Graduate Research Papers

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Open Access Graduate Research Paper

Abstract

Enrolling in a university is a daunting and difficult decision that is faced by millions of prospective students around the nation. Many characteristics, such as affordability, educational options, size, and accessibility go into the selection process. Imagine the different qualities and features that must be present when selecting a university if one has a disability. More factors come into play when making the decision of which university to attend when you have other outlying characteristics that may hinder one's typical involvement and participation in campus life. Out-of-class participation has been identified as a critical element in contributing positively to student outcomes (Johnson, 2000). Since not all aspects of many universities are accessible to students, faculty, staff, and alumni it is important to create a friendly and inviting environment.

Statistics on postsecondary education enrollment of students with disabilities have illustrated the increase of students with both physical and intellectual disabilities. According to U.S. Department of Education (1999), about six percent of the total postsecondary students have a disability. Even with the increase of enrollment of students with disabilities, little research has been conducted on how to develop and implement inclusive recreation on campuses. This evidence illustrates the necessity of creating campus recreation programs specifically for patrons with disabilities. In order for complete inclusion to take place on campuses nationwide, it is essential to establish a set of general practices and benchmarks for campus recreation programs to meet.

Campus recreation provides lasting benefits through improvements in wellness and the overall college life experience. Among all students, recreational sports programs and activities are ranked higher than internships, cultural activities, part-time or full-time work, student clubs and organizations, shopping, entertainment, restaurant options in the community, chance to study abroad, community service opportunities, watching varsity sports, participating in varsity sports, and sororities/fraternities as determinants of college satisfaction and success (National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association, 2004).

Studies have found that students agreed that participating in recreational sports resulted in the following wide range of benefits: (a) improves emotional well-being, (b) reduces stress, (c) improves happiness, (d) improves self-confidence, (e) builds character, (f) makes students feel like part of the college community, (g) improves interaction with diverse sets of people, (h) is an important part of college social life, (i) teaches team-building skills, (j) is an important part of the learning experience, (k) aids in time management, and (I) improves leadership skills (NIRSA, 2004).

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which university campuses in the state of Iowa have adopted inclusive recreation programs. The survey can assist in the development of a training manual for campus recreation programs nationwide. The benefits of creating and developing inclusive campus recreation benchmarks provide other universities with a practical model, which can help with the implementation of new inclusive recreation programs nationally. Additionally, the study helped to develop a greater understanding of what campus recreation programs need to accomplish in order to completely involve patrons with disabilities in programming areas of outdoor recreation, aquatics, informal recreation, sports clubs, intramurals, and fitness.

The survey along with a self-addressed return envelope was mailed to the selected campus recreation program directors. Information to be incorporated in the packet received includes (see appendix c): purpose, problem statement, goals and objectives, and background information. Reminder emails were sent one week after the surveys were sent to the campus recreation directors. The surveys were sent to the twenty-seven, four-year universities and six community colleges three times in order to assist in a higher return rate. Reminder emails coincided with the mailing of the surveys.

The use of Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) will permit the researcher to determine the trends and benchmarks of campus recreation programs in the state of Iowa. Once each survey was analyzed separately, the researcher placed each university into the categories of small, medium, and large. Analysis of the different sizes provided insight on budgeting and programming trends. All open-ended questions were studied through constant comparison. This provided the researcher with the opportunity to examine the themes and benchmarks listed by the campus recreation programs.

Overall, the study has assisted in the realization of current practices and benchmarks that are taking place at campus recreation programs in the state of Iowa. Specific practices, such as informal interviews and availability of adaptive equipment, have provided other universities with the opportunity to use other programs as models. The research has also shown that an inclusive recreation manual is necessary for equal participation to occur at universities* throughout the nation.

Year of Submission

2011

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Department of Health, Recreation, and Community Services

First Advisor

Joseph Wilson

Comments

If you are the rightful copyright holder of this graduate research paper and wish to have it removed from the Open Access Collection, please submit an email request to scholarworks@uni.edu. Include your name and clearly identify the thesis by full title and author as shown on the work.

Date Original

2011

Object Description

1 PDF file (76 pages)

Language

en

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