Program design

'Nothing about us without us' is an important guiding principle when designing inclusive programs, resources, and policies.
It is important for programs, resources and policies relating to participation by people with disability to ensure that they use the 'nothing about us without us' philosophy and work to ensure adequate, community-led initiatives and consultation. 20, 35, 45, 48, 61, 62, 65, 134
A study in the United Kingdom in 2023 found that only 30% of respondents with disability believed that ‘sport is for someone like me’ compared to 65% of those without disability. The study also found: 48
42% of people with disability said it wasn’t clear how they could provide feedback on activities they took part in.
Only one in ten people with disability had had the chance to influence the types of physical activity they were involved in vs 14% of the broader population.
A third of people with disability wanted more of a role in influencing the activities they take part in, including 48% of those who were involved in organised activities and 49% of young people.
People with learning impairments or multiple impairments were more likely to want to be involved.
Suggestions for practiceSurveys of clubs in Victoria and South Australia have found that many community sports organisations would like to offer more inclusive programs for people with disability, but often feel uncertain how to get started. 60, 61
Some factors that have been highlighted in research as being more likely to lead to successful programs include:
Use person-centred and led planning, have a range of options available that can be adapted to suit individual needs, goals, and capabilities, incorporating them into the community and the process. 2, 20, 26, 35, 37, 65, 87
Supporting autonomy, e.g. giving an athlete or volunteer, options to choose the skill or technique that they feel is most important to work on during practice or when learning a new role. 39, 65, 79
Make sure engagement is not just an afterthought or tick-box exercise. Include a range of people, not just established voices – proactively seek new people and different experiences. Show that you value and respect people’s skills, expertise, and contribution, including sharing their lived experience. 48
Use engagement and co-production activities to ensure resources are spent on initiatives that are accessible and meet a real need. 48
Focus on fun, enjoyment, and socialising, over competition, especially for new participants. 5, 41, 54, 56
Running multi-sport activities to allow participant to try and/or see what options are available. 3, 5
Having knowledgeable, empathetic, and skilled staff or volunteers. 5, 41, 88, 89A 2021 study found that children with cerebral palsy had 10 times greater odds of achieving and retaining bike riding skills when participating in a program led by physiotherapists versus a parent-led, home-based program. 29, 90
Considering the various identities and other factors (e.g. gender, sexuality, age, socio-economic or cultural factors, geographic location, etc.) that might also impact on participation. These intersectional factors or identities may mean that an individual or group has different needs, preferences, barriers, and motivators to be addressed to meet the desired outcome (e.g., increasing sport participation). 21, 24, 58, 71, 77, 91, 133
Consider integrated activities (e.g. wheelchair rugby league, walking versions of sports, Universal Sports programs, etc.) that allow individuals with different ability levels to participate together. This can help to expand the pool of available participants, increase participation opportunities, and may help reduce stigma, discrimination, and misconceptions about disability more broadly. 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 115
Policymakers, program designers and providers need to build relationships, autonomy, and to leverage the influence of people and environments to help engage individuals and communities in inclusive sport and physical activity programs. 20, 39, 48, 96
Resources and reading
All Abilities coaching changing minds, changing lives, opens in a new tab, Tony Webeck, PGA Australia, (14 August 2024). A PGA Professional since 2003, Portelli was one of the first to complete the 20-hour All Abilities Accreditation course that is a joint initiative by the PGA of Australia and Golf Australia.
Starkick program and Hand in Hand Walk for Inclusion opens gates for all kids to play football, opens in a new tab, Esse Deves, ABC Kimberley, (15 May 2024). Starkick is an all abilities football program for 5–17 year olds who, "by circumstance or choice, may be unable or unwilling to participate in a mainstream sporting team". Broome Senior High School student Landen Stubbs is one of 10 participants who eagerly looked forward to the weekend clinics. Landen used to play football as a junior but put his game on pause when it became more complex. "It's [Starkick] better because it's easier to understand and there is more teamwork," he said.
Athletes of all abilities join in the excitement of Aussies at inaugural Adaptive Events, opens in a new tab, Surf Life Saving Australia, (23 April 2024). For the first time in history of the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships, Adaptive Competition was introduced allowing athletes of all abilities to take part. Over 40 athletes took part in events on Saturday 20th April, across beach sprints, flags, swim, board and wading, with the crowd at Mooloolaba getting into the spirit of the event. Michael Woods from Inclusive Sport Design has worked with SLSA to develop the program designed to support athletes. “There are a whole bunch of inclusive practices that have been put into the Aussies, some of them are infrastructure things like beach mats on the sand for wheelchair access, we have sensory/quiet areas for people who might need that and we’ve also helped educate officials,” he said.
Episode 63: Reverse integration – doing disability sport differently, opens in a new tab, Lesley Evans Ogden, Mosaic/The Inclusion Club, (accessed 27 February 2024). In Canada, wheelchair basketball brings people together regardless of their abilities. Lesley Evans Ogden asks whether this kind of integration could help dispel stigma, discrimination and misconceptions about disability more widely.
Live sport can be challenging for neurodivergent fans with autism, ADHD and PTSD. Is enough being done to support them?, opens in a new tab Rania Yallop, ABC, 7 August 2023). Based on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Mitchell once held a Mariners season pass but stopped attending matches due to the sensory challenges caused by her autism and ADHD. Attending live games is often challenging for neurodivergent people, including those with autism, dementia, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The increased sensory inputs that come from the stadium environment can add to an individual's stress 'bucket', including noise from crowds, fireworks, and music, as well as artificial lighting, smells of food, or being touched or shoved in crowds. Discusses some of the initiatives used during the 2023 Women's World Cup to help make games more accessible including sensory rooms, sensory backpakcs, cue cards (communication tool), visual step-by-step guide to the game-day experience. Independent director of the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network in Australia/New Zealand, Katharine Annear, says that while initiatives like these are a step in the right direction, more needs to be done to make sporting events truly accessible. "We can provide all these tangible things like rooms and sensory things, but unless staff in general know what to expect from a person with communication differences, that's where things can break down."
Accessibility & Sustainability Information, opens in a new tab, FIFA, (12 May 2023). FIFA is committed to delivering a safe, inclusive, and barrier free tournament for all, including disabled people and people with limited mobility. As part of these efforts, we have developed this guide to provide disabled people and people with limited mobility helpful information to make their matchday experience as accessible as possible. We hope that you find this information useful, and we wish you an enjoyable and inclusive FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™.
Equality vs Equity graphics, opens in a new tab, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, (November 2022). If a picture is worth 1,000 words, having the right picture is worth even more. When conveying a concept as nuanced as the difference between equality and equity, developing a visual that effectively engages diverse audiences and helps generate meaningful conversations can take time and a great deal of input, thought, and care.
'Not just father and son, we are teammates': Cannanes to create World Cup history, opens in a new tab, Brad Walter, NRL.com, (4 September 2022). The Cannanes are set to become the first father and son to represent Australia together at a World Cup and both admit they may not have made the Wheelaroos squad for the upcoming tournament in England without the help of the other. Corey, 26, was first drawn to Wheelchair Rugby League for an opportunity to play with his father. The pair would watch NRL matches together and shared a passion for the game, but with Craig becoming a paraplegic after a motorbike accident at the age of 19 they never imagined they would be able to play sport together.
Supporting kids with cerebral palsy go for gold with cycling, opens in a new tab, Dr Rachel Toovey, University of Melbourne Pursuit, (17 September 2021). Specialist programs led by physiotherapists that teach children with cerebral palsy how to ride boost the odds of success by ten times. We all know that physical activity is important for our health and wellbeing. But for kids with CP, it’s not always as easy as jumping on a bike for a ride. Our recently published study, opens in a new tab provides new evidence-based guidance to help kids with CP to get cycling. We found that the physiotherapist-led bike skills group program was better than the parent-led home program for supporting kids with CP to achieve their goals. Kids in the physiotherapist-led program had 10 times greater odds of achieving their goals in the program week and four times greater odds of retaining this achievement three months later.
