Description: This presentation will describe the development and implementation of an Adapted Physical Exercise (APEX) program at the University of Windsor. Research from the program, which has been ongoing for the last 12 years, will be discussed and include both quantitative (e.g. muscular strength) and qualitative data (e.g. impact on families). Furthermore, the APEX Manual for Adults with Intellectual and Development Disabilities, which was designed to get more people exercising safely, will be showcased. Lastly, some of APEX’s latest work related to: 1) including exercise training in youth employment readiness programs, 2) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on parents, and 3) the experiences of university students who volunteer in the APEX program will be highlighted.

Bio: Chad Sutherland is the Director of Operations for the Centre for Human Performance & Health (CHPH), which is housed within the Departments of Kinesiology and Athletics & Recreation Services, at the University of Windsor. Chad is the founder and co-director of the Adapted Physical Exercise (APEX) Research Group, which has been operating for over a decade, providing sport and exercise programming for adults with intellectual and developmental disability. The APEX research group actively presents their work at both national and international conferences and recently launched a completely free exercise manual for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In his role as the Director of Operations for the CHPH, Chad supports a multitude of faculty wide research projects, community programs, and high-performance sport initiatives.

The focus of this presentation is to discuss physical activity among neurodiverse populations. In doing so, the presentation will highlight the barriers and benefits of physical activity, and the importance of sustained physical activity. The presentation will conclude with a discussion around adapted physical activity programs and recommendations for increasing physical activity levels among neurodivergent people.

Bri Redquest (PhD) is a postdoctoral associate with the ENHANCE lab at the University of Calgary. Using a multi-disciplinary, community-engaged approach, the goal of her research is to explore and enhance the wellbeing of people with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their family members. One area of her research aims to understand the association between physical activity and wellbeing among people with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Complementing her research pursuits, she has a strong passion for community engagement. To date, she has co-developed and co-led three adapted physical activity programs for people with neurodevelopmental disabilities.

What is the Abilities Centre?

Abilities Centre is a not-for-profit organization that is globally recognized for harnessing the power of accessibility and inclusion to unlock the potential of people and communities. Our vision is to create a world where everyone belongs by enhancing the quality of life for all, regardless of age, ability or background. Abilities Centre creates programs that revolve around the pillars of health and wellness; social inclusion; and economic participation. As a community hub, living lab and inclusion incubator, Abilities Centre engages individuals and communities in programs, leads research and advocacy on inclusion issues, and develops innovative frameworks for programs that are scalable and customizable to the needs of local communities in Durham Region and across Ontario and Canada.

What is Mixed Ability Sport (MAS)?

Our mission is to challenge the way we think of, join in and enjoy sports, providing innovative solutions that drive mass participation in an inclusive environment The Mixed Ability Model represents an innovative and radical approach to broader social inclusion challenging the stereotypes and status quo of grassroots sport. Our sport and educational activities aim to create a fully inclusive and safe environment for everyone regardless their age, gender, background or ability. We want to create a sustainable and long-lasting change offering new opportunities to participants who have faced a wide range of barriers to participating in sport. This model is the operationalized using sport. The Mixed Ability Sport team works with local coaches, community partners, sport clubs and governing body to ensure their environment is accessible, inclusive and welcoming to better represent their community. MAS encourages social inclusion and participation by welcoming players of all abilities into a mainstream sport setting in their local community playing non-adapted sports. Only minor variations are introduced to meet the individual needs of participants and athletes.

On December 3 of each year, we recognize the International Day for Persons with Disabilities. This annual event acknowledges the humanity, inherent value, and rights of persons experiencing disability and reminds us that all citizens of the world have a stake and a role in authentic inclusion. This year’s event is co-hosted by the Anti-Ableism and Mental Health (AAMH) working group of PACHRED and the Brock Niagara Center of Excellence in Inclusive and Adaptive Physical Activity. It will be a free online event taking place on December 3, 2021, between 11:00 am -1:00 pm.

This year’s event will feature a guest speaker, Dr. Jay Dolmage, from the University of Waterloo, presenting on Academic Ableism, that is, actions, deliberate and conscious or otherwise, that contribute to barriers for and discrimination against members of disability communities in their experience of teaching, learning, research, service, and any other aspects of campus life. He will also suggest ways to participate in anti-ableism.

We will also be recognizing Brock student submissions to the national Innovative Designs for Accessibility (IDeA) competitions and the recipients of the Brock Inclusion and Accessibility Recognition Award.

Engaging in events committed to diversity and inclusion awareness allows attendees to support the values underpinning inclusion and diversity awareness—the acknowledgement that all humans are worthy and valuable, and all have the right to engage in societal and cultural experiences in an autonomous and participatory fashion. It is also an opportunity to engage with disability identified individuals, their families, allies, and advocates.

Dr. Jay Dolmage Professor, Associate Chair, Undergraduate Communication Outcome Initiative (UCOI), University of Waterloo. Jay is committed to disability rights in his scholarship, service, and teaching. His work brings together rhetoric, writing, disability studies, and critical pedagogy. His first book, entitled Disability Rhetoric, was published with Syracuse University Press in 2014. Academic Ableism: Disability and Higher Education was published with Michigan University Press in 2017 and is available in an open-access version online. Disabled Upon Arrival: Eugenics, Immigration, and the Construction of Race and Disability was published in 2018 with Ohio State University Press. Jay is also the Founding Editor of the Canadian Journal of Disability Studies.

Brock IDeA Projects Student Submissions IDeA is a national competition that encourages university students to develop innovative, practical, and cost-effective solutions to address barriers and challenges for people with disabilities. Students take an inclusive design approach to create concepts, tools, programs, and initiatives that help overcome physical, technological, systemic, and attitudinal barriers. Collaborating with community partners and persons with disabilities throughout the process provided students the opportunity to develop valuable skills, while contributing to the creation of an accessibility culture in Canada. Brock students submitted applications across several categories and two groups were successful in two categories of the competition.