The Family Center on Technology and Disability
Assistive Technology Works
Newsletter
| Newsletter for February 2008 |
Summer Camp '08: The Break That Refreshes In this Issue...
Across the U.S. there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of residential and day camps that accommodate children with disabilities. Each has its own history, charm and structure. Some are brand new. Others are but a few years old and still others, though a shrinking number, have been in operation for decades. Some are only seasonal while others run sessions for campers year-round. Sign-up deadlines for most residential camps are in February and March. This issue, then, is dedicated to the summer camp experience which, for many children with disabilities, may be the most meaningful experience of their lives. Charlie Becker, Camp Director, Speaks Following graduation from the University of Iowa he taught school in England and in southern Iowa. It was as a teacher – he taught government to high schoolers – that he first took an active role on behalf of special needs students in a school environment. “Kids with disabilities always sat off to the side in phys. Ed. class,” he recalls. “They sat in the bleachers or in their wheelchairs and did nothing. They were bored stiff. I didn’t teach P.E. but I would load those kids into my car and drive them to the local YMCA.” There, he remembers, he’d teach them how to swim. He volunteered for Easter Seals camps that focused on individuals with disabilities – “but I never dreamed then that I would do what I have been doing for the past 30 years: running a year-round camp for children with disabilities. Charlie’s camp, Camp Courageous of Iowa, now serves thousands of kids annually. Its funding, he emphasizes, is derived only from donations, mainly from individuals. “We have no fund raiser, no development group. We do all that we can to spread the word about the camp via word-of-mouth.” Today, while many older camps for children with disabilities nationwide have succumbed to funding pressures, Camp Courageous thrives. “Nearly three decades ago I came to Camp Courageous intending to spend a couple of years here – sort of like the Peace Corps – and then return to teaching. I stayed and in doing so I have been blessed with the most rewarding career anyone can have.” Supporting our interview with Charlie Becker are resources that provide information on a range of summer camp resources. We also feature members of our Knowledge Network. The members spotlighted this month are summer camps across the nation and organizations that support the summer camp experience for children with special needs. We invite you to contact these members for further information. Please share this newsletter with other organizations, families and professionals who may benefit from it. We invite you to visit us at http://www.fctd.info. We welcome feedback, new members and all who contribute to our growing knowledge base.
An Interview with Charlie Becker, Executive Director, Camp Courageous of Iowa
Their Big Vacation of the Year Many of the Camp Courageous campers are mainstreamed, Charlie explains. “Some of the campers do not excel in their regular classes but they come here and suddenly they are climbing rocks and rappelling or tree climbing or caving or canoeing. When they return to a school environment they are a few steps ahead of everyone else as opposed to behind their classmates.” At Camp Courageous campers are grouped homogeneously. “Here’s the benefit of a homogeneous group: If you are a child with muscular dystrophy and live in Monticello, Iowa you are probably the only person in Monticello, Iowa with muscular dystrophy. Then you come here to Camp Courageous and there are 80 other campers with muscular dystrophy.” The result, he says, is that like campers are treated equally in all activities. They also have the opportunity to experience a social setting with campers who are similar to them. “It’s a good mix of recreation with social skills,” he comments. In Charlie’s opinion, special needs campers in a supportive mainstream environment tend to develop more independence. “We try to teach them through adventure activities that either individually or as a group the campers can accomplish anything. The hope here – and one of our goals – is that the campers will depart here with a feeling of much more independence and self-esteem than they possessed when they arrived.” No Competitive Activities; Group Support Is Stressed Almost immediately, he points out, the campers form a group in order to participate in activities. “Take tree climbing. We don’t care if the campers make it to the top of the tree so they can ring the bell and everyone claps. Even if a camper can make it past one or two pegs the entire group claps, cheers and is generally supportive. All that group enthusiasm is keyed by an exceptional counselor who is the linchpin of the positive, supportive group development we strive for.” There are no competitive activities at Camp Courageous. “No, we will not pit one camper against another. Competition will make one camper a winner and one a loser. We favor group activities that result in group accomplishments. For