Paralympics haven’t decreased barriers to physical activity for most people with disabilities, opens in a new tab, Kathleen Martin Ginis, Cameron Gee, University of British Columbia, The Conversation, (22 August 2021). In a recent research review, we reported that children, youth and adults with disabilities are up to 62 per cent less likely to meet the World Health Organization’s physical activity guidelines than the general population. This is because people with disabilities face over 200 barriers to doing physical activity, two of the largest being built environments and transportation. For example, most public playgrounds, swimming pools, and outdoor tracks are built in ways that make them inaccessible to wheelchair users.
Removing barriers and bringing back the enjoyment factor in disability sport, opens in a new tab, sportanddev.org, (25 November 2020). A research study across three universities in UK found that one of the major barriers to sport and physical activity for persons with disability is the lack of the enjoyment factor, which can cause persons with disabilities to fixate on the difficulties of engaging, such as the cost and hassle of getting there. Barriers to sport and physical activity participation for persons with disabilities included cost of transport and activities, ineffective communication and advertisement, preconceived images of sport as competitive and judgmental, and anxieties about sporting abilities. Perhaps the most significant barrier, and the main challenge for future provision, is that many persons with disabilities have not enjoyed, or perceive that they will not enjoy, partaking in sport and physical activity. Some key suggestions for future practice included: Decentering ‘sport’ in favor of ‘activity’, within a multi-activity approach, which places emphasis on fun and enjoyment, and socializing through blended physical and non-physical provision.
Ensuring providers employ a knowledgeable and empathetic workforce, who also work more closely with non-sporting disability support organizations vis-a-vis communication, time and place, and the gradual integration of physical activities into the mainstream provision of these organizations.
Indigenous Health Education Program, opens in a new tab, Paralympics Australia, (2018-2020). A grant was provided through the federal Department of Health’s Indigenous Australia’s Health Programme enabled Paralympic Australia to undertake a range of activities from 2018-20 developing targeted evidence based chronic disease prevention, health promotion and physical activity education resources and community events to address the increasing incidence of chronic disease in Indigenous people with disability in a culturally acceptable manner. Following are some of the key messages and learnings relating to barriers and enablers for physical activity participation from the project’s community engagement events, consultations and interviews. Research Paper: Benefits and barriers of participation in physical activity for First Nations People with Disability, opens in a new tab, Dr Paul Oliver, Paralympics Australia, (accessed 11 March 2022). Sport can be a very powerful way of engaging First Nations people and providing positive outcomes in the areas of health and welfare.
The Inclusion Spectrum, planning sport activities for everyone, opens in a new tab, Michael Woods, Inclusive Sport Design, (July 2017). The inclusion spectrum is about considering the range of options available and adapting these to suit the needs, goals and capabilities of participants. Each element of the spectrum should be considered equally as important as the next. Ideally there would be activities on offer for a range of people to choose from across all elements.
Breaking Barriers: Supporting Disabled Teenage Girls to be Active Research, opens in a new tab, Access Sport, (May 2024). The unique experiences of disabled teenage girls can be lost when viewed through research focused solely on girls or disabled young people. The goal of this research was to understand their experiences so that we can create engaging sport and exercise offers that work for them. The research used surveys and focus groups with teenage girls in the UK, aged 11-19 years, who had a disability or impairment; a long-term health condition; and/or a neurodiverse condition, to explore disabled teenage girls’ experiences, attitudes and barriers towards sport and exercise. Some key findings included: Disabled teenage girls are frustrated by the lack of suitable opportunities outside of school and struggle to enjoy sport in school, making provision outside school even more important.
Only 41% of disabled teenage girls enjoy PE and just 39% feel comfortable joining in sport and exercise at school or college. This is a concern as we know PE and school sport can be foundational in shaping young people’s relationships with being active.
Disabled teenage girls face the same barriers to sport and exercise as non-disabled teenage girls, but there are additional complex barriers that mean many feel excluded from sport.
Girls-only opportunities help girls find joy in sport and, for disabled teenage girls, participating with other disabled girls is important.
Coaches and instructors need to understand the support needs of disabled teenage girls to prevent girls from having a negative experience or being excluded all together.
Disabled teenage girls want to take part in a judgement-free environment where fun is prioritised, and coaches, volunteers and teachers play an important role in creating this environment for them.
Paralympic sport key to driving NZ’s inclusion of disabled people, opens in a new tab, Paralympics New Zealand (December 2023). A nationwide poll conducted by market research firm Ipsos shows 84% of Kiwis believe the country should be inclusive of disabled people, but only half that number, 42%, feel Aotearoa New Zealand is inclusive of disabled people. Sport can help bridge the gap: 75% of Kiwis say Paralympic sport increases pride in New Zealand, and 55% want to see more coverage of it.
Annual Disability and Activity Survey 2022-23, opens in a new tab, Activity Alliance (UK), (June 2023). The fourth Annual Disability and Activity Survey report for 2022-23. The survey is the primary source of insight for organisations working to achieve fairness for disabled people in sport and activity. Key findings include: Disabled people were more likely to say they wanted to be more active compared to non-disabled people (77% vs 54%). This “activity gap” has remained consistent in previous years, showing an ongoing unmet need.
Disabled people were half as likely to ‘see people like me’ playing and working in sport and physical activity. (22% compared to 44% of those without disability)
People with disability were less likely to 'see people like me playing sport and being active' (32% compared to 65% of people without disability).
12% of disabled people wanted the opportunity to become a coach or have a role in delivering physical activity (vs 17% of non-disabled people). This increased to 26% of disabled people who were taking part in organised activities, and to 31% of young disabled people.
Easier To Be Active, opens in a new tab, Sheffield Hallam University, National Centre for Sport & Exercise Medicine (NCSEM), Sport England, (2022). One in three of us in England live with a health condition and we are twice as likely to be amongst the least physically active, yet we know that being active can help to manage our conditions and increase our quality and length of life. The #EasierToBeActive project explored the ways in which we help people with long-term health conditions lead a more active lifestyle. The project consisted of three phases: Phase 1 – an online conversation (March-May 2020); Phase 2 – interviews with leaders in the physical activity system (September 2020 – February 2021); Phase 3 – a second online conversation to test and refine the findings (April – June 2021). The collective insight from the conversations has been used to co-create new insight and recommendations for those who provide, design, commission and deliver sport, physical activity and health and care services so that we can improve the experience of being active for people with health conditions.
Supporting Regional Clubs Research: Interim Report, opens in a new tab, Regional Sport Victoria, (October 2021). Responses to this survey paint a picture of the challenges faced by community club, leagues, and associations throughout regional Victoria, particularly due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. These survey results raise concerns in three key areas: the impact of COVID-19 on volunteers, member and volunteer participation and retention, and the demand for grants and other assistance. Among other findings and requests, Courses around inclusion, particularly for people with disabilities, were highly requested. Many community sports organisations would like to be able to offer such programs but are unsure as to where to begin or how to do it.
How inclusive are SA sport clubs? A study into the attitudes and behaviours of members from South Australian mainstream sporting clubs, opens in a new tab, Katrina Ranford, Inclusive Sport SA, (June 2019). In 2018 Inclusive Sport SA was successful in securing a two-year Information Linkages and Capacity Building Project funded by the National Disability Insurance Agency, with the agenda to increase capability of the sector and grow active participation of people with disability (PWD) in mainstream sporting clubs and associations. A pillar of this project saw the consultation with Sport bodies and their members to understand the current landscape with regard to inclusive practices and in particular including people with disability in mainstream sporting clubs. Some key findings include: While most sporting clubs have a good level of facilities for those with physical disabilities, less than 30 percent of local clubs are involved with “inclusion” related activities such as Inclusion Come N Try events or teams for PWD.
