Integrating Play Initiatives: Boosting Inclusion And Engagement For Children With Special Needs

Abstract

Current play-based programs in Canada have been instrumental in the social and mental development of children with different abilities, however, there's a need to further explore these programs to understand their key features leading to positive outcomes. This study aims to address this gap, employing a qualitative comparative case study approach to examine three Canadian play-based programs namely, Brock University's Children's Movement Program (CMP), Special Needs Activity Program (SNAP), and Acadia University's Sensory Motor Instructional Leadership Experience Program (SMILE). Utilizing the utilization-focused evaluation (U-FE) framework, the study was conducted in three phases. The first phase involved a comparative analysis of the three programs, the second phase involved the selection of applicable patterns and features from the programs based on inductive analysis, and the final phase was the application of the uncovered patterns to KSA centers with cultural adjustments. The study revealed patterns responsible for the successful outcomes of these programs and emphasized the importance of cultural considerations in international applications. These findings have implications for the enhancement of existing play-based programs and offer insights into the development of future interventions.