instance, we have a spindle that is six feet off the ground and there are five of us. How are we going to get everyone over that spindle? As a group we have to figure that out. Nobody will be a loser in this situation. Even activities such as archery are not set up to be competitive. Bringing AT to Camp “Before the camper appears at camp the counselors know everything there is to know about him,” Charlie explains. “There is a lot of coordination and collaboration between our departments to make sure that the camper enjoys a wonderful camp experience. In that report are explanations and descriptions of all the apparatuses a camper needs and uses. We review the report with parents when they drop off the camper. If there is anything new regarding assistive technology we talk about it then thoroughly.” “As far as AT is concerned, we pride ourselves and our camp on being technologically savvy. We try to stay on the cutting edge of technology knowledge, including AT. In fact, he adds, “we received a donation of a couple of Wii’s yesterday. Nursing homes rave about them as a rehabilitation tool. Wounded GI’s returning from Iraq use then. We’ll hook them up today and we’ll soon have campers in wheelchairs bowling and doing other virtual activities as well off a big screen TV. A Wii is a virtual activity in which the user can become physically involved on an interactive basis. The user’s movements determine the outcome of the game. “In Wii bowling, even if the camper produces a gutter ball it produces a reaction from the camper,” Charlie notes. In the future, Charlie expects to see a trend toward more use of the Wii and Wii-type technology which, he says, has a definite place in special needs camps. “Technology is coming more and more into play in the camp environment, which is designed to be the opposite of a home and school setting. Here we try to avoid activities that the campers can do at home. We don’t sit and watch movies. We don’t play computer games. We keep the campers active. The tripping program is one of our fastest growing programs. We try to have the campers avoid passive pursuits. From the time they wake up to the time they go to bed they are moving. They eat well and sleep well.” Start the Camp Search Process Now “Our youngest camper was less than a year old and our oldest was 105,” Becker notes. “For many of our campers, their first camp experience was with a school group. We have many school groups that come out to visit us in the spring for a one-, two- or three-day experience. Some will do a respite care weekend. From that they graduate to a week-long session.” Parents need to carefully consider the Camp Courageous program very early on. “We send our yearly schedules two months before January registration. Parents can look over that schedule and see which weeks are best for them and for their child.” As noted earlier, Camp Courageous campers are grouped homogeneously. “One week may consist of campers with brain injury. Another week might consist of campers with muscular dystrophy. Still another might be reserved for campers who are visually impaired. For example, he explains, “If a parent has a child who is 12 years old with muscular dystrophy, the parent will know that the week of July 7-14 is the week for him. The parents should then call in and get him registered as quickly as possible.” Check It Out: First Impressions Are Important
Are the facilities kept up? “I’ve always believed that if you can’t take care of the facilities, how can you take care of people’s loved ones?” Check out the camp activities, he advises, as well as the quality of the camp program, including medical, dietary and maintenance resources, he cautions. How much administration does a camp have? “Is the camp’s organization top heavy with administrators and light on programs?” Staff training is another area of great importance, Becker notes. “Make sure that staff members are qualified,” he advises. “Have staffers gone through CPR/lifesaving and behavioral management, for example?” Parents should make themselves aware of a camp’s staff-to-camper ratio,” he notes. “If you are a parent of a child who is severely and profoundly handicapped, you will want that ratio to be 1:1 rather than 1:5.” What is the range of program activities? Are they age appropriate? “Get a sample of the schedule for the week. See what your son or daughter will doing on any given day.” Do the accommodations fit the needs of a variety of campers? “Can the dietary facilities and staff meet the needs of your child’s special diets?” Consider the safety and security of a camp and the emergency procedures, Charlie points out. “Make sure they are in place. I’m a big believer that a camp’s reputation should be the top consideration. The American Camp Association has an accreditation program which has consistently awarded Camp Courageous its top rating. Make sure the camp is ACA-accredited and check the rating.” What’s most important to him, he says, “is that the staff conveys an impression of 100% dedication. The staffers must love what they are doing and that love must be obvious. That dedication is key to whether or not a special needs camper has an enjoyable camp