Bridges to Accessibility: A Primer for Including Persons With Disabilities in Adventure Curricula.

Abstract

Adventure based education programs have established themselves as effective providers of experiential leaming and growth. These programs are guided by such principles as challenge by choice, mutual respect and full valuing of each person's choices, group centered learning, and a sequential leaming approach that is sensitive to group readiness. Integration builds upon these same principles which is the connection that Mark uses to build Bridges. Accessibility and integration have been mandated by section 504 ofthe 1973 Rehabilitation Act and most recently by the American's with Disabilities Act (1990), both of which are mentioned and discussed in the book. Outside of legal obligations to embrace all persons in adventure programs, there is a moral edict of equal access which challenges the principles and imagination of the field. Currently, the question Why is being asked less and being replaced with How, indicating an attitude shift of monumental significance and presenting a real need for a book such as this. Dr. Havens instructs the reader about attitudes as much as about practical ways to include people with disabilities in adventure activities. Mark has many years of experience working with people of varying abilities in challenging, educational settings. Beginning in 1978 with his first Adventure experience, Mark bas associated with leaders in the Accessible Adventure field. Today he is included as one of those leaders. He is an active consultant, lecturer, writer, and adventure facilitator. Mark not only brings his years of experience to bear in this book, he also shares his keen sensitive insights into the art ofhuman diversity. The book is divided into three sections. Section one is background material which discusses history and integration. Section two gives a general overview of exceptionality. This includes mental challenges, physical challenges, and health and sensory challenges. Section three deals directly with building bridges. In this section the reader is asked to start with a look at themselves, followed by a discussion ofaccessible ways to apply the adventure curriculum. Some very useful information is then available in the extensive appendices. A partial list of the material covered includes: multi-media resources and organizations; surveys for self attitude, program access, and facility access; safety guidelines; evaluation forms for readiness levels; and sample resources in the form of case studies and activities for sensitization to labeling and differences. Havens remains consistent throughout the book with his theme which is well stated in the title, "Bridges to Accessibility". The material is aimed at moving the adventure educator who has already been exposed to the basic curricula to a level of readiness where they emotionally and rationally accept and are willing to include people with disabilities. Realizing this book is only a primer, Mark urges the reader to seek out other sources ofinformation, not the least of whom being people with disabilities and organizations serving those populations. In its truest sense, this book IS a PRIMER, and the first person approach makes it easily readable and its contents believable. The book has numerous strengths. There is good use of case presentations, personal and otherwise, which provides the reader with the closest thing possible to experiential learning via the written word. Of particular value is the experience shared by two Project Adventure facilitators called "A Reflective Story". Project Adventure, a leader in adventure education and new-comer to accessible/integrated curricula, is well represented with the use of their publications "Islands of Healing" and "Cowstails and Cobras 2" as primary resources for activities and conceptual material. The subject of Integration is handled with finesse and practicality. Goal setting, activity adaptations, and terminology are all handled with common sense. The discussion on attitudes and .labelling is excellent. Task Analysis is an invaluable tool used in the process of activity adaptation. A detailed description and exercise illustrating task analysis is supplied for the reader. Dr. Havens clearly advocates the cooperative involvement ofpeople with disabilities and educators in the adventure education process. Unfortunately, he waits until the middle of the book to make a strong stand on this important point. Early on, he communicates the importance of not stereotyping and taking the time to know each individual before deciding about their abilities, needs, etc. The beginning would have been an effective place to introduce the cooperative process and then build on it throughout the book. The first section gives an overview of disability characteristics and implications for participation in adventure programs. The reviewers recognize the dilemma as to "what is too much or what is too little" relative to disability information. Dr. Haven's has chosen to provide many definitions of disability that relate to one's ability, inability, or capacity to learn. Unfortunately these definitions do little to guide us in finding alternative ways to facilitate the person's learning, in fact, they have, in the past, been guidelines to segregate and provide inadequate experiences. Remembering that this text is a primer, one could conclude, however, that the information provided on disability is appropriate. In addition, it seems that this is where adventure education could step in and model challenging learning methods that truly empower the individual. Something of this nature in this section would have well served the reader. The book would also have been strengthened by including more discussion on outcomes of adventure program participation. In summary, this book is a valuable contribution for the integration of Adventure Education. There are precious few individuals who .could provide us with this kind of material. Mark has synthesized his wealth of knowledge and experience intotenns that practitioners will be able to easily translate into programs.