Town of Chapel Hill, NC

Adapted Recreation and Inclusion

 The Town of Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation Department is committed to provide equal access to programs and activities for all citizens. The Adapted Recreation and Inclusion program provides both specialized activities (those exclusively for people with special needs/disabilities) and a continuum of support and accommodations for those who may need some assistance to be included in any appropriate Parks & Recreation activity.

What Is Inclusion?

Inclusion might mean something different for every person. We think of inclusion as supporting people with special needs/disabilities in parks and recreation programming to the best of their ability. We offer a continuum of support: some people need 1:1 assistance while others only need us to give a coach or instructor a few bits of extra information. Some children or teens, in our camps or after school programs, only need a little extra assistance and might be monitored by inclusion staff that look after 4 or 5 individuals.

Inclusion staff may help by prompting social interaction; help with learning the skills of the game, support practice in building tolerance to noise or other barriers to participation. Recreation Therapist, Marian Kaslovsky coordinates the program, consults with a participant’s teacher or group home staff and can help choose activities and plan inclusion strategies to aim for successful participation and enjoyment.

Specialized programs are designed specifically for children and adults with disabilities and often include family and friends. Please read activity descriptions carefully so you'll know the staff to participant ratio and other details to help you decide if it would be a good fit for your family member.

Some children and teens can benefit from both specialized programs and from being included with typical peers. Please contact me if you’d like help to assess whether an activity could be a positive experience for you or for an individual in your care.

Special Olympics

Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in  a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills, and friendship  with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community. 

School-based programming is offered to students in self-contained special education classrooms in Orange County and Chapel Hill/Carrboro City Schools. With the guidance of adapted physical education instructors, teachers may elect
to participate in recreational activities outside the classroom.