Additional Resources and Organizations
Recreation
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The National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD) Craig Hospital: SCI Health and Wellness American Association of AdaptedSport U. S. Adaptive Recreation Center The Uppertone System The National Center on Accessibility Access Outdoors Lakeshore Foundation Wilderness Inquiry Disability Travel and Recreational Resources AlterGo American Therapeutic Recreation Association National Disability Sports Alliance Quad Rugby National Wheelchair Basketball Association Wheelchair bowling Sports Resource Beneficial Designs Recreation.gov Challenge Aspen Camping Services for Disabled Persons Disabled Sports USA Shake-A-Leg The United States Tennis Association Natiuonal Sports Center for the Disabled SPLORE The Handicapped Scuba Association North American Riding for the Handicapped Association The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis Recreational Therapy ICan The Disability Project AXIS Dance Company Full Radius Dance Coalition for Disabled Musicians, Inc. Creative Growth Art Center Integrated Arts The National Arts and Disability Center (NADC) VSA Association of Foot and Mouth Painting Artists National Sports Festival CP-ISRA International Paralympic Committee Palaestra Magazine US Indoor Soccer Exceptional Parent Magazine Michigan Disability Sports Alliance United States Olympic Committee Tim Ashwoo
The National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD), based at the University of Illinois at Chicago, believes everyone can reap benefits from regular physical activity. NCPAD offers numerous resources to help people more active, plus resources for health, fitness and exercise professionals.
With funding from the US Department of Education's National Institute on Disability & Rehabilitation Research, Craig Hospital has developed educational materials to help people with spinal cord injuries live in the community maintain their health. Topics include exercise, heart disease, diet, weight control, alcohol abuse and conditions related to the aging paralyzed body. From the home page, click on the Health and Wellness area in the Spinal Cord Injury Section.
Works to enhance the health, independence and self-sufficiency of youths with physical disabilities by facilitating adapted sports programs in local communities, in cooperation with schools, parks and recreation, YMCA/YWCAs, hospitals, parents and other groups.
Runs an adaptive snow sports school seven days a week at Big Bear Mountain during the winter months. Summer programs include water skiing, personal water craft, kayaking, sailing, camping, off road wheelchairs and fishing.
Introduced in 1990 by a C4-C5 quadriplegic, the Uppertone System allows people with C4-C5 paralysis and below to do upper body exercises necessary for rehabilitation and maintenance, without assistance.
NSCD provides recreation for children and adults with disabilities. In addition to recreational downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing, NSCD provides year-round competition training to ski racers with disabilities. Summer recreation opportunities include biking, hiking, in-line skating, sailing, therapeutic horseback riding, white water rafting, baseball, fishing, rock climbing for the blind, and camping.
A service of Wilderness Inquiry, Access Outdoors is a comprehensive resource for accessible outdoor recreation. Easy to connect with organizations from canoeing to rock climbing to scuba diving.
Serves men and women, children and adults, who have experienced a wide range of conditions including arthritis, MS, spinal cord injury, strokes, amputations, head injury or cerebral palsy. Located on a 45-acre campus in Birmingham, Alabama, which provides opportunities for persons with physical disabilities to participate in fitness, recreation and athletic endeavors.
Offers canoe, sea-kayak, backpack, horsepack and dogsled adventures. People of varying physical ability, age, mental capacity, ethnicity, etc. come together to share in challenging, cooperative adventures.
This site posts a number of links to travel resources for disabled persons.
AlterGo (before Regional Association for the Recreation of Disabled Persons of the Island of Montreal) was born, as is the case of many organizations, of a need. In this particular instance, the need of a segment of the population to greater representation in the field of sports and recreation. The need for a group of citizens to be able to make choices concerning their leisure activities independent of their social standing, their age or their gender. While this would seem basic in its intention and more often than not easily solved, for disabled persons the obstacles encountered, be they physical or systemic are all too often overwhelming. And yet, it is through adversity and a desire to be heard that vices will join together and grow in intensity, until finally those obstacles that once seemed insurmountable begin to be overcome; slowly but surely; one by one. The Association is a clear, strong voice that represents many others who for too long a time had gone unheard and neglected.
Site for recreational therapists, health care providers using recreational therapy interventions for improved functioning of individuals with illness or disabling conditions. ATRA, was incorporated in the District of Columbia in 1984 as a non-profit, grassroots organization in response to growing concern about the dramatic changes in the health care industry. As a result of this response, ATRA has grown from a membership of 60 individuals in June 1984 to 4,500 in 1999.
Formerly the U.S. Cerebral Palsy Athletic Association. The National Disability Sports Alliance is the National Governing Body for competitive sports for individuals with cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injuries and survivors of strokes. NDSA formulates the rules and procedures, conducts national championships in 12 sports, selects the athletes to represent the U.S. in international competition.
