Dear Readers:

It has been a very busy school year for everyone. It's hard to believe, but Summer is just about here! With that in mind, our adapted physical education section will first reflect on the past year, and include three summary articles; one on "Exercise Therapy Implications for Autism" (by Michelle Davis), one on Spina Bifida: "Uncovering the pathophysiology and the importance of physical activity for the most prevalent and disabling birth defect" (by Jennifer Gardner and Christine Stopka), and another on "Athletes with Disabilities - Breaking Through Barriers - Amputations" (by Josh West).

In addition to these, our primary focus will be on the summer activity of aquatics...especially Adapted Aquatics! We have all ages in mind. Hopefully some of the ideas presented will be helpful to a wide variety of people and programs. Articles on adapted aquatics will offer adapted aquatics lesson plans for the very young, beginning "swimmer" (by Kathleen Stopka); adapted aquatics lesson plans for older children, with mental disabilities (by Whitney Stern); some helpful and insightful aquatics activities for patients recovering from cancer surgery, specifically mastectomies (by Caitlyn Aydt); and, a most informative plan of Aquacise activities and lessons (by Lindsey Hartman).

Also, we would like to refer our readers to our own web course offerings on "Medical and Health Aspects of Individuals with Disabilities," and "Adapted Physical Activity." We would also like to refer our readers to the new NCPERID website, which offers outstanding information to the parent, practitioner, and student, as well as a plethora of invaluable websites (including the excellent Palaestra journal site: www.Palaestra.com.

And finally, we have our latest APENS/CAPE update.

Everyone...please accept our best wishes for a most relaxing, rewarding, and wonderful summer!

Chris Stopka
Adapted Section Editor

Athletes with Disabilities: Breaking Through Barriers - By Joshua West

There is athletic potential inside every human body, regardless of its shape or size. An athlete is defined as someone with the ability to participate in physical exercise, especially in competitive games and races (Corbin, Lindsey, Welk, and Corbin; pg 37, 2002). Contrary to popular belief, nowhere in this widely accepted definition does it state that in order to be considered an athlete that one must have the full functional abilities of all four limbs. Yet quite often athletes with disabilities, such as amputations, face unnecessary barriers in pursuit of their athletic endeavors. These barriers come in the form of inconsistent beliefs about persons with disabilities, athletic equipment that is not suited to meet each athlete's needs, or an unwillingness by others to modify a sport or game to allow for inclusion. The author of this article intends to explore the world of athletes with limb deficiencies that have resulted in amputation; and how they pursue sports for recreation and competition.

Read the rest of this article, and/or download a printable Word document.

Now Available to All on the Web!
By: Jessica Brennan & Christine Stopka

The College of Health and Human Performance at the University of Florida offer two adapted physical education distance education courses each Fall, Spring and Summer term, every year! So pick a semester that is best for you, soon!

Both courses, Medical and Health Aspects for Individuals with Disabilities and Adapted Physical Activity, have long been offered at the UF campus as both semester long courses and seminars. Because of the high demand for the content taught, UF has sought to expand its availability to the community, particularly those involved in adapted activity.

Medical and Health Aspects for Individuals with Disabilities will help individuals understand and apply the medical, biological, health and pathophysiological information related to many disabling conditions. Disabilities discussed will include those in areas of orthopedics, neurophysiology and health. Additional subjects incorporated include public law requirements, sports medical considerations and classroom teaching techniques.

The Adapted Physical Activity course is designed to increase one’s skill in providing physical education and sport programs for children with physical, mental, learning, sensory and multiple disabilities. The content covers all ability levels from elite wheelchair sports to elementary school field days. Other specific subjects include adaptive equipment, inclusive teaching, assistive technology, Hippotherapy, and adapted aquatics.

Course content will be communicated through various instructional media. This will include lectures by both Dr. Christine Stopka, course professor, and other experts in the field of adapted physical education, interactive discussion sessions with fellow students and experts, demonstrations and presentations by people with disabilities and practical activities which utilize the information taught throughout the courses.

These courses meet the State Department of Education requirements for continuing education units in physical education, including motor and mental deficiencies, coaching disabled and adapted aquatics courses. These courses also satisfy the coursework requirement for the Adapted PE National Standards (APENS) Certified Adapted Physical Education (CAPE) credential.

