Since this proved to be true, it only makes sense that the antidote for the low competence is to being including them in programs and in school physical education where the instructors are knowledgeable and are able to help their students. However, often times, the simple fact that the individual has a visual impairment make people shy away from being helpful or they can't think of anything else but their impairment and hurting the individual. The lack of access to physical education in public schools appears to be a function of the degree to which attention can be given to children with visual impairments in regular physical education classes, physical education teachers' general lack of knowledge of the adaptive techniques required to include students with visual impairments, and special education teachers' lack of knowledge of specific sports skills. The consequences of the lack of participation in sports are known to include poor physical fitness and limited physical skills. Craft suggested that physical education can promote the acquisition of daily living skills and orientation and mobility skills needed by students with visual impairments by helping to develop their physical fitness and psychomotor abilities. It also seems to follow that these limitation and the lack of experience with complex sports activities severely limit sports participation later in life. (Ponchilla, P. E, Ponchilla, S. V., Strause, B., 2002, April)
On the positive side of this, there are programs that encourage movement and activity, especially for those who have a disability. One of these programs is called hippotherapy, which is often done on horseback.
For children with visual impairments with have physical disabilities, hippotherapy and therapeutic riding are additional interventions for the development of movement and muscle control. Flexibility, strength, and mobility may increase, since while riding a horse, a rider moves his or her trunk, arms, shoulders, and head. This movement may lead to improved posture and toning of muscles in the arms and the stomach, both of which are essential elements in mobility training. (Lehrman, J. and Ross, D. B., 2001, Feb)
The continued potential is great for programs like this one to enhance the physical coordination and general mobility of those who are disabled. Riding on a horse requires the rider to focus on balance so they don't fall off; in addition to other important abilities it helps them to develop. Also, not only does doing things like therapeutic riding help physical well being and ability, it also helps to develop and encourage emotional development and support.
With this encouragement from activities such as the horse riding, it gives the individual confidence, which would, in most cases, lead to some improvement of positive self-esteem. “A high level of physical competence seems to reinforce a positive self-concept and contributes to a more positive global self- worth.” (Gronmo, S. J., Augestad, L. B., 2000, August) Unfortunately, even with all of these positive benefits, because of the lack of knowledge in the area or denial/overprotection in some cases, this causes physical movement and development to be totally looked over. Robinson (2003) writes, “The biggest obstacle is not the blindness but the missed opportunities, due to preconceived notions, stereotypes, and attitudes.”
Fortunately, there are people who understand the importance of physical activity for individuals who are visually impaired and its positive impact on the participants in the activities. Butcher (2002) states:
I learned the valued of motivation, perseverance, goal-setting, and positive self-esteem. After I lost a significant amount of my vision, there were so many times that I wanted to quit. But athletics gave me something to live for; it gave me lots of reasons to not give up. Athletics also gave me the energy and endurance to handle the headaches, leaning to do things differently, and the frustration when people didn't understand my visual loss.
Because of the nature of physical activity, it requires things like motivation, perseverance, and goal-setting, which has potential to lead to positive self-esteem, to say the least. It allows the participant to develop things like goals, which not only lead to positive development, but also give personal encouragement when the goals are reached.
Thirty years later I have to admit that my participation in physical activity and team sports in my youth hindered my progress in developing skills that are useful in becoming a successful adult. Qualities such as self-confidence, determination, courage, persistence, openness, fairness, patience, and respect are hard to understand and develop without experiencing them. Participating in team and individual sports is a wonderful way to develop these qualities while having a great time with your family, other students, and within your community. (Robinson, T., 2003)
The effect physical activity has on individuals with visual impairments can be seen in a survey done at a summer camp. The results demonstrated that their active participation during the camp activities drastically changed their outlook.
The students' preconceived notions about sports were obvious from their answers on a pretest. They included: I never love sports; I never feel that I am better in sports than most kids my age; I never consider myself a good athlete. Other comments were: I am picked on in regular gym class; I am not treated like everyone else; and I don't participate in gym class with my friends…The camps concluded with competitive events. I was amazed at the effort these students made on a hot summer day. The most rewarding result was seen on their faces when volunteers and family members yelled their encouragement as they completed their events. The post-tests substantiate the feelings of camaraderie and success. Their perceptions changed to: I love sports; I am better in sports that most kids my age; and I consider myself a good athlete. (Robinson, T., 2003)
Sometimes all it takes is positive encouragement and a chance to prove themselves that they can do just as well in athletics as people with sight. What a way to build self esteem by encouraging the participants the way the parents did during the summer camp. Frequently, all that is needed is kindness, caring and compassion to see that individuals with visual impairments should be allowed the same opportunities as those with sight, and to motivate individuals to participate in physical activity.
We are out here to demonstrate to everybody-to parents to students to teachers and all the people here today that there is something out there for the blind kids today growing up. A lot of blind kids in the school district don't really have many extra curricular activities. What we want to show is that becoming an athlete and being involved in athletic competition is a way or life whether you can see or not. (Mikkelsen, G., 2002, March)
