilities believe that adults with ID are capable of sustaining friendships2004 is the date of the of the MACRO contract
However…The average camper named 2-3 friends at camp they liked to hang out with.
Friendships are characterized by high levels of reciprocity and perceived equality, as well as mutual liking and positive interactions in which there exist expectations from both members of a dyad of companionship, security, instrumental help, and emotional support (Bukowski et al., 2008).Note from Joanne/Laura:“Shared” implies reciprocity.“Friendship is a two-way street" i.e., If it's not reciprocated, it can't really be considered a friendshipDeep vs. surface structure of friendship:Deep structure refers to the ‘essence’ of friendship, reciprocity, which exists in friendships throughout development. Surface structure refers to the specific interactions of friendship, which change throughout the lifespan, depending on the needs of the friends.(Hartup & Stevens, 1997)NOTES: From Let’s ALL Play Conference, 2011For Young Children Friendship is also whomever they are playing with at the timeFor School-Aged Someone who is “fun to play with” Easily Started and Terminated
For Adults (From Joanne)“Doing Favors” applies to adults, such as: watching your kids, driving your kids to school or after-school activities, picking up your mail and feeding your dog when you are on vacation, etc
Why is it important to continue advocating for inclusion in camp? There is a clear lack in the amount of camps who are welcoming to children with and without disabilities.There is clearly a need and the “demand outweighs the supply” (if you will).Traditionally, three types of camp settingsCamps that are segregated in nature and designed to provide medical and social support for campers with specific disabilities, most particularly health problemsCamps that are segregated in nature - designed for campers with disabilities within barrier free environmentCamps that are inclusive in nature Examples:YMCA, YWCA, Boy and Girls Scouts of America, Woodman of the World, and religious organizationsFor-profits versus not-for-profits
Who you select is dependent on what services/accessibility you can provide.Campers Also:DemographicsAgeGenderGeographic LocationEconomic StatusIndividual camper strengths and challengesFamilies- how to answer their questions, make them feel secure about sending their child with special needs to your camp. How to assure them that their children will not be isolated at camp but will be able to form friendships.
Campus safety, playground, sleeping, quarters bathroom, cafeteria – ACA Accreditation Standards (2012)Parking, entrance, restrooms, lockeroom, pool, gym, activity areas – Institute for Community Inclusion Packet, compiled by Maria Paiewonsky and Susan Tufts (1999) Inclusion Assessment Tools, compiled NY State Inclusive Recreation Resource Center (2011) ACA Accreditation Standards (2012)
Camp Shriver operates with a 4:1 ratioCertifications such as First Aid, CPR, AED (automated external defibrillator), Lifeguarding, etc.
From:Institute for Community Inclusion Packet, compiled by Maria Paiewonsky and Susan Tufts (1999)Inclusion Assessment Tools, compiled NY State Inclusive Recreation Resource Center (2011)ACA Accreditation Standards (2012)
From Let’s ALL Play
Also from the friendship chapter:Peer buddy programs“Interventions are often successful in increasing social interactions and fostering positive attitude change among children without disabilities, but most do not result in the formation of true friendships (as defined above).”Also:Make sure you plan ahead and have alternate activitiesDisability awareness trainingCommunication: people-first language Institute for Community Inclusion Packet, compiled by Maria Paiewonsky and Susan Tufts (1999) Inclusion Assessment Tools, compiled NY State Inclusive Recreation Resource Center (2011) ACA Accreditation Standards (2012)Also:Well-planned structured contact in crucialCooperative learningPositive role models Social Acceptance and Attitude Change: 50 Years of Research, by Gary et al, (2006)
Show that what you do worksTell everyone you knowParents, teachers, funders, etc.
NIP is building from the grassroots up – a movement to focus society's attention, not just to the fact that inclusion is mandated in our schools….
Thanks to organizations such as the National Inclusion Project, we can build this community of support and knowledge((alternative title: Inclusive Recreational Programming: Together, We are making a difference)) Together, we are on the right trackWe’ve come a long wayThe work can be hard, but we are sticking with it. There is a lot be shared and learned, today and tomorrow, from the presenters and from each other.We are in this together. Thank you for the work you do, and enjoy the rest of the conference.