Formerly known as murderball, Quad Rugby is a game for quads who can push a chair. Fast, rough and very competitive.
Basketball is perhaps the oldest organized sport for athletes in wheelchairs. The game is fast and fun, and played in dozens of cities across the U.S.
Wheelchair bowling has been popular for many years. Even high quads can play, using some adaptive equipment.
An index of international sports related organizations and resources.
Works towards universal access through research, design, and education. Offers assistive technologies to enable users of varying abilities to take part in recreational and leisure activities.
Information about all federal recreation areas, and accessible recreation on federal lands.
A year-round program offering access to a variety of sports, recreational and cultural activities, including skiing, whitewater rafting, horseback riding and fishing.
This website posts links to organizations, companies, state agencies and other groups that specialize in offering camping, camping products and services that are accessible to disabled persons.
Offers nationwide sports rehabilitation programs to anyone with a permanent physical disability. Activities include winter skiing, water sports, summer and winter competitions, fitness and special sports events. DSUSA, as a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee, is the governing body for winter sports for all athletes with disabilities, and for summer sports for amputee athletes. Nationwide chapter network of sports and rec programs.
Recreation and sailing program in Florida
Tennis has been adapted for the wheelchair player: the ball can bounce two times. This allows chair-players to give standup players a run for the their money. The sport is growing fast and is very competitive at the elite level. Click on "community tennis."
The NSCD was founded in January 1970 when Winter Park Resort's ski school director agreed to teach skiing to a group of children with amputations from The Children's Hospital of Denver. Three decades later, the NSCD is widely considered the largest-and most successful-outdoor therapeutic recreation agency in the world. Each year, thousands of children and adults with disabilities take to the ski slopes, mountain trails and golf links to learn more about sports-and themselves. With specially trained staff and its own adaptive equipment lab, the NSCD teaches a variety of summer and winter sports to individuals with almost any mental or physical disability.
A Utah based group providing wilderness recreation and education to people of all abilities
Promotes the physical and social well being of people with disabilities through the exhilarating sport of scuba diving.
Promotes and support therapeutic riding in the U.S. and Canada. At some 600 NARHA riding centers, more than 30,000 individuals with disabilities find a sense of independence through horseback riding.
The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis has studied functional electrical systems for exercise.
Summary of Health Outcomes in Recreation Therapy.
A general disability community web site that covers art and disability with resources, profiles and galleries.
That Uppity Theatre Company produces The Disability Project, a St. Louis-based ensemble of conversation, writing, sound, movement and theatrical exercises to empower individuals, honor their stories, spark imaginations, foster community and enhance public awareness about disability. Explores architectural accessibility, transportation, sexuality, health care, humor and societal attitudes.
Axis Dance Company has performed its innovative body of work in theaters and dance spaces at throughout the U.S. as well as overseas. Oakland, CA based AXIS has become an internationally known resource for physically integrated dance and is one of a handful of companies setting a standard for professionalism in this emerging field.
Explores, through modern dance, the sweep of the human experience in a world that contains a diversity of attitudes, actions and outcomes, affects change for persons with disabilities, dance artists and the general community.
Introduces disabled musicians to each other, offers an accessible rehearsal and recording studio and helps with adaptive techniques for pain, endurance, and other limitations.
Provides art programs, educational and independent living training, counseling and vocational opportunities for adults who are physically, mentally and emotionally disabled.
Integrated Arts' mission is to increase opportunities for people with and without disabilities to define and express themselves through the arts. Promotes access to the arts and encourages social integration and develops innovative ways of producing and enjoying art.
NADC is a referral center specializing in arts and disability. NADC is dedicated to full inclusion of children and adults with disabilities into the visual, performing, media, and literary arts communities. A project of the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), Tarjan Center for Developmental Disabilities (formerly University Affiliated Program).
Founded in 1974 as an affiliate of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, VSA creates learning opportunities through the arts for people with disabilities. The organization offers arts-based programs in creative writing, dance, drama, music and the visual arts implemented primarily through an affiliate network in 39 states and 70 international affiliates in 67 countries.
Offers financial support to develop the talents painters accepted in the group.
The National Sports Festival For The Disabled is a national athletic competition for sports enthusiasts who have physical disabilities. Anyone interested in volunteering at the Sports Festival, contact Jerry McCole.
Cerebral Palsy International Sports & Recreation Association, is committed to provide sports opportunities to athletes with Cerebral Palsy and related conditions.
The International Paralympic Committee is the international representative organization of elite sports for athletes with disabilities.
Forum of sport, physical education
and recreation for those with disabilities.
Dedicated to promoting the interests of indoor soccer and supporting the efforts of NDSA's Indoor Wheelchair Soccer program.
Providing information, encouragement, ideas, support and outreach for parentsand families of children with disabilities, and the professionals who work with them.
Adventure Therapy