Almost 60 percent of participants believe their club would have no idea where to start actively engaging PWD into their teams and club roles, with 88 percent wanting additional training for coaches and volunteers.
It is clear that clubs do not know how to cater for PWD, 86 percent of respondents would see value in their club and SSO’s arranging more training for coaches and volunteers around inclusion.
While three quarters of respondents support the participation of PWD in their sports’ competition, when asked if including a PWD in a game would negatively affect the quality of a club game, an alarming 43 percent noted that it would in some regard. This suggests that inclusion in principal is highly regarded and communicated, however when ‘inclusion’ joins ‘your’ team it becomes a different story all together.
If we want inclusion in sport and society to grow a three-point journey to success is recommended. This includes spending time looking at education and training for deliverers of sport and recreation; for the sector to take accountability of delivering an inclusive environment; and an increase in visibility of people with a disability fulfilling roles in our mainstream clubs. Only then will we shift the perception of PWD participating in mainstream club land from inspirational or odd to everyday, ordinary sporting life.
Spotlight on Disability, opens in a new tab, Sport NZ, (December 2018). This spotlight report focuses on understanding the impact of impairments on participation by highlighting the differences and similarities between disabled and non-disabled people’s participation. One of the key findings is overall, disabled people are less likely to participate weekly in play, active recreation or sport. The gap for young people occurs between ages 5 and 7. Weekly participation is matched between ages 8 and 24. From age 25-plus, disabled adults’ participation is lower than for non-disabled adults. Participation continues to decline with increasing age, in contrast with a relatively stable picture for non-disabled adults up until 75-plus. Disabled young people with one impairment are just as likely to participate weekly as non-disabled young people, whereas disabled adults with one impairment are less likely to participate weekly than non-disabled adults. Weekly participation for young people and adults drops with two or more impairments.
Disabled people are less likely to participate competitively. This is particularly the case between ages 8 and 14 and from 35-plus.
When participating in PE, disabled young people are less likely to enjoy the experience than non-disabled young people. Sixty-seven per cent of disabled young people enjoy PE, compared with 81 per cent of non-disabled young people.
Physical literacy: Disabled people have poorer results than non-disabled people in all six domains of physical literacy, with the biggest gap for disabled people on confidence, competence and opportunity to take part in activities of their choice, compared with non-disabled. There are differences in physical literacy by age and impairment. The widest gap in physical literacy among disabled young people is between ages 8 and 11 and disabled people with a communication, mixing with others and socialising impairment.
Seven Themes of Successful Physical Activity Programs for People with Disabilities, opens in a new tab, Canadian Disability Participation Project, (February 2018). We found were seven clear themes of all successful recreational and exercise programs designed for people with physical disabilities. We further determined strategies that all PA and recreation specialists can employ to ensure each theme is incorporated in their programs offered to people with disabilities. Themes were: Programmers must recognize that “one size does not fit all”; Communication is important; Participants need social support; Programs need to teach behavioural strategies for managing physical activity; Participants are eager for knowledge on exercise and disability; Programs can provide opportunities for participants to reframe thoughts about exercise and the self;  Programs provide important benefits for health and well-being.
Overcoming barriers to participation, opens in a new tab, British Blind Sport (2015). Sport and recreational activities can enhance the lives of people with visual impairments by improving their health and increasing social interaction. British Blind Sport conducted a survey to understand how blind and partially sighted people overcome barriers to participation in sport, and to understand the motivations of visually impaired people for taking up sport. Telephone interviews and focus groups were used to collect data. This report identifies a number of motivations as well as barriers. Practical solutions are offered to help visually impaired persons, and organisations providing services to them, overcome the barriers. Case studies are also provided.
Understanding barriers to sport participation (2010), Victorian Health Promotion Foundation, VicHealth report (2010). VicHealth has identified specific segments within the community where participation in sport remains problematic, including people with a disability. To encourage greater participation, VicHealth was looking to gain greater understanding of the barriers to participation and ongoing involvement in sport among these target groups. Three interviews were undertaken with participants at the 2009 Australian Masters Games in the disability segment. The participants spoken to within the scope of this research included people with both intellectual and physical disabilities. What became obvious are the differences in experience, motivations and aspirations across people with different disabilities. Their previous and current involvement in sport differed markedly as did their intentions in relation to future participation. It will be important that sporting bodies acknowledge the range of expectations and capacities that exist across the disability segment. There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution for this segment of the population. Some key insights from the initial discussions included: People with intellectual disabilities pointed to the structure of the activities as a significant hurdle. Creating activities (based on the sport framework) that accommodated people with intellectual disabilities (alternate forms of the game, other participatory variants) was seen to be of fundamental importance for this segment.
Social dimensions and opportunities presented through sport were cited as a key attraction. Sport is seen to provide opportunities to both participate with friends and meet and establish new friendships.
While customarily ‘come and try’ days have been sport specific, providing opportunities where people can experience or sample a variety of sports may work to attract people who are looking for a sporting opportunity but haven’t decided what they want to do or don’t know what options are available to them.
‘On-the ground’ strategy matrix for fostering quality participation experiences among persons with disabilities in community-based exercise programs, opens in a new tab, Jennifer Tomasone, Kristiann Man, Jacob Sartor, et al., Psychology of Sport and Exercise, Volume 69, 102469, (November 2023). The purposes of this paper are to (1) document the generation and refinement of a quality participation strategy list to ensure resonance and applicability within community-based exercise programs (CBEPs) for persons with physical and intellectual disabilities, and (2) identify theoretical links between strategies and the quality participation constructs. The final list of 85 strategies is presented in a matrix. Each strategy has explicit examples and proposed theoretical links to the constructs of quality participation. The strategy matrix offers a theoretically-meaningful representation of how quality participation-enhancing strategies can be practically implemented “on-the-ground” in CBEPs for persons with disabilities.
Exploring Adaptive Cycling Interventions for Young People with Disability: An Online Survey of Providers in Australia, opens in a new tab, John Carey, Rachel Toovey, Alicia Spittle, et al., Journal of Clinical Medicine, Volume 12(17), 5523, (August 2023). Adapted cycles offer young people with disability a fun way to participate in over-ground cycling, but little is known about current practices to train and sustain cycling in this group. This study aimed to describe interventions used to introduce adaptive cycling to young people with disability and explore barriers and facilitators to adapted cycle use. A cross-sectional online survey was distributed among Australian allied health, education and recreation providers through targeted advertizing and snowball methods. Data were analysed using mixed methods and reporting was guided by the CHERRIES and CROSS checklists. There were 107 respondents with n = 90 (84.1%) who fully completed the survey. Respondents worked with riders who had cerebral palsy, neurodevelopmental disabilities and movement impairments. Adaptive cycling interventions were customized according to a rider’s goals, needs and resourcing. The training of cycling skills included “an eclectic mix” of experiential learning, individual goals, task-specific training and holistic practice models. Diverse factors impacted cycling participation, with opportunities reliant on access to a supportive environment, including a suitable adapted cycle. This study found that providers viewed adaptive cycling as a therapeutic or active leisure experience within protected traffic-free environments. Strategies to extend adaptive cycling opportunities into the community are required.
Adapted sailing teaching methodology using vsail-trainer simulator as rehabilitation therapy. A feasibility study, opens in a new tab, Aarón Manzanares, Ángel Camblor, Salvador Romero-Arenas, et al., The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, (3 August 2023). Sailing is a sport that can help in the rehabilitation of Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) patients and improve their quality of life. Teaching methodology in sailing has always been considered as complex, due to the great amount of uncertainty that this sport has. Six adults were patients recruited at the National Hospital of Paraplegics of Toledo (Spain), aged between 31 and 54 years, who have passed the early subacute phase. Each subject underwent semi-immersive virtual reality sailing therapy for 40 min per session three times per week for six weeks, 18 sessions. A simulated adapted sailing initiation program VSail-Trainer® was used for the simulator therapy. During this session, the basic notions of sailing, wind direction, sheet trimming and control of the boat on different courses were explained. The variables assessed were: sailing learning, heart rate and effort perception. The methodology used in this study can be used as a guide for learning the activity by new SCI patients in rehabilitation who want to get into sailing sport.