experience.” Campers Come from All Over “We have parents who will drive from south Texas to Camp Courageous every summer in their Winnebago, leave their child with us and vacation around the Midwest before returning to retrieve their camper at the end of his session.” He adds, “One of the major benefits we gain from not being under the umbrella of another organization is that we have the freedom to attract campers from varied regions.” While Camp Courageous, like many other special needs camps, also maintains programs for adults, children form the bulk of its camper population. The age range for Camp Courageous non-adult campers extends from infancy to age 18-21. Unsteady Growth in Special Needs Camps “At Camp Courageous, where I’ve spent nearly my entire career, I’ve seen steady growth. In 1974 we served 211 campers, this year we’ll serve 5,176 campers in a year-round program.” With other camps, however, growth has not been steady, he observes. “I’ve seen perhaps 50% of the camps close and a large percentage of those that have remained open have had to struggle to stay in operation, with the balance experiencing some growth.” Charlie says that there have been opportunities to start camps like Camp Courageous from Florida to California. “We could have been the Wal-Mart of camps for kids with disabilities but we chose instead not to fill that role. We’ve assisted many camps with their programs to help them grow. Programs have evolved during his 30-year tenure. “At Camp Courageous we have a travel program in which we take campers who have come to us for years on trips throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.” The camp will try to grow the travel program further during the winter sessions, he says. “For instance, we have a week-long winter session for campers with severe and profound disabilities. Trouble is, we have two feet of snow on the ground and the thermometer quivering at zero. Not everybody wants to participate in camp in those conditions. However, if the summer is booked, if you as a parent don’t have a choice, you’ll take winter over nothing at all. We figured that if we arranged “tripping” programs to warmer areas we could bring in all the campers who want the Camp Courageous experience.” Planting Seeds to Grow Funding How does he attract donations? “My philosophy is that if a camp does a good job at achieving its objectives the donations will come naturally. We plant a lot of seeds. I give many programs. Aside from those programs, news of our camp circulates via word of mouth.” Camp Courageous receives donations from service organizations like Lions Clubs and churches. “We keep everything wide open so that we can solicit almost any type of institution.” However, most of the camp’s donations, he explains, come from individuals. “Camp Courageous is extremely grass roots. You can touch it, feel it and be a part of it. A donor who contributes $5 can see where that $5 goes. It’s never just a drop in the bucket. Everybody who donates to the camp, whether the donation is earmarked for arts and crafts or magazines, or a donation of an hour of time, gets a personally signed thank you note from us. I always try to add a personal note telling the individual donor how much I appreciate their contribution.” “Integrity Is Everything” When he first started at the camp, and for our first 10 years or so, he recalls, “I went to the county landfill to sift through people’s trash in order to find items that the camp might be able to use, like bicycle parts and 2 X 4’s. We had a volunteer maintenance person who helped us take advantage of what we found and what we had and to get things done.” The Goal: “The Experience of My Life” One incident in his 30 years stands out as an example of how profound the camp experience can be. “I remember when we had a week in which all the campers were physically disabled. Mentally they were fine. The president of the U.S. at that time was Ronald Reagan. Reagan was scheduled to come to the Cedar Rapids airport. I arranged to reserve a place for our campers in a roped off area at the airport close to where the president was going to be. Some of our campers were physically in unique situations. One was on a gurney.” At breakfast he broached the possibility of the airport visit with his campers, most of whom were teenagers. “I explained to them the opportunity that we had to see this very important man. I didn’t perceive the opportunity as political. I saw it as a chance for our campers to get close exposure to the president of the U.S. I taught government before I came to Camp Courageous so I presented it as a civics lesson. I told them, ‘This is the opportunity of a lifetime. Do you want to go or don’t you? If you want to go we have camp buses that will bring you there. If you don’t want to go it’s OK; we’ll do something else.’” The campers voted unanimously to go to see President Reagan. “We brought them all to the airport. A photo was taken of the two counselors lifting the young lady in the gurney out of it so that she could see the president. Other photos were taken of counselors lifting campers out of their wheelchairs. Twenty years later those campers still tell me that that visit