Showing the Way to Inclusive Outdoor Education: Impact of Hands-On Training in Adapting a Kayak

Abstract

Insufficient training in using adaptations and specialized equipment for outdoor education practices is a barrier to inclusion in public schools. Providing teachers with hands-on training opportunities in adaptations could be beneficial. Two training groups, one of pre-service teachers (n=19) and one of inservice teachers (n=18), were given direct exposure to adapting a kayak to make it accessible to users of different abilities. Participants had the opportunity to discuss the kayak adaptations and to interact with the equipment. Pre-service teachers who did not yet have formal outdoor education instruction (n=18) served as a control group in this pre-test, post-test design. Training increased participants’ self-efficacy and their willingness to adapt kayaks in the future. These positive effects did not, however, transfer directly to other activities, nor did the training impact overall inclusion attitudes. Nonetheless, direct exposure to adaptations is a promising training tool for demonstrating to teachers that implementing inclusive outdoor education practices is doable.