Sport Participation for People with Disabilities: Exploring the Potential of Reverse Integration and Inclusion through Wheelchair Basketball, opens in a new tab, Rebecca Ramsden, Rick Hayman, Paul Potrac, et al., International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Volume 20(3), 2491, (January 2023). Reverse integration is defined as the inclusion of able-bodied people into disability sport. For decades, there have been movements towards integrating people with a disability in mainstream society. There has been a lack of research supporting the movement of able-bodied involvement in disability sport, known as reverse integration. In this study, the real-life experiences and motivations of 11 national wheelchair basketball players (four able-bodied and seven with a disability) were explored, identifying the potential of reverse integration and what influenced the players involvement. Thematic analysis was employed using a deductive approach. The social-relational model was used as a framework to help interpret the findings. The results highlighted that health and social benefits were key factors towards prolonged engagement in wheelchair basketball, and it was reported that reverse integration led to an increased mutual understanding of the impact of (dis)ability. All participants reported positive experiences and supported able-bodied involvement, suggesting that able-bodied players play a key role and help to grow the sport locally. However, involvement of able-bodied players was not supported at international level. This challenges the concept of inclusion at higher level and whether the sport could be more inclusive. These findings could provide direction to coaches and policymakers for developing further inclusive opportunities at all levels. Further research may explore coach education programs and learning experiences of becoming an inclusive coach to ensure coaches know how to create, stimulate and coach in inclusive sport environments.
The Value of Incorporating Inclusive Sports in Schools: An Exploration of Unified Sport Experiences, opens in a new tab, Roxy Helliker O’Rourke, Krystn Orr, Rebecca Renwick, et al., Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, Volume 40(4), pp.629-648, (2023). School sports programs intentionally created for students with and without disabilities may increase social participation of students with intellectual disabilities (IDs). Special Olympics Unified Sports is one program where students with and without ID participate on one team. Guided by a critical realist paradigm, this study explored the perceptions of students with and without ID and coaches of in-school Unified Sports. Interviews were conducted with 21 youths (12 with ID) and 14 coaches. Thematic analysis resulted in four developed themes (identified is outdated language): Inclusion—Is it a “we” or a “they?” Roles and Responsibilities, Educational Context for Inclusion, and Buy-In. Findings suggest students with and without ID and coaches value the inclusive nature of Unified Sports. Future research should explore training for coaches on inclusive practices (e.g., language), and optimal methods for consistent training (e.g., use of training manuals) to foster the philosophy of inclusion within school sports.
“We’re All the Same and We Love Football.” Experiences of Players and Facilitators Regarding a Collaborative, Inclusive Football Program Between Academy and Special Olympics Footballers, opens in a new tab, Melissa Fothergill, Danna Baik, Hannah M. Slater, et al., Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, Volume 40(4), pp.687-706, (2023). This study provides insight into an inclusive program between Special Olympics (SO) and academy football (soccer) players in the United Kingdom from the perspectives of players and facilitators. Qualitative focus groups were conducted across 30 participants (six facilitators, 14 Premier League academy players, and 10 SO players). Focus groups compared stakeholders’ experiences of participating in a season-long inclusive football program. Three overarching higher order themes were generated, which highlighted positive outcomes from taking part. SO players provided endorsement for developing friendships and improving football skills, whereas academy players cited the positive impact that SO players had on their mood and motivation. Facilitators reflected on positive player outcomes and subsequent accomplishments. Overall, the findings indicated that this shared experience had psychosocial and football-specific benefits for everyone who participated. Facilitators indicated that these benefits could transition into everyday life but noted that there needs to be further considerations for future programs.
Attitudes Toward People With Intellectual Disability Associated With Integrated Sport Participation, opens in a new tab, Carly Albaum, Annie Mills, Diane Morin, et.al., Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, Volume 39(1), pp.86-108, (2022). This is the first study to examine implicit and explicit attitudes toward people with ID within the context of integrated sport experiences. Differences indicating small-sized effects emerged for explicit attitudes with Motionball participants reporting less discomfort (e.g., feelings of anxiety, fear toward individuals with ID) and sensitivity (e.g., feelings of sadness, pity) and more favorable attitudes about interaction (e.g., more likely to supervise a person with an ID at work, accept being advised by a person with an ID at a retail store) and knowledge of the capacity and rights of people that reflects more positive attitudes about ID compared with those who had not been involved with Motionball or SO.
Developing participation opportunities for young people with disabilities? Policy enactment and social inclusion in Australian junior sport, opens in a new tab, Ruth Jeanes, Ramón Spaaij, Jonathan Magee, et al., in The Potential of Community Sport for Social Inclusion: Exploring Cases Across the Globe, Hebe Schaillée, Reinhard Haudenhuyse, Lieve Bradt (eds.), Routledge, (2022). Interventions aimed at increasing the participation of young people with disabilities in recreational sport have had mixed success. The authors draw on in-depth interviews with representatives from State Sporting Associations, local government officers and volunteers within community sports clubs in Victoria, Australia, to examine why some sports clubs are unable or unwilling to translate policy ambitions into practice. The findings indicate how by framing disability provision as ‘too difficult’, ‘not core business’ and antithetical to competitive success, community sports clubs are able to resist policy ambitions to modify existing structures and develop more inclusive practice. Greater priority needs to be given to transformational inclusion objectives and challenging ableism if clubs are to structurally progress the development of participation opportunities for young people with disabilities.
Parent-Reported Motivators and Barriers to Participation in a Community-Based Intervention Designed for Children With Motor Skill Difficulties: A Qualitative Program Evaluation, opens in a new tab, Kyrah Brown, Jerrise Smith, Tamaya Bailey, et.al., Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, Volume 39(1), pp.109-128, (2022). Parents play a critical role in their child’s participation in community-based intervention programs. Yet, their perspectives remain largely overlooked in the literature. This qualitative program evaluation used social cognitive theory to understand parents’ motivators and barriers to participation in a community-based intervention program designed for children with motor skill difficulties. Parents (n = 15) of children with motor skill difficulties enrolled in a community-based intervention program participated in semistructured interviews. Thematic analysis revealed six motivators (child needs, satisfaction, perceived impact, affordability, design, and program culture) and three perceived barriers (parent knowledge, access, and accommodations). Parents’ motivators and barriers reflected a combination of personal and environmental factors consistent with social cognitive theory. This study revealed novel insight into program-related environmental motivators and barriers. Program leaders should consider ongoing evaluation and application of parental perspectives to optimize family participation and retention in community-based interventions.
Quality of Participation Experiences in Special Olympics Sports Programs, opens in a new tab, Kelly Arbour-Nicitopoulos, Natasha Bruno, Krystn Orr, et.al. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, Volume 39(1), pp.17-36, (2022). This cross-sectional study examined experiential elements facilitating quality sport experiences for youth (ages 12–24 years) in Special Olympics, and the associated influences of sport program and sociodemographic characteristics. A total of 451 athletes involved in the 2019 Special Olympics Youth Games completed a survey assessing elements of quality participation (autonomy, belongingness, challenge, engagement, mastery, and meaning). The t tests investigated whether athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities rated elements differently across Traditional and Unified Sport programs. Regression analyses explored whether sport program and sociodemographic characteristics were predictors of these elements. Youth reported high mean scores across the elements, with no significant differences between athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Traditional or Unified Sport. Athletes with no reported disability rated higher autonomy than those who reported disability (p = .01). Women tended to report greater engagement in sport than men (p = .07). Findings provide theoretical and practical insights into quality sport participation among youth in Special Olympics.
