149

Special Olympics Resources

Establishing a Leadership Team

Getting Ready

Whole School Engagement

Inclusive Youth Leadership

Inclusive Sports and Fitness

Special Olympics Resources

150

Resources: Tested and Ready SpecialOlympicsoffersawidevarietyofinclusivesport,fitness,andlearningopportunitiesthatpromotephysicalhealthaswellasrespectandacceptanceforpeoplewithintellectualdisabilities.Takealookatthesefreeresources.

Young AthletesSpecialOlympicsYoungAthletesisasportandplayprogramforchildrenwithandwithoutintellectualdisabilities,ages 2to7.Theprogramfocusesondevelopingfundamentalmotor,social,andcognitiveskillsthroughinclusiveplay. Getanactivityguide,videos,andacurriculumhere:https://resources.specialolympics.org/YoungAthletes

Transitioning from Young Athletes to SportsTheseresourcesprovidesport-specificskilldevelopmentactivitiesforchildrenwithandwithoutintellectualdisabilities,ages6–12yearsold.Findinformationhere:https://media.specialolympics.org/resources/community-building/young-athletes/DevelopmentalSportsOverview.pdf

Unified SportsSpecialOlympicsUnifiedSportsbringspeoplewithandwithoutintellectualdisabilitiestogetheronthesameteamtocompete. Checkoutthetrainingtoolsandothervaluableresourcesathttps://resources.specialolympics.org/Topics/Sports/Unified_Sports .aspx

Coaching Unified SportsThiscourseisdesignedtohelpadultsimplementSpecialOlympicsUnifiedSportsintheirschools.Findtheonlinecoursehere:https://nfhslearn.com/courses/36000/coaching-unified-sports

Special OlympicsYoung Athletes

151

Fitness Model ResourcesPhysicalfitnessisakeypartoftheSpecialOlympicsmission.Additionalfitnessactivitiesbeyondsportsimproveathletes’sportperformance,health,andlives.

• Unified Sports Fitness Clubisayear-roundprogramthatoffersUnifiedphysicalactivityopportunitiesthroughweeklyorbi-weeklywalkingsessions.

• Fit Familiesisasix-weekfitnesschallengeforathletesandtheirsupporters(familymembersorothers)togetactiveandhealthytogether.

• SOfitisaneight-weekUnifiedprogramthatgetsparticipantsactivewhileteachingthemaboutholisticwellness.

Findresourcesforallthreeprogramshere:https://resources.specialolympics.org/Fitness-Model-Resources/

Fitness Cards and VideosThesecardsandvideosprovideendurance,strength,andflexibilityexerciseswithsimpleinstructions.Theyfollowaleveledapproachtomakeexercisepossibleforallabilities.Seethecardsandvideoshere:https://resources.specialolympics.org/Fitness-Cards/

Get Into ItSpecialOlympicsGetIntoItconsistsofonlineresourcesthatincludelessons,activities,videos,athletestories,andsupplementalmaterials.Forallmaterials,gotohttps://resources.specialolympics.org/unified-champion-schools-resources

152

152

Stra

tegy

/Act

ivit

yTa

sks

Dat

e of

C

ompl

etio

nP

eopl

e R

espo

nsib

le

Connectswith:

InclusiveSports

InclusiveYouthLeadership

WholeSchoolEngagem

ent

Other

Connectswith:

InclusiveSports

InclusiveYouthLeadership

WholeSchoolEngagem

ent

Other

Act

ion

Pla

n Fo

rmU

nifi

ed C

ham

pion

Sc

hool

s

153

Citations 1. U.S.DepartmentofEducation.AnNEApolicybrief:Parent,Family,CommunityInvolvementin

Education.Washington,D.C.:NEAEducationPolicyandPracticeDepartment,2008.

2. U.S.DepartmentofEducation.ResourcesforInvolvingFamiliesinEducation.FamilyInvolvementinChildren’sEducation,1997.Retrievedfromhttps://www.ed.gov

3. CenterforSocialDevelopmentandEducation:UniversityofMassachusettsBoston,TheSpecialOlympicsUnifiedChampionSchoolsProgram:2016–2017;Year9EvaluationReport(Boston,MA:2017).

Additional ReadingBradshaw,C.P.,Sawyer,A.L.,&O’Brennan,L.M.(2007).Bullyingandpeervictimizationatschool:Perceptualdifferencesbetweenstudentsandschoolstaff.SchoolPsychologyReview,36(3),361-382.

CenterforSocialDevelopmentandEducation:UniversityofMassachusettsBoston,ProjectUNIFY2011-2012:FinalEvaluationReport(Boston,MA:2012).Retrievedfromhttp://www.umb.edu/csde

CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention.SchoolConnectedness:StrategiesforIncreasingProtectiveFactorsAmongYouth.Atlanta,GA:U.S.DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices;2009.

Nanavati,J.&Haas,K.(2015).UnifiedSportsEvaluation.Washington,DC:SpecialOlympicsInternational.

NationalSchoolClimateCenter,SchoolClimatePilotResearchProject:PreliminaryReport(NewYork,NY:2014).

Özer,D.,Baran,F.,Aktop,A.,Nalbant,S.,Ağlamış,E.,&Hutzler,Y.(2012).EffectsofaSpecialOlympicsUnifiedSportssoccerprogramonpsycho-socialattributesofyouthwithandwithoutintellectualdisability.Researchindevelopmentaldisabilities,33(1),229-239.

Rose,C.A.,Espelage,D.A.&Monda-Amaya,L.E.(2009).Bullyingandvictimizationratesamongstudentsingeneralandspecialeducation:Acomparativeanalysis.EducationalPsychology,29,761–776.

Siperstein,G.,Hardman,M.,Wappett,M.,&Clary,L.(2001).NationalevaluationoftheSpecialOlympicsUnifiedSportsprogram.Aspecialreport.Washington,DC:UniversityofMassachusettsBoston,UniversityofUtah,&SpecialOlympics,Inc.

U.S.DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices.PhysicalActivityGuidelinesAdvisoryCommitteereport.Washington,DC:U.S.DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices,2008.