to the airport was the most profound event of their lives.” “We had a camper here this past fall who had muscular dystrophy and passed away. The parents wrote to let us know and all of our staff attended his funeral. His parents emphasized to me that the highlight of his year, every year, was his session at Camp Courageous. We all had tears in our eyes. Sometimes we are so into what we do that at times we can forget for a moment how important this camp is to the campers.” A Jump Start for School; Counselors Are Key “This week at camp the campers all have severe or profound disabilities. The camper-to-staff ratio is 1:2. In this kind of week we will develop a schedule for the campers because the campers are not capable of doing that on their own. If the campers are higher functioning we give them the opportunity on Sunday night to pick their activities for the week. We want to make sure that the camper who loves the canoe, for instance, gets an opportunity to be in that canoe a couple of times during the week.” Counselors, Becker says, are the backbone of all the camp’s recreation and social activities and the driving force behind the profound summer experience and the school jump start for which Camp Courageous strives. Recruiting and retaining the right counselors is an ongoing challenge, one that the camp has successfully met through the years. Because Camp Courageous operates year-round “we send out notices in August to camps with disabilities nationwide that only run summer programs informing their staffers that we are open all year if they want to remain employed in a camp environment. That works well for us.” Nearly 100% of Camp Courageous counselors go on to careers in the special needs field. “We kid special education programs and group homes that we do all the training and they get all the people. We don’t have many counselors beyond age 30 because they become special ed teachers and work in group homes and in rehabilitation programs. We have found that a reference from us is very beneficial to our counselors when they move on in their careers. Other employers recognize that they will probably have encountered every possible scenario during their time with us as counselors. We are a great steppingstone for young people and we take great pride in that.” In fact, he says, “I received a letter from a parent a few weeks ago. Her daughter had come to us uncertain about what she wanted to do with her future. But after her time with us she chose a career in the disabilities field. Her parent thanked us for giving this young lady the direction in life that she had been lacking.” No Compromise on Counselor Quality Camp Courageous uses no external trainers or training programs. During that week, Charlie explains, the entire staff will become certified in CPR, defibrillation and first aid as well as in other skills. “It’s a week of total immersion in training. Because we do not experience much staff turnover year to year, many of our older staff members train the incoming staff. For instance, when a new summer counselor arrives for her first summer with us she is never alone; she is always with an older counselor.” Although the camp uses no external trainers it does send staff away to earn additional certification. “We sent our respite care volunteer coordinator off to earn her therapeutic recreation degree so that she could be a supervisor for TR students coming here to do internships. One of our maintenance people is going for a degree in heating, ventilation and air conditioning. A member of our dietary staff is earning a degree in dietary and chef.” For the year-round staff there are opportunities to obtain further education. “Nursing is difficult to find throughout the camping field, especially a three-month summer camp. Nurses are not leaving hospitals to find a three-month job. We had an exceptionally good counselor from Maine with a science background. We asked her if she would be interested in nursing. We sent her to the University of Iowa where she earned her Masters in nursing. She’s contracted with us to be our nurse for the next five years. She loves nursing and the camping environment. We have nursing available every moment that a camper is here.” In a group of maybe five high functioning campers, Becker adds, there might be three counselors: one or two veteran counselors and one new one. “We never leave new staff to fend for themselves. Even after orientation we remain ever watchful. The entire process for us is organic, which helps us maintain a very high level of quality control.” Significantly, he adds, the administration roster of Camp Courageous has grown only by one person since the camp was founded: an IT professional. “Our IT expert will spend half time in administration and half time programming. He has a son with Angelman syndrome. His background as a parent of a severely and profoundly disabled child and as an IT professional enables us to stay on top of technology issues, knowledge and deployment as applied to a camping situation. Camp Courageous volunteers can be any age, Becker says. “Counselors ideally are 18 years old and above. We have retired couples here who volunteer their services