SPORTS STARS: a practitioner-led, peer-group sports intervention for ambulant, school-aged children with cerebral palsy. Parent and physiotherapist perspectives, opens in a new tab, Georgina Clutterbuck, Megan Auld, Leanne Johnston, Disability and Rehabilitation, Volume 44(6), pp.956-965, (2022). Parent and physiotherapist perspectives of Sports Stars: a novel, practitioner-led, peer-group sports intervention were collected from Sports Stars Session Reports (39 children, 6–12 years), Fidelity Evaluations (28 children), and Perspectives Surveys (Parents = 29; Physiotherapists = 8). Outcomes were perceived impact on: (1) sports Participation (Attendance, Involvement), (2) sports Activity Competence across Physical, Social, Cognitive and Psychological Physical Literacy domains and (3) overall acceptability. ;Parents and physiotherapists agree that Sports Stars improved sports Participation and Physical, Social, Psychological and Cognitive Activity Competence for children with cerebral palsy. Children with sports-focused goals should be offered practitioner-led, peer-group sports interventions in community environments. Therapists should design sports interventions with Physical, Cognitive, Social and Psychological content and outcomes.
"How can we make it work for you?" Enabling sporting assemblages for disabled young people, opens in a new tab, Carroll P; Witten K; Duff C, Social Science and Medicine, Volume 288, 113213, (November 2021). Disabled young people have lower levels of participation in community life than nondisabled peers across a number of domains, including sporting activities, with profound implications for health, wellbeing and life course opportunities. Playing sport is a defining feature of identity for many young people in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Participation in sporting activities provides opportunities to develop competencies, to have fun and to compete, while also providing a sense of inclusion and peer group belonging. However, despite policies promoting inclusion of disabled young people in school and club sport, ableist attitudes and practices still function to exclude individuals who do not fit able-bodied norms. Drawing on recent ‘assemblage thinking’ in health and cultural geography, this paper explores the material, social and affective dimensions of ‘enabling’ and ‘disabling’ sporting assemblages, drawing on interviews with 35 disabled young people (12–25 years), parents and key informants. Many reported instances of demoralising exclusion in mainstream sporting activities. Some turned to adaptive sporting codes, designed for inclusion. In our exploration of participants' embodied experiences of enabling and disabling assemblages we employ assemblage theory to examine how social, affective and material forces and processes converge to either enable or constrain participation in local sporting activities. We close with a brief assessment of the implications of our analysis for ongoing efforts to promote inclusion for disabled youth in physical activity.
All aboard: users’ experiences of adapted paddling programs, opens in a new tab, Darien Merrick, Kyle Hillman, Alice Wilson, et.al., Disability and Rehabilitation, Volume 43(20), pp.2945-2951, (October 2021). The goal of this study was to explore the experiences of kayakers and paddle boarders in two adaptive paddling programs. Participants were children and adults requiring physical, cognitive, and/or psychosocial supports. Using an ethnographic approach, participant observations (n = 24) and semi-structured interviews (n = 11) were completed. Data were analyzed thematically. We identified three main themes. "Different Strokes" described the personal meaning participants ascribed to aspects of paddling, including valuing fun, exercise and relaxation. "Turning the Tide" illustrated the process of becoming a paddler, from doubting capacity to feeling competent. "Headwinds" explored paddlers' interactions with the broader social, institutional, and economic environments, such as inadequate funding and program aversion to risk. Programs offering a variety of adaptive paddle boarding and kayaking configurations enable paddlers to make valued choices about their participation. In addition to providing equipment and support to meet paddlers' functional abilities, program developers and clinicians should also consider individual preferences for exercise, socialization, risk taking, self-presentation of disability, and independence. People living with physical, cognitive, and/or psychosocial impairments perceive kayaking and paddle boarding as meaningful activities offering opportunities to exercise, have fun, achieve goals, socialize, and/or relax on the water. Kayakers and paddle boarders value equipment options that meet their physical and disability-disclosure preferences. Despite the existence of adaptive paddling programs, participation may be restricted by program availability, risk management policies, and leisure funding.
Task-specific training for bicycle-riding goals in ambulant children with cerebral palsy: a randomized controlled trial, opens in a new tab, Rachel Toovey, Adrienne Harvey, Jennifer McGinley, et.al., Development Medicine and Child Neurology, (22 August 2021). Sixty-two ambulant children with CP aged 6 to 15 years (33 males, 29 females, mean age 9y 6mo) with bicycle-riding goals participated in this multi-centre, assessor-blind, parallel-group, superiority randomized controlled trial. Children in the task-specific group participated in a physiotherapist-led, group-based, intensive training programme. Children in the parent-led home group were provided with a practice schedule, generic written information, and telephone support. Both programmes involved a 1-week training period. The primary outcome was goal attainment at 1 week after training measured using the Goal Attainment Scale. Secondary outcomes included bicycle skills, participation in bicycle riding, functional skills, self-perception, physical activity, and health-related quality of life at 1 week and 3 months after training. The task-specific physiotherapist-led training approach was more effective for attaining bicycle-riding goals than a non-specific parent-led home programme in ambulant children with CP.
Participation of people living with disabilities in physical activity: a global perspective, opens in a new tab, Prof Kathleen Martin Ginis, Hidde P van der Ploeg, Prof Charlie Foster, The Lancet, Volume 398(10298), pp.443-455, (July 2021). Overall, there is evidence that PLWD can derive some of the physical activity benefits observed in the general population. The relatively small number of adequately powered studies might explain some of the inconsistencies. The reviews also show that the epidemiology of physical activity in PLWD is an under-researched area, in need of more high-quality studies to better estimate the health risks and benefits of physical activity for different populations and to identify the amounts of physical activity that maximise health benefits. For adults, behaviour change techniques—particularly self-monitoring, problem solving, action planning, feedback on outcomes of behaviour, social support, reframing thoughts, identifying barriers, instruction on how to do the behaviour, and information about health consequences—were positively associated with behaviour changes. In a qualitative meta-synthesis, PLWD reported that effective interventions were flexible and adaptable to individual needs, autonomy-supportive, and done in inclusive, non-judgmental environments. Physical activity policies, recommendations, and resources must incorporate the values, needs, and preferences of PLWD, relevant rights holders, and stakeholders. Scientists and policy makers must abide by the philosophy of nothing about us without us to co-produce research, recommendations, policy, and other knowledge products.
Navigator Role for Promoting Adaptive Sports and Recreation Participation in Individuals With Disabilities, opens in a new tab, Iverson, Moriah; Ng, Alexander; Yan, Alice, American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Volume 100(6), pp.592-598, (June 2021). The aims of the study were to gain a better understanding of the resources, barriers, and facilitators of participation in adaptive sport and recreational activities as a means of achieving physical activity recommendations in individuals with disability and to understand preferences for a patient navigator service to help mitigate the barriers. One hundred ninety-eight adults and 146 parents completed the online surveys. Sixteen adults and 18 parents took part in focus groups. Many participants lacked knowledge of available adaptive sport and recreational resources; other barriers were expense, limited number of trained volunteers, and need for instruction. Conversely, persons were facilitated by community, socialization, and words of encouragement/motivation. Participants strongly preferred a patient navigator to be a person active in adaptive sport and recreational or an informative resource-filled website. Findings suggest that physical activity programs including adaptive sport and recreational should be designed to offer people with disabilities opportunities to build social networks and strengthen social support. A patient navigator service could help increase participation in adaptive sport and recreational and physical activity within a community context.
A review of adaptive sport opportunities for power wheelchair users, opens in a new tab, Jonathan Duvall, Shantanu Satpute, Rosemarie Cooper, et.al., Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, Volume 16(4), pp.407-413, (2021). A structured literature review of the peer-reviewed scientific literature and analysis of major adaptive sport competitions information. Pubmed and Scopus were searched for the phrases “Power wheelchair sports” and “complex disability sport” to identify articles discussing competitive sport opportunities for power wheelchair users. Also, the websites and instructional materials were searched to identify what sports exist for power wheelchair users in the Paralympics, the National Veteran Wheelchair Games, the Invictus Games and the Warrior Games. This literature review identified few programs for sports for people who use power wheelchairs. Many challenges such as lack of appropriate technology, lack of programs, and challenging classification categories all interact to contribute to this problem. Opportunities exist for better and more appropriate technology to be developed and for new and innovative sports and rules to be adopted for these athletes to benefit more from sport and recreation.
