Investigation of the Impact of Recreational Ski Program on Children Who Are Blind and Visually Disabled

While the rationale for recreational programs for those with visual impairments is strong, it is necessary to measure outcomes of these programs in order to ascertain if and how participants benefit. Through this qualitative study, investigators sought to gain insight to the impact of a recreational ski program. Participants in this study were 20 children aged 8 to 18 who were visually disabled and their parents or teachers. These children and their parent(s) were interviewed separately before and after the ski outing. The instrument used for the interview was constructed with closed and open responses and focused on the participants’ perceptions of the ski experience. Descriptive data were collected on all participants. Data were analyzed and broken into themes regarding impact and outcomes. Themes were studied and findings were interpreted. Results of the interviews showed that the organized ski experience promoted five of the nine skill areas of the Expanded Core Curriculum for the Visually Impaired. These areas include: Recreation and Leisure Skills, Social interaction Skills, Self-determination Skills, Orientation and Mobility Skills, and Sensory Efficiency Skills.