Date of Award:

12-2024

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA)

Department:

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning

Committee Chair(s)

Keith M. Christensen

Committee

Keith M. Christensen

Committee

Lisa K. Boyce

Committee

Sean Michael

Abstract

This study examines physical activity within inclusively designed play environments for children with and without disabilities. The purpose of this study is to determine to what extent children in the third grade with and without disabilities differ in physical activity across various behavior settings of an inclusively designed play environment. Of the 50 third-grade students, 34 participated in eight weeks of observations conducted during lunch recess. Accelerometers and GPS units were utilized to collect data during the observations. The majority of settings on this playground were identified as inclusive. Children with disabilities didn’t engage in organized games as often as the children without disabilities; they tended to play by themselves more often. Neither the children with disabilities nor the children without them seem to have a strong preference for one setting on the playground versus another. The study concludes that inclusively designed playgrounds reduce barriers for children with disabilities and create an environment that is accessible and beneficial for all children.

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