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Inclusive Action

What is inclusion? Well, it’s less an idea, and more of an action. At its core, inclusion is making an active effort to create, maintain, and encourage a welcoming environment for all, where all walks of life and perspectives are heard. For students and people with intellectual disabilities, inclusive environments are key to feeling socially accepted, and social acceptance is key to the mental and physical well-being of all, intellectual disability or not.

Some key areas where inclusion is a must? The classroom, the workplace, and most prescient to Special Olympics, in sports. At Special Olympics, it’s a core pillar of the organization to show the capabilities of people with intellectual disabilities through inclusive activities like sports. Inclusive sport gets at the heart of what inclusive action should be: tangible, social interactions that meaningfully bring the voices and faces of people with disabilities to the forefront. Sport helps bond its participants at the most intimate level, and encourages people to see each other’s faces and feelings, rather than to focus on one’s disability.

There’s inclusive action occurring all throughout the sports world, from organizations like the Rafael Nadal Foundation, to programming in schools and universities tailored to bringing diverse voices and backgrounds together. Take the experience of one Special Olympics coach in Florida: “After we came back from our first [Unified Sports event], I saw kids interacting in the hallways, either just saying hi or giving a high five. And normally, these kids wouldn’t even talk to each other.” When inclusive events and programming are held and effectively carried out, inclusive action is no longer a forced and thought-out action. It’s simply a daily occurrence, and a reminder that a welcoming environment is the best environment for everyone.

For more information on how you can practice inclusion in your daily life or bring inclusive programming to your schools, look through our extensive library below!

ARTICLES
Special Olympics’ Kiera Byland was a highlight speaker at the International Sports Press Association’s Global Congress gathering taking place in Barcelona, Spain this week.
5 Reasons Inclusion Matters More Than Ever
Inclusion is accepting all people as equals—regardless of ability, ethnicity, age, religion, or gender identity—and ensuring that they have access to the same services and opportunities as everyone else.
For individuals with intellectual disabilities, sports can be a crucial tool for improving their quality of life and ensuring their well-being.
Sport is for everyone. No matter what the physical and mental conditions are. In reality, this is sometimes different. That's why the Special Olympics organization exists - worldwide and in Germany. It promotes the inclusion of people with mental and multiple disabilities.
Organized and unorganized sports are a critical starting point in a young person’s lifelong journey toward an active and healthy lifestyle.
Laila Kindness became a true Shark the first time she flipped her chair in a wheelchair handball game.
Viviana Nicastro, a senior at Saratoga Springs High School in New York, said her physical education classes before the pandemic often were an exercise in doing as little as possible while people were watching.
Unified sports and physical education programs are gaining traction as schools work to re-engage secondary students in sports after a pandemic dropoff.
Perspectives from GPE youth leaders on inclusive education and what actions world leaders need to take to improve the education of students with disabilities.
Creating an inclusive environment for all students can change the culture and success of your school. Here's how you can get started.
Kristin Duquette is a disability rights campaigner and One Young World Ambassador from the USA. She is passionate about disability youth, sport and empowerment.
The vast majority of students with disabilities spend their school days in general education classrooms, surrounded by nondisabled peers.
When people with disabilities can fully participate in school, work and social activities, they live more rewarding lives.
Inclusiveness in schools makes everyone feel safe, respected and valued.
Disabilities affect a quarter of the people living in the United States and abroad. With increased labor shortages, there is an opportunity to better include folks with disabilities who have been historically left out of the workforce.
It was my first year teaching, and I was getting my classroom ready for school when my new principal dropped off my name tag.
The adoption of inclusive education strategies—where special education students are immersed in classrooms with typically developing peers—has increased rapidly in recent decades.
Throughout the years, schools have made great strides toward becoming more inclusive. They have worked hard to establish inclusivity in their institutions, and students of all abilities are welcomed, supported, and encouraged to succeed.
Investing in inclusive sports involves collaboration to create a well-rounded plan for promoting diversity and better access to sports.
Classroom and Distance Learning Activities for Middle School and High School Students