School Athletics to Become More Inclusive of Students with Disabilities

On the official blog of the U.S. Department of Education, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan recently emphasized the need for sports and extracurricular activities to be more inclusive of students with disabilitie\, as “participation in extracurricular athletic activities promotes socialization, the development of leadership skills, focus and, of course, physical fitness.” Reflecting on his own history of playing basketball and the lessons that he gained from those experiences, he reminds students and coaches that students with disabilities are “no different” than any other student, and all athletes should be chosen based on their abilities rather than individual differences.

Duncan references a recent document, released by the Office for Civil Rights, which gives guidance and suggestions for schools on how to provide “reasonable modifications” rather than making changes that would give any student an “unfair competitive advantage.” The following is a summary of that document that was released on January 25, 2012, as well as suggestions on how schools and teams can make realistic and inexpensive changes to implement more inclusive practices.

Directive Summary

In his 13-page letter, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Seth M. Galanter informs schools that his recommendations are based on findings by the United States Government Accountability Office, which found that students with disabilities generally were not being given equal opportunities in public school athletic activities. Galanter reviews Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, a federal law that requires schools to provide opportunities to students with disabilities that are equal to those given to students without disabilities. While this does not mean that coaches and advisors should revise skill levels required for membership on a competitive team, it does explain that they cannot deny membership to students who can play at the same level of other students with modifications or accommodations, like aides or other services. Schools must also add grievance policies for students who may be unfairly denied access to athletic opportunities.

Galanter urges coaches to not “act on generalizations or stereotypes” when working with students with disabilities and reiterates that schools must make any modifications necessary to allow all students to participate in athletics unless changes would “would result in a fundamental alteration of the nature of the extracurricular athletic activity.” An example of a reasonable accommodation is giving students with hearing impairments visual cues at the starts of races for track and field teams. Finally, with students who cannot participate at equal levels with modifications, Galanter encourages schools to establish additional athletic opportunities for those students so that they too can reap the benefits of team sportsmanship.

Making the Changes

Erica Ayisi of NBC News shares a story about Adam McGouirk, a 13-year-old middle school student with cerebral palsy. He has played handball and basketball for a few years with private leagues, which has helped him increase his coordination and muscle strength. He heralded Duncan’s announcement, saying, “It would be a wonderful experience for schools.” The coach of Adam’s wheelchair basketball league, Harlon Mathews, has been impressed with Adam’s social and physical gains as a result of athletic memberships and stated, “We don’t want anything above and we don’t want anything below. I don’t want anything extra — just to help these kids be a part of something that’s very meaningful and impactful for their lives.”

Christina Samuels from Education Week reports that disability advocates are pleased with the recommendations, particularly with the suggestions offered on providing opportunities for students who cannot make regular teams. Schools can collaborate with other districts to host teams specifically for athletes with disabilities and even have coed teams. Terri Lakowski, chairperson of the advocacy group Inclusive Fitness Coalition, says, “This will really do for students with disabilities what Title IX did for women.”

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