Individual and contextual predictors of retention in Special Olympics for youth with intellectual disability: who stays involved?, opens in a new tab Weiss JA; Robinson S; Harlow M; et.al., , Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, Volume 64(7), pp.512-523, (July 2020). Study participants were parents/caregivers of athletes with ID involved in community Special Olympics (SO), 11–22 years of age (N = 345). Participants completed an online survey in 2012 that included caregiver demographic and athlete intrapersonal, interpersonal and broader contextual variables. Retention rates for 2019 were determined using the SO provincial registration lists. Of the 345 survey participants, 81.7% remained active athletes in 2019. Caregiver demographic and athlete intrapersonal factors were largely unrelated to retention. In contrast, retention was associated with the frequency and number of sports athletes participated in, the perceived psychosocial gains of SO involvement and the environmental supports that were available to facilitate participation; frequency of sport participation was the strongest predictor of remaining a registered athlete. This study has implications for future initiatives aimed at increasing sport retention in a population that struggles to be engaged in sport. Efforts should focus on the athlete experience and sport-specific factors. Coaches and caregivers can foster positive experiences and play an important role in continued sport participation.
Sport participation after the HandbikeBattle: benefits, barriers, facilitators from the event—a follow-up survey, opens in a new tab, Sonja de Groot, Ingrid Kouwijzer, Linda Valent, et.al., Spinal Cord Series and Cases, Volume 6, Article number: 54, (June 2020). Handcyclists who took part in one or more HandbikeBattle events in 2013–2017 were invited to complete a survey in December 2018. Questions were asked on benefits of participating in this event, current sport participation, and experienced barriers and facilitators regarding current sport participation. Respondents (N = 96 (N = 59 with spinal cord injury (SCI) or Spina Bifida (SB)), response rate = 47%) reported benefits from this event regarding their fitness level (90%), personal development (81%), daily life activities (66%), and health (64%). Median current sport participation was 5 h/week (IQR: 3–8). Most frequently indicated personal barriers for sports participation were: lack of time (31%), disability (17%), and pain (15%). Most frequently mentioned environmental barriers were: transportation time to sport accommodation (19%), and lack of peers to do sports with (16%). Most important facilitators were motivation to improve health and/or fitness (92%), fun and/or relaxation (85%). The results for the subgroup with SCI were comparable with the results of the total group.
Managing parasport: An investigation of sport policy factors and stakeholders influencing para-athletes’ career pathways, opens in a new tab, Jacqueline Martins Patatas, Veerle De Bosscher, Inge Derom, et.al., Sport Management Review, Volume 23(5), pp.937-951, (January 2020). In this paper, the authors seek to identify which sports policy factors and stakeholders influence the development of athletic career pathways in Paralympic sport (i.e., attraction, retention, competition, talent identification and development, elite, and retirement phases). Drawing from the theories of disability and the literature on elite sport policy, an interview protocol on policy dimensions and principles to support para-athletes’ development was created, and 32 key stakeholders from the Brazilian Paralympic sport context were interviewed. The data revealed that coaching provision and education as a policy factor and coaches with disability-specific knowledge as a stakeholder were perceived as most influential during all the phases of para-athletes’ careers. The classification system emerged as a parasport-specific factor that can facilitate or inhibit the development of para-athletes’ careers, influencing the implementation of policies. The authors suggest that understanding the concept of disability is notably essential when stakeholders have to think strategically and adapt management principles from able-bodied sporting contexts. Therefore, critically positioning disability within policy decision making can improve the thinking, action, and behaviour of policymakers, coaches, and sports managers, leading to the more efficient delivery of successful para-athletes’ careers.
Managing sport volunteers with a disability: Human resource management implications, opens in a new tab, Pam Kappelides, Jennifer Spoor, Sport Management Review, Volume 22(5), pp.694-707, (November 2019). The authors examine the benefits and barriers to including volunteers with a disability in three Australian sport and recreation organisations, as well as the potential human resource management implications. The authors draw on interviews with sport volunteers with disability, staff from sport organisations, and recipients of services from volunteers with disability conducted in 2016–2017. Researchers have not previously examined these diverse perspectives, but they are important for understanding how to include and support sport volunteers with disability. Analysis of the interviews revealed a wide range of benefits of including volunteers with disability including social acceptance, social inclusion and personal development; but both volunteers and organisations identified numerous barriers to volunteering, including negative attitudes, personal factors, organisational factors and lack of social inclusion. Based on the results of this study, the authors develop recommendations for human resource management practices and policies to support volunteers with a disability in sport and recreation organisations, which are organised around an ability-motivation-opportunity framework. The results suggest that organisations need to create an environment that facilitates open, two-way communication with volunteers with a disability about their needs and wants. There also should be training and education to all volunteers and staff around an inclusive workplace culture.
Culture of competition discourages some kids from sport, opens in a new tab, Victoria University media release, (6 May 2019). A study of Aussie sports clubs finds that a culture of competitiveness is preventing kids from diverse backgrounds and abilities from participating in junior sport. The research also showed that many clubs were uncertain about the concept and how it related to them, or how to actively promote diversity and social inclusion. Some other key findings included: Diversity was often viewed as diverting resources from a club’s core business, which revolved around organising teams and improving playing skills; Clubs that actively promoted diversity were generally regarded by coaches and parents from outside clubs as not serious clubs, and suitable only for children who were ‘no good’ at sport; Men at clubs that focused on competition above participation were, on average, more likely to be homophobic, endorse stricter gender roles, enforce violence as a natural masculine trait, and were less likely to hold pro-disability attitudes.
Baseball 4 All: Providing Inclusive Spaces for Persons with Disabilities, opens in a new tab, George Cunningham, Stacy Warner, Journal of Global Sport Management, Volume 4(4), pp.313-330, (2019). The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that influenced participation in a community program designed to enhance leisure participation among children and young adults with disabilities. The authors grounded their work in a sport development framework and recent work on inclusive and socially just leisure. Participants in the qualitative study included seven coaches from a baseball league designed to deliver sport opportunities for persons with both physical and intellectual disabilities. Results showed that Inclusiveness and Joy were fundamental at the recruitment stage. Organization Failure, which was the dominant theme throughout the data set, emerged at what should have been the retention stage. The authors discuss implications for providing inclusive leisure spaces for persons with disabilities.
Mastery and Belonging or Inspiration Porn and Bullying: Special Populations in Youth Sport, opens in a new tab, Jeffrey Martin, Kinesiology Review, Volume 8(3), pp.195-203, (2019). This paper examines the factors that make up a high-quality youth-sport experience for special-population children. It is important to note that special-population youth are often very similar to nondisabled children (e.g., seeking enjoyment in sport), but they experience different contexts and socialization experiences such as fewer opportunities and more barriers to sport participation. The author first examines positive factors in the youth-sport experience and discusses mastery experiences and the generation of positive affect. He also discusses how sport can promote feelings of belongingness, freedom, and independence. In the second part of the paper he discusses how the youth-sport experience can contribute to a negative experience by examining bullying and teasing, as well as “inspiration porn.” Inspiration porn is a relatively new concept in the disability literature that has not been discussed in a sport context. The author proposes a five-component model that links anecdotal reports of inspiration porn to theory, thus providing a basis for future research on inspiration porn. Throughout the paper he examines research in each area, theories used, important findings, salient take-home points, and future research directions and imbues the paper in a disability social-relational model that asserts that individual, social, environmental, and cultural factors all play a role as proximal and distal influences in the sport experiences of special-population youth.
