Adventure Education

1
Adventure Education Outdoor Pursuits

• Special Populations

2
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

• Participation in adventure education programs can
  increase
• Self Image
• Sense of responsibility
• Cooperative learning
• (Herbert, 1996)

3
POSITIVE OUTCOMES

• Engage participants cognitively and affectively
  (McAvoy, 1992)
• Help achieve personal goals (Holman McAvoy,
  2005)
• Develop relationships with others (Holman
  McAvoy, 2005)
• Increase outdoor skills (Rynders Schleien,
  1992)
• Develop social skills (Rynders Schleien, 1992)
• Increase self-concept (Rynders Schleien, 1992)

4
DEFINITION OF TERMS

• Adventure Recreation
• a subjective challenging experience that occurs
  in the outdoors which contains actual or
  perceived danger (Dalttilo Murphy, 1987)
• SENSE OF CHALLENGE IN THE PRESENCE OF RISK

5
Terms

• Integrated adventure program
• an adventure program that includes persons with
  and without disabilities (Holman, Goldenberg,
  McAvoy Rynders, 2003)

6
Terms

• Adventure-based counseling
• a treatment intervention for rehabilitation
  clients which is used in addition to other
  rehabilitation efforts for the purpose of
  creating individual change (Herbert, 1996)

7
RESEARCH

• McAvoy did a study on benefits of integrated
  outdoor education and adventure programs and
  found
• Increase in social interaction between children
  with and without disabilities
• Increase in understanding capabilities and needs
  of persons with disabilities
• Positive change in attitudes of the children
  without disabilities toward the children with
  disabilities
• Persons with disabilities can successfully
  acquire leisure outdoor skills

8
RESEARCH

• Herbert did a study on attitudes and perceptions
  concerning persons with disabilities and found
• Staff attitudes are generally positive toward
  people with disabilities
• Programs that include both persons with and
  without disabilities are therapeutically better
  than programs that include persons of similar
  disabilities only
• Programs are perceived to be accessible
• Staff training and consultation on disability
  issues could be improved

9
RESEARCH

• Farnham Mutrie did a study on the potential
  benefits of outdoor development for children with
  special needs and found
• Decrease in tension and anxiety levels over the
  four day trip
• Increase in group cohesion over the four days
• Increase in participant self-confidence
• Increase in self-motivated behavior

10
RESEARCH

• Holman McAvoy did a study on transferring
  benefits of participation in an integrated
  wilderness adventure program to daily life and
  found that participants
• Value developing relationships with others
• Increase understanding of themselves
• Gain awareness and appreciation for nature
• Value having a new opportunity
• Value learning new skills
• Participants transferred the benefits of the
  experience to their lives in the following areas
• Self-awareness self-confidence
• Succeeding at a personal challenge
• Establishing warm relationships with others
• Increasing coping/transition skills
• Higher levels of motivation

11
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

• Common benefits of participation in
  adventure-based outdoor programs
• Increased self-confidence
• Increased self-awareness
• Increased self-motivated behavior
• Increased success in completing personal
  challenges

12
Summary continued

• Benefits of integrated programs
• Increase in social interaction and group cohesion
• Increase in understanding of disabilities by
  non-disabled participants

13
REFERENCES

• Carlson, J. Evans, K. (2001). Whose choice is
  it? Contemplating challenge-by-choice and
  diverse-abilities. The Journal of Experiential
  Education, 24(1), 58-63.
• Dattilo, J. Murphy, W. (1987). Facilitating the
  challenge in adventure recreation for persons
  with disabilities. Therapeutic Recreation
  Journal, 3, 14-20.
• Farnham, M. Mutrie, N. (1997). The potential
  benefits of outdoor development for children with
  special needs. British Journal of Special
  Education, 24 (1), 31-38.
• Herbert, J. T. (1997). Attitudes and perceptions
  concerning persons with disabilities Potential
  for growth. AEE International Conference
  Proceedings, (pp. 147-153).
• Herbert, J. T. (1996). Use of adventure-based
  counseling programs for persons with
  disabilities. Journal of Rehabilitation,
  62(4),3-8.
• Holman, T., Goldenberg, M., McAvoy, L.,
  Rynders, J. (2003). Outcomes-Consequences-Values
  of an integrated wilderness adventure program.
  The Journal of Experiential Education, 25(3),
  353.
• Holman, T. McAvoy, L. (2005). Transferring
  benefits of participation in an integrated
  wilderness adventure program to daily life.
  Journal of Experiential Education, 27(3),
  322-325.
• McAvoy, L. (1992). Benefits of integrated outdoor
  education and adventure. Impact, 4(4), 3.
• McCleary, I. Chesteen, S. (1990). Changing
  attitudes of disabled persons through outdoor
  adventure programmes. International Journal of
  Rehabilitation Research, 13, 321-324.
• Rodgers, D. (2000). To the top. Parks
  Recreation, 35(3), 76-87.
• Rose, S. Jones, P. (date). Adventure for all
  Disability is no handicap. The Journal of
  Adventure Education and Outdoor Leadership,
  12(3), 16-17.
• Rynders, J. E. Schleien, S. J. (1992). How to
  integrate successfully Promoting positive
  interactions. Impact, 4(4), 11.
• Schlaefer, M. Stark, G. (1992). Participant
  comments from integrated outdoor adventures.
  Impact, 4(4), 3.