Computers expand dimensions
of day camp programs

The Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association
uses the Apple IIe in its summer programs to
develop positive learning experiences and to manage
inappropriate behaviors.

By Gary Koenig

During the summer of 1987, the Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association (NSSRA) developed a recreation and education program utilizing computers for its Summer Day Campers.

The Day Camp Program provides special education and therapeutic recreation to approximately 300 disabled children. The NSSRA staff developed a computer program for use in both portions of the campers' day.

Since hardware and software for the program would create too large of an expense for all 12 camp sites, it was decided to develop this program for the primary Developmental Learning Service (DLS) site (which consists of behavior and learning-disordered and educational-moderately handicapped students), and for the Orthopedically Handicapped (OH) site. These two sites were chosen because the most readily available software was more suited for their populations.

DLS program

To develop a program at the DLS site, both educational and recreational staff formulated goals to successfully utilize computers in the academic and recreational curricula. Once the goals were decided, a base was then developed to choose appropriate software which meets them.

Educational staff were interested in using this program to assist in simple math, language skills, reading and decision making. This was the basis of their summer curriculum, and computer programming in these areas would help them provide a fun and creative learning environment.

Also, teachers foresaw the possibility of using computer time as a behavior-management technique in the classroom. Appropriate behaviors by students would be rewarded with much desired computer time.

Staff spent time reviewing articles by therapeutic recreation professionals who have researched computer programming in recreation for the disabled. One article, "Computer Applications in Therapeutic Recreation," by Frank M. Brasile, Melinda K. Conway-Callahan, David Dager, and Don J. Klekner (Therapeutic Recreation Journal, Second Quarter, 1986), provided great insight.

Through this article, goals were developed to assist in manual dexterity, hand-eye coordination, measurement of performance, socialization skills, self-confidence

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Computers

and release of aggression. Again, these goals developed a basis to acquire appropriate software that would reach the desired skills and also provide an element of fun.

Staff then developed a weekly rotation schedule for each of the recreation groups to have time on the computers. As in the educational portion of the program, the recreation staff also utilized the computers for behavior management.

OH site

The site had an existing program — News on Wheels (NOW)

— that could lend itself well to computer programming. This journalism program for intermediate and high school-aged orthopedically handicapped students is a learning and experiential program which provides various skills and a vocational direction associated with journalism.

The NOW program allows students to choose various areas of interest about which to research and write. As well as stimulating writing skills, students choose a topic per week with the help of a special education teacher and a recreational therapist, and either plan field trips (i.e., trip to the Chicago Tribune) or contact speakers (i.e., a blind executive) to research the topic.

After acquiring the information through interviewing techniques, they develop a newsletter highlighting these areas of interest. These newsletters are then "published" once a week.

The education and recreation staff saw many uses for computer

Illinois Parks and Recreation 8 January/February 1988

utilization in this program. With word processing and graphics software, they were able to develop a "sharp looking" newsletter. And, at the same time, typing, language and writing skills were developed, and a new vocational direction in computer programming was learned.

Equipment

The NSSRA was able to lease 10 Apple IIe computers and two printers for 29 days during the summer. Both sites were equipped with five computers and one printer.

The NSSRA was able to borrow some of the software from the Northern Suburban Special Education District and the Low Incidence Cooperative Association. Other software needs were bought from local distributors.

Some software used were: The Oregon Trail (MECC) Apple II edition, the Bank Street Writer (Borderbund software) Apple II and IIe versions, Early Games for Young Children (Springboard), Reader Rabbit (The Learning

Company), Writer Rabbit (The Learning Company) and Don Johnston's Motor Training Games.

There are many adaptive devices on the market for the Apple IIe. However, with a tight budget, staff decided to use joysticks as the most accessible device for students with poor fine-motor control.

Orientation

To successfully implement this program, an orientation to the hardware and software was needed for all staff at each site. The company from which NSSRA leased the computers sent a representative to orientate the two program coordinators and work with all staff. This orientation quickly alleviated any fears that the staff had about working with the computers, and the project soon became more fun than work.

Evaluation

As with any pilot program, problems were noted at the end of the summer.

• Staff felt that a separate room at each site would benefit the program. During the sum-

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Computers

mer, computers were kept in the classroom and became somewhat of a disturbance to students in the room who were not working on them.

If a separate room was provided, teachers could visit with students in a less disruptive and more conducive atmosphere.

• Staff found that even though software was acquired for a low level of functioning, some software was still too high. Consideration will now be given to providing software at an even lower level for the DLS primary children, especially focusing on deductive learning.

• It will become important to have the program coordinators do a more thorough review of software before utilization.

• Even with a computer-use schedule for recreation staff, it sometimes became difficult to schedule around activity plans, especially on the days the site went swimming, to the beach, or on a field trip.

In the future, a more concentrated review of each site's weekly activity plans must be made to develop a realistic schedule for computer time.

Final observations

Overall, the program was successful. It was observed that students in the education portion of the Day Camp

started realizing that their classroom studies could be fun with the help of the Apple IIe, thus providing for a positive learning experience. Recreation staff were pleased to be able to use computers to assist in the development of functional skills.

Staff also observed that the children enjoyed using the computers as an aspect of play. Many children had not experienced computers in their daily lives and were intrigued with this programming aspect.

Functional skills in manual dexterity, hand-eye coordination, as well as socialization, self-confidence and measurement of performance, were being developed as the children had fun getting Snoopy out of the pumpkin patch maze, among other challenges. Computers were also used to release aggression, as they became an extremely successful tool in the management of inappropriate behaviors.

The NSSRA staff are working toward implementing the computer program again this summer, and also to providing a recreationally oriented program during the rest of the year.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Gary Koenig is the superintendent of recreation at the Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 10 January/February 1988