Participation-performance tension and gender affect recreational sports clubs’ engagement with children and young people with diverse backgrounds and abilities, opens in a new tab, Spaaij R, Lusher D, Jeanes R, et.al., PLoS ONE, 14(4): e0214537, (2019). This mixed methods study investigated how diversity is understood, experienced and managed in junior sport. The study combined in-depth interviews (n = 101), surveys (n = 450) and observations over a three-year period. The results revealed that a focus on performance and competitiveness negatively affected junior sports clubs’ commitment to diversity and inclusive participation. Gender and a range of attitudes about diversity were also strongly related. On average, we found that those who identified as men were more likely to support a pro-performance stance, be homophobic, endorse stricter gender roles, and endorse violence as a natural masculine trait. In addition, those who identified as men were less likely to hold pro-disability attitudes. These findings suggest that the participation-performance tension and gender affect to what extent, and how, sports clubs engage children and young people with diverse backgrounds and abilities.
Perspectives on Strategies to Foster Inclusion Through Sports: Advantages, Disadvantages, and Considerations for Implementation, opens in a new tab, Marie Grandisson, Justine Marcotte, Élise Milot, et al., Inclusion, Volume 7(2), pp.140-153, (2019). This article presents the results of a study on the perspectives of stakeholders from mainstream and specialized sports settings on seven strategies that could boost the impact of sports on social inclusion of people with intellectual disability. These strategies are: 1) developing Unified Sports, 2) conducting activities to raise awareness, 3) providing training to coaches, 4) using shadows, 5) developing a peer-support structure, 6) having a resource person available when needed, and 7) facilitating engagement in nonplaying roles. The perspectives of 28 stakeholders regarding the advantages, disadvantages, and considerations for implementation of the different strategies were gathered in discussion groups. Findings could help diversify opportunities for athletes with intellectual disability and develop programs and policies that contribute to building inclusive communities through sports.
Sport and Physical Activity Participation Among People With Disabilities Reported at a Sports Exhibition and Six Months Later: A Cohort Study, opens in a new tab, Louise Michelle Nettleton, Leanne Hassett, Franziska Scheibe, et.al., Therapeutic Recreation Journal, Volume 51(3), (August 2017). A cohort study of sport and physical activity participation levels of adults attending a disability sport exhibition and six months later, and barriers to sport participation. Outcome measures included current sport participation, the Physical Activity Scale for Individuals with a Physical Disability (PASIPD) in MET hours/ day and the modified Barriers to Physical Activity and Disability Survey (B_PADS). Out of a total of 39 participants, at the time of the exhibition, 25 (64%) participants played sport, but were physically inactive overall. At the six-month follow-up (n= 32), 21 (66%) participants played sport and physical activity levels were low. The most common barrier reported at the exhibition was cost (54%), and at follow-up was a lack of appropriate sporting competitions (50%). Whilst more than half of participants were engaged in sport, frequency and overall physical activity levels were low and participants indicated a desire for greater sport involvement. Increasing opportunities and addressing barriers to sport participation for people with disability is warranted.
Functional and Environmental Factors Are Associated With Sustained Participation in Adaptive Sports, opens in a new tab, Blauwet CA; Yang HY; Cruz SA; et.al., PM&R: the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitation, Volume 9(7), pp.668-675, (July 2017). To determine the demographic, environmental, disability-related, and functional factors associated with sustained participation in a community-based adaptive sports program. Participants were described as “sustainers” if they attended ≥2 sessions, or as “nonsustainers” if they attended 0 or 1 session. We examined the associations between sustained participation and demographic, environmental, disability-related, and functional factors in bivariate and multivariable analyses. Of the 134 participants, 78 (58%) were sustainers and 56 (42%) were nonsustainers. Sustained participation in community-based adaptive sports is associated with living closer to the program site and the presence of a moderate level of functional impairment. These findings suggest that programs might consider increasing the number of satellite sites and expanding offerings for individuals with mild or more significant mobility-related disabilities to effectively increase program participation.
Elements contributing to meaningful participation for children and youth with disabilities: a scoping review, opens in a new tab, Claire Willis, Sonya Girdler, Melanie Thompson, et.al., Disability and Rehabilitation, Volume 39(17), pp.1771-1784, (2017). The search identified 9544 articles, of which 20 were included for review. Ten elements contributing to meaningful participation experiences were identified and organised as follows: person-based elements (n = 5; having fun, experiencing success, belonging, experiencing freedom, developing an identity); environment-focused elements (n = 4; authentic friendships, the opportunity to participate, role models, family support) and activity-related elements (n = 1; learning). Elements contributing to meaningful leisure participation are interrelated. This review reveals the substantial contribution that meaningful interactions and relationships have in creating and facilitating positive and engaging experiences. Outcomes of this review may assist professionals in the design of targeted interventions to facilitate leisure participation.
Enabling inclusive sport participation: Effects of disability and support needs on constraints to sport participation, opens in a new tab, Darcy S, Lock D and Taylor T, Leisure Sciences, Volume 39(1), 1-21, (2017). Despite enabling legislation, studies in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States have found that persons with disability participate in sport at lower rates than the general population. This paper presents the results of a national study examining the constraints to sport participation for people with disability. Liaising with over 100 disability organisations from across Australia; a total of 1046 surveys were completed – 53% from persons with disability and 47% from family/friends. Respondents engaged in 125 different sport and active recreation activities; with 50% of participation from organised sports, 32% from unorganised and 18% from partially organised activities. The findings showed that disability type and level of support needs explain significant variations in constraints to participation. The level of support needs was the most significant indicator of the likelihood of participation or non-participation.
Perceived barriers and facilitators to participation in physical activity for children with disability: a qualitative study, opens in a new tab, Nora Shields, Anneliese Synnot, BMC Pediatrics, (January 2016). Children with disability engage in less physical activity compared to their typically developing peers. The aim of this research was to explore the barriers and facilitators to participation in physical activity for this group. Four themes were identified: (1) similarities and differences, (2) people make the difference, (3) one size does not fit all, and (4) communication and connections. Children with disability were thought to face additional barriers to participation compared to children with typical development including a lack of instructor skills and unwillingness to be inclusive, negative societal attitudes towards disability, and a lack of local opportunities.
Managing disability sport: from athletes with disabilities to inclusive organisational perspectives, opens in a new tab, Misener L, Sport Management Review, Volume 17(1), pp.1-7, (2014). What has become evident is that managing disability sport also has implications for managing sport generally. People with disability are part of the sporting family and need to be considered across all organisational aspects, not just a historical focus on disability. While diversity management in sport more broadly has championed the inclusion of gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality, age, and religious issues across the sporting family, this has not been the case with people with disability. Organisations need to consider people with a disability as employees, volunteers, coaches, and as members or spectators depending on the sporting endeavour. This article contains a collection of papers focusing on management issues that centre on constraints to sport participation, supply side attributes, participant behaviours, consumption of disability sport, policy implementation, and sponsor congruence.
A Universal Design Guide for creating Inclusive Sport in Australia, opens in a new tab, Paralympics Australia, (2024). This Guide can act as a valuable reference for sports representative bodies adopting inclusive practices, as well as sports clubs and venues that want to get started on the journey. It addresses structural, process and attitudinal barriers to inclusivity and universal design and comprises: Definitions of accessibility, inclusivity and universal design; How to adopt an inclusive mindset and language; Motivating case studies; Focus activities for universal design; Practical guides for: hosting a universal design kick-off meeting, developing inclusive strategy, producing accessible documentation, and designing accessible inclusive digital experiences. A ‘living document’, through user testing, the guide will be refined and updated as Paralympics Australia builds its presence and activity to make Australian sport accessible and inclusive.
Disability Inclusion Coaching Course, opens in a new tab, Australian Sporting Alliance for People with a Disability (ASAPD), (accessed 6 March 2024). Designed to provide basic skills, understanding and knowledge in a practical real-life framework so as you can be a more inclusive coach of people with a disability in sport and active recreation programs and activities. This free online course has been designed so you can learn at your own pace – anytime, anywhere, on any device. You will get practical tools and tips, hear valuable experiences and advice from individuals with disability and coaches providing confidence to support players and athletes to access sport and physical activity options and pathways. The course is available on the Australian Sports Commission’s Learning Centre.