Each course is designed and instructed by Dr. Christine Stopka, a professor with 28 years of teaching experience in the areas of adapted physical activities, adapted aquatics, athletic training, and sports medicine. Throughout her distinguished career at UF, Stopka has established the athletic training and sports medicine undergraduate and graduate specializations, while simultaneously creating the special physical education and exercise therapy specializations, as well.

Furthermore, Stopka has more than 300 publications, including the fourth edition of her book, Applied Special Physical Education and Exercise Therapy. She has been invited to speak at more than 300 state, national and international conferences regarding adapted physical activity and sports medical topics, and has generated more than $2 million in funding. For her dedication to the field, Stopka has received more than 70 honors at the state, regional, national and international levels and currently is serving as Vice-President of the National Consortium for Physical Education and Recreation for Individuals with Disabilities.

Both courses are available worldwide for Fall, Spring, and Summer terms. For more information or to register for these courses please see their respective web sites: Medical and Health Aspects for Individuals with Disabilities, Adapted Physical Activity.

ADAPTED AQUATIC LESSON PLANS - Designed for Level 1 and Level 2 Kindergarteners, by Kathleen Stopka

Disability: Hyperactive and do not know how to swim

Skill level: Level 1-2

Facility needed: Pool with shallow end preferably, at most 4 feet deep, with wall gutter for students to support themselves with during the lessons.

Goals for unit: The entire unit of eight 30 minute lessons is to familiarize the students with the water, learn basic survival skills such as bubble blowing and floating. The students will also become acquainted with the freestyle and elementary backstroke.

Download this great list of lessons plans as a Web page or a Word document.

ADAPTED AQUATICS PLAN
by Whitney Stern

Case History: I will be making my adapted aquatics plan for children, both boys and girls, with mild to moderate forms of mental retardation between the ages of 7 and 12. It is easiest to group these children together because they can learn from each other and are all around the "same point." These children can use swimming skills in their life to keep them in good physical shape and be a fun way to exercise and enjoy themselves. As they enter the program, they will have had little to no experience with swimming. The instructors will have to start from the very beginning, and there will be one instructor per child. This way, there is a one-on-one learning experience and no child will be left unattended.

Aquatics Program
Facility Needed: Any swimming pool with a low end of about 3 feet so that the children can stand or touch the bottom when needed.

Equipment Needed: Kickboards and life jackets for when the children are first introduced to the water and unaware of breath control and floating. Ping pong balls to help children with their breath control. Easter eggs that can be filled with water for children to grab helping with movement and submersion. Stuffed animals for children to mimic when learning new skills. Tubes for children to climb under and over working on crawl and breath control. Goggles for children with sensitive eyes.

Goals:

	Children become comfortable in the water and able to continue being safe swimming without instructors.
	Children can learn to float and swim certain strokes completely on their own.
	Emotionally, children are comforted by the water and can possibly use it to relax and unwind.

Teachings: Children will be taught general entry skills into the water, moving in the water (walking), breath control, face submersion, front tow and recovery, back tow and recovery, floating on their own with basic crawl and/or freestyle swim strokes, and possibly (depending on how advanced) picking up coins/toys on bottom of pool.

Download as a Web page or a Word document.

UNIT PLAN - for Recovering Mastectomy Patients by by Caitlin Aydt

Introduction: This group had had surgery to remove the breast as well as tissue, lymph nodes, and muscle around it. This is called a Mastectomy and is a common procedure for women and men who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Many patients experience shoulder stiffness after removal of the lymph nodes and muscle in the armpit and surrounding areas. These patients look to get the area where muscle and tissue have been removed working like it used to preoperational. This stiffness can be corrected with time, but more importantly with exercise and physical therapy.

Facilities: The only facility requirement is any pool, preferably inside, with a large shallow end at about 4-4.5 feet deep.

Equipment: The equipment needs are what look like dumbbells, but are in actuality PVC pipe with cut "noodles" on the ends to add resistance to the arms while under the water.

Goals: The goal of this plan is to have the patients recover 100% from removal of lymph nodes, tissue, and muscle from mastectomy. They will also hopefully have the desire to keep up aquatic therapy for everyday exercise and recovery needs.

Download 8 great days of activities as a Web page, or a Word document.

AQUACISE by Lindsey Hartman

These are 8 days of inclusive aquatic fitness exercises, which helps all individual to become more physically fit. The goal of these exercises is to teach exercise techniques in the comfort of the water. This will include cardio, strength and flexibility training, and muscle specific stretches and exercises. Download as a Web page or a Word document.