Search results for ‘Subject term:"physical disabilities"’ Sort:
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A narrative exploration of an adapted physical activity space and its impact on persons with physical impairments
- Authors:
- RICHARDSON Emma V., MOTL Robert W.
- Journal article citation:
- Disability and Society, 35(1), 2020, pp.89-110.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
The Lakeshore Foundation is a community-based rehabilitation facility that claims to be fully adapted to support persons with physical impairments in exercise endeavors. The dominant narratives of ableism that can exclude persons with physical impairments from non-adapted exercise spaces supports research that explores narratives told in adapted exercise spaces. To explore the Lakeshore narrative and its effects, the researchers conducted 35 semi-structured interviews with Lakeshore members and subjected these data to a dialogical narrative analysis. The researchers crafted a story that reflected the participants’ journey from poor health to a sense of well-being. On this journey, participants discussed feeling included, that their body was accepted, like works in progress, part of a family, progression from story listeners to story-tellers and well-being. This journey to well-being highlights the important role that adapted exercise spaces can have on enhancing the well-being of individuals with physical impairments. (Edited publisher abstract)
Adaptation for participation! Children’s experiences with use of assistive devices in activities
- Authors:
- GJESSING Berit, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 13(8), 2018, pp.802-808.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- London
Purpose: To explore children’s experiences with testing, acquiring and using assistive devices. Methods: Nine children (six boys, three girls, 9–12 years old, with different physical disability and activity experience, participated in semistructured interviews. The interviews were audio-taped, transcribed and analysed using Systematic text condensation. Results: Assistive devices were reported to contribute to cope activities that the children otherwise would not have participated in. Several subjects listed the need for a shielded environment when adapting to new equipment. The children highlighted “independence in activities” and “having the opportunity to participate in activities with family and friends” as important for frequent use. Need for assistance and lack of localizations to perform the activities were listed as reasons for less frequent use. Conclusions: This study reveals that it is useful to map each child’s opportunities for independency, appropriate locations for performing the activity and participation with friends, when considering obtaining assistive devices. (Publisher abstract)
Students’ behavioural intentions towards peers with disability
- Authors:
- BROWN Hilary K., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 24(4), July 2011, pp.322-332.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Inclusive education is an important element of the current focus on social inclusion for individuals with disabilities. A barrier to the social inclusion of students with disabilities is the attitude of their non-disabled peers towards them. The aim of this study was to compare the behavioural intentions of high school students towards individuals with intellectual disabilities and individuals with physical disabilities, and to explore reasons for these behavioural intentions. A sample of 319 Grade 9 and Grade 12 students in Ontario, Canada completed a questionnaire regarding their behavioural intentions towards peers with intellectual or physical disabilities. They also responded to open-ended questions concerning their feelings about participating in a class task or social activity with these individuals. The findings showed that behavioural intentions towards students with intellectual disabilities were significantly more negative than were those towards students with physical disabilities. This difference was also reflected in responses to the open-ended questions. Common reasons for discomfort were perceived dissimilarities in interests or abilities. The findings demonstrate a need to provide interventions to support students with and without disabilities to find commonalities and to encourage reciprocity in their interactions.
An exploratory study of parents' approaches to health promotion in families of adolescents with physical disabilities
- Authors:
- ANTLE B. J., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Child: Care, Health and Development, 34(2), March 2008, pp.185-193.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This Canadian study aimed to investigate within a family context the health promotion efforts of parents on behalf of a child with a physical disability. The Long Interview Method was used to interview 15 families (11 two-parent and 4 single-parent) having a child 11–16 years of age with a physical disability including cerebral palsy (7), spina bifida (3), muscular dystrophy (3) and other conditions (2). Parents' health promotion efforts were characterized by three main themes. First, parents emphasized traditional lifestyle health behaviours including nutrition, physical activity, tobacco, alcohol and drug use, and personal hygiene. Second, parents tried to foster their adolescent's social life and friendships. They expressed particular concern about how, and if, their child would develop a sense of purpose and have a productive future. Third, parents invested a great deal of effort into observing daily routines, making arrangements for their child's social inclusion and supporting their child in a way that balanced independence with safety and energy conservation. Parents recognize that their child with a physical disability faces greater obstacles, and work hard at health promotion. Healthcare workers need to work with parents to: (1) provide information about specific lifestyle health behaviours including nutrition, physical activity and sexuality; (2) advocate for resources to foster social inclusion; and (3) discuss family strategies that balance parental involvement with their child's need for independence and energy conservation for daily activities.
Variables that affect teachers’ attitudes towards disability and inclusive education in Mumbai, India
- Author:
- PARASURAM Kala
- Journal article citation:
- Disability and Society, 21(3), May 2006, pp.231-242.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Teacher attitude is one of the most important variables in the education of children with disabilities. Attitudes of general educators in the city of Mumbai, India, toward disabilities and inclusion of students with disabilities into regular schools were studied through the usage of two attitude scales. The study investigated whether variable background characteristics such as age, gender, income level, education levels, years of teaching experience, acquaintance with a person with a disability, having a family member with a disability, frequency of contact and closeness to a person with disability affect the attitudes of teachers towards people with disabilities and towards inclusion of students with disabilities into regular schools. The analyses revealed that while some of the variables of interest did affect teachers’ attitudes towards disabilities, the only variable that affected teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion was prior acquaintance with a person with a disability.