Teachers – Including Students with Disability in School Sport, opens in a new tab, Australian Sporting Alliance for People with a Disability (ASAPD), (accessed 6 March 2024). This course will inform you about the many options, benefits and impacts of sport and physical activity and how you can help students with disability get involved so that they can participate in the community, build their capacity, and reach their goals. You will get practical tools and tips hear valuable experiences and advice from individuals with disability and teachers providing confidence to support students to access sport and physical activity options and pathways.
Disability and Physical Activity Program Evaluation Toolkit, opens in a new tab, Canadian Disability Participation Project, (August 2023). Organizations that provide physical activity programs for individuals with disabilities are often required to do evaluations to secure funding, show impact to board members and stakeholders, and understand their ability to grow. However, programs are difficult to evaluate due to their complexity and competing organizational priorities. There are also very few resources to support evaluation activities and methods. The toolkit is informed by the RE-AIM framework, which is comprised of five evaluation dimensions: Reach; Effectiveness; Adoption; Implementation; Maintenance.The toolkit will allow you to select indicators from each of these dimensions to ‘build’ an evaluation plan. In the plan, you will be provided with measures that fit each indicator. You will also find basic resources on how to use the toolkit, a glossary of terms, and tips for doing evaluation.
Community Sport Guide: delivering sport to people with a vision impairment, opens in a new tab, Blind Sports Australia, (July 2023). This resource has been created with the specific purpose to assist anyone who is delivering sport and physical activities with support, ideas and guidance on how to create an inclusive environment that welcomes people with a vision impairment. This resource is all about helping sport providers to become VI friendly through their provision of activities, training, resources, and support.
Good Practice Guidelines for Engaging with People with Disability, opens in a new tab, Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Social Services, (2023). Many people in Australia identify as people with disability. However, people with disability are often excluded from or have poor experiences when taking part in developing processes, products, services, and policies. Their participation would benefit everyone. The guidelines are designed to help people working in the government, private and not-for-profit sectors. They provide practical guidance for people who run activities to design, plan, and deliver processes, products, services, and policies. These activities include research, testing, development, and decision making.
Inclusive Activity: Taking a person-centred approach, opens in a new tab, Activity Alliance [UK], (2023). This resource explains the concept of 'intersectionality' in relation to disabled people and how this can influence their activity levels. It encourages sport and leisure organisations to take a person-centred approach when planning and providing opportunities.
Becoming Para Ready: Version 2.0, opens in a new tab, The Steadward Centre, University of Alberta, (2023). Para Ready clubs and coaches need to be explicit about the ways they can and cannot support all athletes, rather than reacting when contacted by an athlete experiencing disability. The original resource was developed with and for the sport of athletics; however, the 10 P's checklist can be used for any sport club that wants to learn how to make programs more inclusive. This guide is to be used as a starting point (an introductory guide) that can be drawn upon to help sport organizations, leaders, clubs and coaches consider how they can do disability inclusion more effectively. It is not to be used as a ‘how to guide’. Sports should take the key principles and P’s from this guide and adapt them to ways that can best support the community they serve.
Volunteers and Coaches Training Manual, WA Disabled Sports Association, opens in a new tab, (2023). A participant centered approach to sport and recreation means the needs of the individual are put before the needs of the club/school/parents/coach. Participants should feel empowered to be make choices and be involved in their sport and recreation development. WADSA place emphasis on participation and the creation of a fun and safe environment. We highlight the creation of an environment where all participants are valued and encouraged.
Winyarr Ganbina - Women Arise, opens in a new tab, Victoria University, Outback Academy Australia, Paralympics Australia, (2022). For the first time in Australia, Victoria University in partnership with Outback Academy Australia and Paralympics Australia have recorded the experiences of Indigenous women with a disability who play sport. Provides insight and resources for sport organisations to improve access to sport for people with disability, in particular people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island backgrounds. Checklist for an inclusive community sports organisation, opens in a new tab, Outback Academy Australia – Red Dust Heelers, (2022). A range of actions that sport organisations can implement to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for Indigenous people with a disability, as players and leaders in sport.
Get Out Get Active learning resources, opens in a new tab, Activity Alliance [UK], (2022). This series of learning resources shares the What? Who? How? and What next? from our successful Get Out Get Active programme. In these resources you will find evidence-based guidance on how to successfully support inactive people to take part in sport and physical activity.
Story-Based Practical Resource for Coaches and Coach Educators in Disability Sport, opens in a new tab, Canadian Disability Participation Project, (November 2021). This creative nonfiction (i.e., an evidence-informed short story) was created as a learning tool for disability sport coaches in entry level and developmental coaching domains. This tool is meant to demonstrate and provide information about coach behaviours that facilitate quality experiences for athletes with disabilities. This tool can be supported by the accompanying question guide to stimulate reflection and dialogue on the situations and behaviours described in the story.
A Blueprint for Building Quality Participation in Sport for Children and Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder, opens in a new tab, Canadian Disability Participation Project, (April 2021). Provides evidence-based strategies for building quality participation in recreation sport and physical activity programs for children and youth with autism spectrum disorder.
A Blueprint for Building Quality Participation in Sport for Children and Youth with Intellectual Disabilities, opens in a new tab, Canadian Disability Participation Project, (April 2021). Developed in partnership with the Special Olympics Canada this resource provides evidence-based strategies for building quality participation in sport programs specifically for children and youth with intellectual disabilities.
The Blueprint for Building Quality Participation in Sport for Children, Youth, and Adults with a Disability including Quality Participation Checklist Audit Tool, opens in a new tab, Canadian Disability Participation Project, (January 2020). introduces key concepts that underpin quality participation, and provides tools for building quality participation in sport programs.
Effective engagement factsheets, opens in a new tab, Activity Alliance [UK], (2019). Series of engagement factsheets support sport and activity providers to think about the ways they include disabled people. From planning opportunities to measuring impact, these resources help organisations embed inclusive practice and engage more disabled people to be active.
Everyone Plays: A guide to first involvement and quality participation, opens in a new tab, Ontario Soccer, (February 2018). Actively creating opportunities and removing barriers preventing participation in sport is crucial to improving participation levels of kids with disabilities. By sharing proven strategies of how kids with disabilities can be included in sports such as soccer and using them to build successful inclusive sport and recreational programs, we can begin to remove the barriers to sport and community involvement— barriers that have prevented kids with disabilities from experiencing the rich and varied benefits of being physically active. In this guide, we present strategies for how you can remove barriers and promote sport and community involvement through consideration of first involvement and quality participation experiences.
Autism Inclusion in Sport, Recreation and Physical Education - Webinar 1, opens in a new tab, Special Olympics Australia, YouTube, (5 June 2020). This webinar will provide a general understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder and the challenges a person with autism may face. Presenters provide practical strategies about how to support people with autism in sport, recreation, or physical education programs.
Suncoast Spinners Reverse Inclusion, opens in a new tab, Suncoast Spinners, YouTube, (13 November 2018). Reverse Inclusion aims to deliver a truly inclusive sporting opportunity where people of all abilities can play sport together on an equal playing field (court). The importance of access to sport and the benefits of inclusion practices within the wider community are major awareness aims of the program.
Access to resources
Where possible, direct links to full-text and online resources are provided. However, where links are not available, you may be able to access documents directly by searching our licenced full-text databases (note: user access restrictions apply). Alternatively, you can ask your institutional, university, or local library for assistance—or purchase documents directly from the publisher. You may also find the information you’re seeking by searching Google Scholar, opens in a new tab.
Program design

Suggestions for practice

Resources and reading

Articles

Reports

Research

Tools

Videos

Working together for Australian sport
