Beyond the Playing Field
A Program Evaluation of Unified Sports in Elementary Schools
The value of Special Olympics in the lives of individuals with intellectual disabilities has been well documented. Special Olympics has been shown to have numerous benefits for participants, from improving the physical well-being of athletes to increasing their social competence, self-concept, adaptive behavior, and social relationships.
Recently, in an attempt to become more inclusive, Special Olympics (SO) has broadened its programs to include Unified Sports, a program in which youth with and without intellectual disabilities (ID) train and compete as equals on a competitive sports team. These programs have been received positively by athletes, teachers, school administrators, and parents.
The Center for Social Development and Education has had the opportunity to document the positive impact that Unified Sports has had on athletes. A 2001 evaluation of Unified Sports programs throughout the United States showed that family members saw significant improvements in athletes’ self-esteem and social relationships, as well as in physical abilities and sports skills.
We would now like to look more closely at the benefits of Unified Sports “beyond the playing field,” specifically the impacts that it may have on students’s classroom performance. Studies have found improved academic achievement, classroom conduct, and social skills for students who participate in after-school programming. Therefore, we believe that after-school recreational and sports programming have great promise in helping students with intellectual disabilities succeed in the classroom and building social and academic skills.
About the Project
Beyond the Playing Field is a research project that is a joint initiative between the Center for Social Development and Special Olympics International. The purpose of this project is to explore the ways in which participation in Unified Sports benefits students in their classrooms and schools. Unified Sports is a program in which people with and without intellectual disabilities train and compete as equals on a competitive sports team. These programs have been received positively by athletes, parents, teachers, and school administrators.
The study is being conducted in selected schools in eastern Massachusetts. The results of this study will provide support for expanding quality inclusive recreational programming in schools, and these Massachusetts-based programs will serve as models for the rest or the nation. We believe that inclusive after-school recreational and sports programs have great promise in helping students with and without intellectual disabilities succeed in the classroom and build social and academic skills. For more information, contact Joanne Kersh at BeyondthePlayingField@gmail.com or 1.888.289.3060.
For Our Participants
Please follow the links in the panel to the left to access surveys and questionnaires. You will be able to complete and submit the surveys online. Thank you for your participation.
Parents
Thank you for consenting to participate in the Beyond the Playing Field Unified Sports evaluation. For this evaluation, you are asked to complete a parent survey.
The Social Skills Rating System for Parents evaluates how often your child exhibits certain social skills and behaviors. You are also asked to rate how important each social skill is to your child's development.
Use the links above to complete the questionnaires. When completing the surveys please use the identification number you were assigned. This number has also been emailed to you. When you are finished with each survey you will be redirected to this page.
Please remember that all responses are confidential and will not be seen by anyone outside of the Beyond the Playing Field Project or influence you or your child’s involvement in Special Olympics Massachusetts or the Unified Sports program.
If you experience any difficulties while completing the questionnaires please contact the Beyond the Playing Field administrator.
Coaches
For the evaluation you are asked to complete a Coach Questionnaire and weekly practice logs. You will receive the Coach Questionnaire in paper and pencil format at the first practice. Please complete the questionnaire and return it to observers at the next practice. Weekly logs can be completed online after each team practice. Be sure to select the log for the sport that you are coaching. Please remember that all responses are confidential and will not be shared with or influence your involvement with Special Olympics Massachusetts or Unified Sports.
If you experience any difficulties while completing the questionnaires please contact the Beyond the Playing Field administrator.
Beyond the Playing Field Coaches Questionnaire
The Beyond the Playing Field Coaches Questionnaire asks about your current and prior involvement with Special Olympics and Unified Sports, as well as your perceptions and beliefs about effective coaching techniques. You will be asked to complete the coaches questionnaire prior to the start of the Unified Sports season and after the season ends.
You will be provided the pre-season coaches questionnaire at the first team practice by project staff. Please complete the questionnaire for the following practice, when project staff will collect it.
Beyond the Playing Field Coaches Logs
The weekly logs will ask questions about the activities you conducted during your practices and athlete and partner participation. Each week a link to the new weekly log will be provided. Please complete the log within a few days after practice. Again, when you begin the log you will not be able to save and return to it. The first week’s log is available below.