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Running head: INCLUSION AND ACCESSIBILITY IN PLAY AND DEVELOPMENT

The Impact of Inclusion and Accessibility on Children’s Play and Development

Claire Burwood

The University of Notre Dame, Fremantle

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Explore the question of how inclusion and accessibility influences children’s play and

development.

Play offers a valuable contribution to early childhood development as it serves a

number of physical, psychosocial and emotional needs whilst also providing a solid

foundation for social interaction and conflict management in later years (Hoffnung, M.,

Hoffnung, R., Seifert, K., Burton Smith, R., Hine, A., Ward, L., & Pausé, C. 2016 p. 248).

Children with disabilities face significant barriers in engaging in play, with studies suggesting

they are included in less play interactions and often spend more time watching, rather than

participating in, play due to physical and psychosocial limitations (Crawford, S., Stafford, K.,

Phillips, S., Scott, K. & Tucker, P., 2014).

Crawford and associates identified the importance of the adult facilitator in promoting

inclusion (Crawford et al., 2014). The research revealed that through staff training, educators

were better equipped to facilitate inclusion and children with disabilities improved their co-

operative play with their peers (Crawford et al., 2014). Due to the strong social component of

co-operative play, children who engage this form of play are more likely to have greater

social competence later in life (Hoffnung et al., 2016 p.249). Increased participation in play

also greatly assists in the development of motor skills and cognitive abilities (Crawford et al.,

2014). Their typically developing peers also stand to benefit from inclusion, as it fosters

empathy and other pro-social behaviours (Crawford et al., 2014).

The study conducted by Crawford and her colleagues identified strategies that can be

employed by educators to help facilitate inclusion. An individualized approach tailored to the

unique needs and interests of the child was identified as being paramount to effectively

implementing any inclusion strategy (Crawford et al., 2014). Children with disabilities tend

to be drawn to adult-centred play environments, limiting their opportunities to engage in play

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with their peers (Crawford et al., 2014). Educators must be highly aware of their own

presence and attempt to limit their involvement to encourage the child to play with their peers

instead (Crawford et al., 2014). Lastly, it is essential that educators create an environment

where all students promote equity in play situations (Crawford et al.,2014).

The physical environment also plays a critical role in determining places of inclusion

or exclusion. Using the example of community playgrounds, Burke (2013) has illustrated

how issues of accessibility exclude children with physical disabilities from engaging in play

with their peers. When designing community playgrounds, issues of safety and compliance

with guidelines, legislation and budgetary constraints often take precedence over providing

accessibility for children with physical impairments and fostering inclusion (Burke, 2013).

Studies suggest that the conventional design of playgrounds can often exclude and

marginalise individuals based upon their ability resulting in physically impaired children

engaging in less play, with significant consequences for their physical, social and cognitive

development (Burke, 2013; Hoffnung et al., 2016).

In recent years, there has been fierce debate regarding the most effective ways of

providing play opportunities to physically impaired children. Proponents of ‘retrofittinng’

argue that adding accessible features to inaccessible structure is an effective means of

compensating for functional limitations. Others advocate for playgrounds built exclusively

for people with disabilities, however, this approach is costly and demeaning as it creates a

social stigma for the individuals that use these spaces (Burke, 2013). A recommendation of

the study is the incorporation of universal design which would see equipment produced that

can be enjoyed by children of all abilities without segregation or stigmatisation (Burke,

2013). The provision of adequate community resources that cater for a community’s diverse

needs should be a national priority in order to foster healthy, dynamic and equitable

communities (Burke, 2013).

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References

Burke, J. (2013) Just for the fun of it: Making playgrounds accessible to all children, World

Leisure Journal, 55 (1), 83-95 doi: 10.1080/04419057.2012.759144

Crawford, S., Stafford, K., Phillips, S., Scott, K., Tucker, P. (2014) Strategies for inclusion in

play among children with physical disabilities in childcare centers: An integrative review,

Physical & Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics, 34 (4), 404-423 doi:

10.3109/01942638.2014.904470

Hoffnung, M., Hoffnung, R., Seifert, K., Burton Smith, R., Hine, A., Ward, L., & Pausé, C.

(2016). Lifespan development (3rd Australasian ed.). Milton, QLD: John Wiley & Sons

Discussion Questions

1) Is it the role of education to break down barriers and social stigmas regarding

disabilities? If so, how can we as educators promote empathy and understanding

within an inclusive community of children?

2) How can being excluded from play hinder a child’s development? Why is

inclusion so important?