Working futures?: disabled people, policy and social inclusion
- Editors:
- ROULSTONE Alan, BARNES Colin, (eds.)
- Publisher:
- Policy Press
- Publication year:
- 2005
- Pagination:
- 346p.
- Place of publication:
- Bristol
This book looks at the current effectiveness and future scope for enabling policy in the field of disability and employment. The book brings together a wide range of policy insights to bear on the question of disabled peoples working futures. It includes analyses of recent policy initiatives as diverse as the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, Draft Disability Bill, the benefits system, New Deal for Disabled People, job retention policy, comparative disability policy, the role of the voluntary sector and 'new policies for a new workplace'. Contributions from academics, NGOs, the OECD and the disabled peoples' movement bring multiple theoretical, professional and user perspectives to the debates at the heart of the book.
Inclusion of disabled children in primary school playgrounds
- Author:
- JOSEPH ROWNTREE FOUNDATION
- Publisher:
- Joseph Rowntree Foundation
- Publication year:
- 2005
- Pagination:
- 4p.
- Place of publication:
- York
In recent years the trend has been to educate disabled children in mainstream schools, partly as a response to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (2001). One of the themes of Every Child Matters (2004) is that children should enjoy and achieve, and this applies to the educational context. Based on qualitative research focusing on disabled children, this study investigated the play in playgrounds of six schools in Yorkshire. It reveals how disabled children were included in play and identifies both organisational, social and physical barriers and good practice to the inclusion of these children in play at both playtimes and lunch-times.
The relationship of person-environment fit to perceptions of autonomy, competency and satisfaction among older adults with developmental disabilities
- Authors:
- HUTCHINGS B. Lynn, CHAPLIN Erica
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 14(3), 2017, pp.214-223.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The overlay of age-related cognitive and physical impairments onto existing intellectual and physical disabilities, a paucity of informal social relationships, a limited education and low income levels place the current generation of ageing adults with intellectual disabilities at risk of premature behavioural limitations and increased dependency. Person-environment fit and its relationship to perceptions of autonomy, competency, and satisfaction were explored through qualitative data collected from consumers. Face-to-face, in home interviews were conducted with 91 consumers who were asked to assess their own ability to carry out self-care and household tasks. Interviewers then observed consumers performing these tasks. A multi-stage data analysis process identified emergent themes that included issues related to autonomy versus dependence, belonging versus isolation, residential permanency versus transience, and social inclusion versus exclusion. The study also collected quantitative data, both from consumers and interviewers acting as observers. Consumer ratings of their own ability were consistently lower than observer ratings. Fostering home-based independence and autonomy among people ageing with developmental disabilities are discussed in relation to perspectives on the home environment. (Edited publisher abstract)
Reducing disablement with adequate and appropriate resources: a New Zealand perspective
- Authors:
- WILKINSON-MEYERS Laura, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Disability and Society, 29(10), 2014, pp.1540-1553.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
This article presents the qualitative findings from a larger mixed methods study of the barriers and costs associated with disability in New Zealand. A social model of disability framework was integrated with an economic cost model using consensual budget standards to (1) identify key barriers disabled people experience in their everyday living and (2) develop consensus about the resources disabled people agree they require to reduce or remove them. Forty-nine people with physical, hearing, vision or intellectual impairment participated in a series of 8 impairment-based focus groups. The analysis identified inaccessible environments, negative attitudes, unreliable transportation and poor access to information as key barriers. However, lack of adequate and appropriate resources (e.g. equipment, modifications, support, transport and time) to address these barriers was the overarching obstacle to participation. The inclusion of time as both a barrier and a valuable resource is arguably the most important contribution of the study. (Publisher abstract)
Primary-care based participatory rehabilitation: users’ views of a horticultural and arts project
- Authors:
- BARLEY Elizabeth A., ROBINSON Susan, SIKORSKI Jim
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of General Practice, 62(595), February 2012, pp.88-89.
- Publisher:
- Royal College of General Practitioners
Sydenham Garden is a primary care based horticultural and arts rehabilitation project for people with significant mental or physical illness. The project comprises a garden, a nature reserve, and weekly arts groups. Users are referred to the project by local professionals, such as general practitioners. The aim of this study was to determine the views of the users on participation in the project. In-depth interviews were held with 16 participants. Thematic analysis of the transcripts revealed 6 themes: joining and motivations; improved wellbeing; relationships; ownership; being outdoors; and transferrable skills. The findings were overwhelmingly positive. On referral to the project, the users reported considerable need and social isolation. The project promoted wellbeing by providing purposeful and enjoyable activity and interest, improved mood and self-perceptions, and providing escape from life’s pressures. Many users developed transferable skills and gained nationally recognised qualifications. The opportunity for social contact was especially valued.