October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 50
OPERATIONS
Providing Adaptive and Inclusive Aquatics
Services in Your Community
By Lauren Johnson Roweton, TRS, CTRS
D
rowning is the leading cause of unintentional death among
children ages 1 to 4 (tinyurl.com/8v97msts). For children
with autism, that range increases to ages 1 to 14 (tinyurl.com/
4h3h5bmk). The risk of drowning surges when the individual
has a disability. Adaptive and inclusive aquatics services save lives. Where
should we begin when providing those services?
People-First Language
People-first language puts the person
before the disability. For example,
we may use " child who has
autism " instead of " autistic child. "
Accessibility
The Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA) specifies two types of access
we are required to provide: facility
and program. Accessible pool features,
such as lifts, must be maintained
in operable condition. Offer adaptivespecific
lessons along with accommodation
services for inclusion cases to
make your programming accessible.
Reasonable Modifications
A reasonable modification allows
changes to a rule, policy or program
that will enable a person to participate
equally, within reason, given the patron's
disability. Public entities are required
to provide reasonable modifications
to individuals with disabilities
unless doing so would pose an undue
burden, either financially or as a fundamental
alteration of the program.
What is reasonable for some pools
may be an undue burden for others.
To determine if a modification is
reasonable, ask: Is it safe? Does it improve
their ability to participate? Does
it make their skills equal to others? Can
we or they provide what they need?
Assessment Process
My agency follows a four-step
assessment process: written, verbal,
in-water and reassessment.
Have patrons fill out an assessment
form before they register for lessons.
This may cover the topics of swim
history,
abilities, communication
styles, triggers, etc. Then verbally go
over the form with them to clear anything
up.
An in-water assessment takes approximately
15 minutes and simulates
a lesson. Conduct this while others
are in the pool and water structures
are operating to create an environment
similar to the actual lesson.
Reassessment is not always needed
but applied if initial program
placement isn't the best fit.
Inclusive vs. Adaptive
Programming
Inclusion is allowing a person with
a disability to participate alongside
participants who don't have a disability.
Individuals do not have to
disclose their disability, as long as
they meet program requirements.
Adaptive programs are designed
specifically for those with disabilities.
Some individuals prefer this type of
program environment. Adaptivespecific
programs can be used when
inclusion isn't successful. Best practices
50 Parks & Recreation | O CTOBER 2 0 22 | PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G
include lowering instructor-tostudent
ratios in group settings, having
specialized trainings for adaptive
instructors, incorporating more break
times and offering group lessons at
each level, including a swim team.
Intellectual Disability
Population
When working with these individuals,
there often is a need to manage
behaviors. In these instances,
you may refer to the Mandt System's
" Crisis Cycle " (tinyurl.com/
yjm3j3ya) to identify behavior triggers
and ways to avoid escalation.
Physical Disability
Population
When working with individuals who
have visual impairments, try handover-hand
instruction, in-depth verbal
instruction, and utilizing " tappers "
to correct direction or prompt turns.
When working with individuals
who have hearing impairments,
try Sign Language, gestures, white
boards and laminated visuals.
You can accommodate a swimmer
with a physical disability by
modifying
strokes
or
providing
adaptive equipment. If a stroke is
keeping them safe in the water and
they have forward motion, that is a
successful stroke. Adaptive equipment
doesn't need to be specialized
- you can use what you already
own and be creative.
Lauren Johnson Roweton, TRS, CTRS,
is Adaptive Recreation Manager at Salt
Lake County Parks and Recreation
(ljohnson@slco.org).
http://www.tinyurl.com/8v97msts
http://www.tinyurl.com/4h3h5bmk
http://www.tinyurl.com/4h3h5bmk
http://www.tinyurl.com/yjm3j3ya
http://www.tinyurl.com/yjm3j3ya
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of October 2022 - Parks & Recreation
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - Intro
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - Cover1
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - Cover2
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 1
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 2
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 3
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 4
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 5
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 6
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 7
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 8
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 9
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 10
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 11
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 12
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 13
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 14
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 15
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 16
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 17
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 18
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 19
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 20
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 21
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 22
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 23
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 24
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 25
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 26
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October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 30
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 31
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October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 34
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October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 37
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October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 47
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 48
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 49
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 50
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 51
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October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 54
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October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - Cover3
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - Cover4
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https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2021
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