in, say, maintenance and dietary. We have a lot of retired couples who do that. Our average program specialist is about 25 years old. Our average department head is about 50. Our average year-round non-counselor staff is in their 30s and 40s – but they all look like teenagers. You need that youthful personality in order to remain excited and invigorated about each day, because that’s the image that is given to the campers.” Aides in Camp “When an aide arrives with a camper we immediately check with his agency to make certain the correct background checks have been made. Aides are bound to a senior counselor. We have an ironclad policy that prohibits a counselor from being alone with a camper. If a camper needs to go to the bathroom, for example, two counselors will take him and one counselor will remain with the other two or three campers. Aides are a great asset because no one knows a camper better than they do. Sometimes – but very rarely – a parent will come with the camper and stay. “Like the aides, the parent will plug right in. Having a parent here can defeat part of the purpose of the camp, which provides parents with a break from the day-to-day care of their child.” “You Can’t Beat That” “When we’re in our 30s and 40s we begin to look back at our lives and ask ourselves, ‘Have I wasted the prime of my life doing something that had no value?’ I can look back and say, ‘I have given the prime of my life to Camp Courageous and that is a very good thing.’” Does he miss teaching? “Sure, I miss it. Fortunately, though, I’m still invited to high school reunions by the kids I taught in high school who are now approaching middle age. For me, Camp Courageous combines the best part of teaching and volunteerism. You can’t beat that.” March Online Discussion Designing a Performance Technology Toolkit Moderated by David Davis, We’ve long understood that individualization of instruction makes for better education. Teachers only have so much time, however, and when a range of technology tools are added to the mix of their regular curriculum materials, customization of those tools may be too much to expect. Where to look for help? Perhaps to the students themselves. We will explore methods for promoting student self-customization of technology tools. We’ll discuss a range of important questions, including the sometimes conflicting technology standards set for students by adults and peers. To participatein the month-long discussion, visit RESOURCES ARTICLES
Addressing parents, the author concludes, “You know which accommodations in your household and at school help your child succeed, so address these with the camp director. By keeping your child’s strengths, needs, and interests in mind throughout your camp search, you’ll be able to choose a summer camp that addresses your concerns and is fun for your child.” Selecting a Summer Camp for a Child with Learning or Attention Problems Choosing the Right Summer Camp Pros Cons She recommends that parents ask the following questions:
http://specialchildren.about.com/od/specialneedssummercamps/a/choosecamp.htm Mentors at Work: Summer Camps Help Kids with Disabilities Push the Envelope
http://learningdisabilities.about.com/od/socialskills/bb/chooseacamp.htm GUIDES SUMMER PROGRAMS WEBSITES Kids Camps.Com MySummerCamps.com Therapy/Respite Camps for Kids VIDEOS Beyond Summer: Conducting Internet Activities at Camp KNOWLEDGE NETWORK MEMBERS Camp Courageous of Iowa American Camp Association (ACA) For more information on ACA, contact: National Camp Association, Inc. (NCA) Aspen Education Group (AEG) The National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD) Camp Horizons The League for People with Disabilities: Summer Camp Programs
For more information on The League and its camping programs, contact: Camp Arrowhead and Lion’s Pride Camp Located on Merrymaking Lake near North Durham in eastern New Hampshire and fully accessible, Camp Pride features a main pavilion, eight large bunk houses, an arts and crafts building, and a health center. Swimming, fishing and canoeing are available. Each camper is paired with a middle school or high school aged volunteer for the week. Two fulltime nurses and a paramedic are on duty. Maple Leaf Clinic On any given day Maple Leaf campers will participate in:
For additional information on this camp, contact: Camp Aldersgate Summer medical camps serve children with disabilities, developmental delays and a range of medical conditions including cardiac conditions, muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, cerebral palsy, arthritis, cancer, epilepsy, asthma, kidney disorders and diabetes. Camp Aldersgate provides the site, the staff, the program design and funding. The program works in partnership with local health agencies who recruit the campers, provide training, and partial funding. It also works with the organization, Med Camps of Arkansas, Inc., which provides volunteer physicians and partial funding. Since 1971 this partnership has provided camping to more than 8,000 campers. A typical week of camp includes an adapted ropes challenge course, archery, arts and crafts, fishing, horseback riding, canoeing/boating, swimming, and for the older