Re-injecting spontaneity and balance in family life: parents' perspectives on recreation in families that include children with developmental disability.

METHODS: Grounded in the naturalistic paradigm, a mixed-method research design (survey questionnaire, n = 65; and interview, n = 16) was used to explore the nature and benefits of, and constraints to, family recreation in families that included children with developmental disability. Statistical analyses were conducted on the quantitative data, while key theme and constant comparative methods were used to analyse the qualitative data. RESULTS: These analyses revealed that family recreation most often involved small combinations of family members - usually mothers and their children - in physical recreation activities (e.g. swimming, walking, bike riding). Parents viewed these interactions as beneficial for enhancing family relationships and providing children, particularly those with a disability, opportunities for skill and self development within an accepting and supportive environment. Difficulties in coordinating family members schedules, finding activities to accommodate wide age and skill ranges, planning demands, and limitations in marketing and promotional materials were among the constraints most commonly identified in relation to the family as a whole and the children with developmental disability. Links to existing family and leisure research, family systems theory, and considerations for future research also are discussed.

Participation of children with autism and nondisabled peers in a cooperatively structured community art program.

Two groups (one younger, one older) of children with autism participated in monthly art activities with same-age nondisabled peers at a children's museum. The study sought to investigate the feasibility of offering a cooperatively structured art education class for students with autism and nondisabled students, and to evaluate the effect of joint participation on the students' interactions with one another. Results indicated that both groups of children with autism were targeted for interactions from nondisabled peers significantly more often during intervention than during baseline, even though positive social interaction bids by nondisabled peers were rarely reciprocated and hardly ever initiated by peers with autism.

Understanding leisure services for individuals with mental retardation.

This paper was developed to promote understanding of the complex process of leisure service delivery for children and adults with mental retardation and encourage people to work together to enhance leisure opportunities in integrated settings. The meaning of several terms associated with leisure were clarified and limitations of past and existing leisure services presented. We discussed our belief that all individuals, including those with mental retardation, have the right to experience leisure. Suggestions were made for development of leisure services involving social integration with peers who do not have mental retardation, the facilitation of active participation, development of age-appropriate behaviors, provision of comprehensive leisure education services, encouragement of self-determined leisure participation, and systematic coordination and communication among practitioners and family members.

Drama: a medium to enhance social interaction between students with and without mental retardation.

Twenty-four fifth grade (or equivalent age) students were assigned to one of two treatment conditions consisting of equal numbers of students from regular and special education classes. One group was involved in a dramatic games condition culminating in a theatrical performance planned by the group. The second group was involved in a noncompetitive games condition culminating in a demonstration of games developed by the group. Observational data recording initiations and receptions of prosocial bids were collected for all subjects receiving special education services within both groups. A sociometric measure was used to assess the perceived quality of friendships both before and after the interventions. Results showed that students with mental retardation in the drama condition were targeted for positive social interactions by peers without mental retardation significantly more and were more highly regarded as friends than were those in the games condition.

Integrating children with severe disabilities for intensified outdoor education: focus on feasibility.

The feasibility of an intensified (i.e., all-day-for-2-weeks) integrated camping experience for children with and without severe disabilities was evaluated as was the impact of integrated programming on camp staff members' attitudes. Procedures employed for promoting social interactions included positive reinforcement and cooperative learning strategies. Task-analytic procedures were used to teach campers with severe disabilities a domestic skill and a life-long leisure activity. By the end of the 2 weeks, children with severe disabilities demonstrated substantially improved skills in targeted activities. Furthermore, campers without disabilities substantially increased their prosocial interaction bids, and ratings reflective of friendship increased significantly. Also, staff members' perceptions of operating an integrated camp versus a segregated one and their perceptions of the presence of participants with disabilities as facilitative of camp operations improved significantly.

An ecological assessment inventory to facilitate community recreation participation by severely disabled individuals.

Severely disabled individuals have long been systematically excluded from actively participating in normalized recreation/leisure activities in integrated community settings. Severely disabled individuals should be taught functional and age appropriate skills, based upon the performance characteristics of nonhandicapped peers. In order to present this position, typical assumptions of leisure skill instruction for severely disabled individuals are discussed and opposing points of view are presented. Finally, the article presents a concrete strategy, or inventory, that is divided into three interrelated areas including: skill selection and skill/facility description, component skills and adaptations for full/partial participation, and supportive skills. The inventory can be used by therapeutic recreation specialists and other educators to develop functional, age appropriate leisure skill instructional content. It is expected that this approach, coupled with longitudinal planning, will facilitate the provision of opportunities for severely disabled individuals to actively participate in normalized recreation/leisure skills in integrated community settings.

Data-based research in therapeutic recreation: state of the art.

During difficult financial times, it is critical not only to evaluate therapeutic recreation programs and document client progress but also to disseminate objective program data to therapeutic recreation and other practitioners. The purpose of this state-of-the-art research inquiry was to provide the therapeutic recreation discipline and other related helping professions with an accurate and current assessment of empirically based research concerning the provision of recreation for special populations. Eight professional journals in recreation, special education, and psychology from 1977 (the year of PL 94-142) through the current literature were reviewed. Articles using a data-based research methodology in the area of recreation/leisure for special populations were identified. Articles were analyzed according to target population, subject age, purpose of study, and research design. Of the 83 data-based research reports found, 40 studies addressed the mentally retarded population, 26 involved children (birth to 13 years), and the case study (23) and survey (23) research designs were most prevalent. A plea for future data-based research by therapeutic recreation professionals to improve services is made.

Teaching leisure skills to severely handicapped adults: an age-appropriate darts game.

This study demonstrates the acquisition and generalization of dart skills by three severely multihandicapped adults. The program took place in a community adult development center. By identifying the motor responses required to play darts, a 7-step task analysis was generated to facilitate instruction. Systematic training procedures using applied behavior analysis were implemented. A combination multiple baseline across subjects and changing criterion design was used. The results indicated that not only could this supposedly difficult skill be acquired by severely multihandicapped individuals, but that they could also generalize to other appropriate environments. Acquisition of this skill could help optimize their use of free time for leisure pursuits in a variety of settings.