campers, an introduction to SCUBA diving. Respite care camps, funded in part by the Arkansas Department of Human Services and United Way, complement year-round weekend programs. Kota camps are a program for campers with disabilities, their siblings and friends. These camps are named for the Quapaw Native American word for “friend.” Campers with disabilities participate with siblings and friends in a summer week of camp or special weekend camps held throughout the year. Activities are the same as offered in the summer camps, but in addition, this program provides disability awareness and a better understanding of those with special needs. For more information about Camp Aldersgate programs, contact: Quest’s Camp Thunderbird Located northwest of Orlando on the grounds of the Wekiva Springs State Park, Camp Thunderbird’s 19-acre setting features:
The camp, which is accredited by the American Camp Association, provides certified lifeguards, nutritional meals, on-site infirmary, 24-hour nursing supervision and a 4:1 camper to staff ratio. Quest’s Camp Thunderbird Tourette Syndrome Camp USA TS Camp USA is held at YMCA Camp Duncan located 30 miles north of Chicago. The camp is home to other special needs such as burn and diabetic camp. The facility features an Olympic size indoor swimming pool and a semi-private lake. For further information on the camp, contact: Wisconsin Lions Camp Each Wisconsin Lions Camp attendee must be a resident of the state or be attending school in Wisconsin. All campers must independent in self-care skills. Campers must also be able to be socially and behaviorally managed by a 1:6 staff-to-camper ratio. For further information on this camp, contact: Camp Rising Sun For more information, contact: Camp Lotsafun Activities include swimming, kayaking, archery, hiking, teamwork, pet therapy, outdoor games, drama, music, ropes challenge course, arts and crafts and campfire. Additional activities, which are scheduled at each session, and vary depending on availability, include: AT&T Hot Air Balloon, Care Flight, and the Tahoe Douglas Fire Department. For additional information on this camp, contact: Sun Valley Adaptive Sports (SVAS) PACK (Peak Adventure Camp for Kids), a summer program providing recreational activities to local children, teens and adults with disabilities via three summer day camps. Local professionals offer time and instruction in pottery, martial arts, tennis, swimming, biking, and rafting. Program activities are aimed at increasing participants’ gross and fine motor skills. PACK runs five days a week, eight hours daily, for 10 weeks. Get Out and Go, a year-round program for local teens and adults with physical or developmental disabilities, is aimed at enhancing campers’ physical and social skills. Activities include skiing, nature walks, bowling, walking Animal Shelter dogs, movies, theater performances, theme dinners, gallery walks and game nights. For more information on SVAS, contact: Summit Camp & Travel
For additional information on this camp, contact: Achievement Centers for Children ACC offers residential/weekend, day camp and therapeutic riding programs. They aim to provide outdoor summer experiences which encourage children to develop their confidence, independence, and self-esteem. Their programs encourage inclusion by inviting children with and without disabilities to join in the fun.
For more information, contact: Project Director: Jacqueline Hess |
The change is often dramatic and complete. From Phys. Ed. class wallflowers from August through May, kids with disabilities in summer camp morph into full-throttle dynamos, hurtling from one organized activity to the next in an environment that is safe, social and supportive. Fueled by good food, fresh air, high activity and companionship, kids in summer camp sleep the sleep of the satisfied, the day’s challenges met, new friends made and another day just ahead. For parents and other caregivers, however, the trick is to find that most appropriate camp, one that in addition to offering the best environment for recreation and socialization also has staff that are knowledgeable about campers’ assistive technology -- and register early enough so that a place for their child is ensured and a respite for parents can be planned.
“For one week a year, in summer or winter, parents of children with disabilities entrust us with their child. Our responsibility to those parents and to that child is to give them an exceptional camp experience, hopefully the experience of a lifetime.” That is Charlie Becker’s credo. Everything at his camp, Camp Courageous of Iowa, is structured around that premise and that promise.
Many of the kids with communications difficulties bring their own assistive technology to camp with them, a trend that does not faze Becker or his staff members. Prior to each camp session, counselors are given a folder for each camper for whom they are responsible.
“First impressions are important,” he remarks. “Does it appear that the staff members really love their jobs? In other words, when you arrive is your first impression of the staff, ‘Wow, they’re really enjoying being here!’”
Becker’s goal for each camper is ambitious. “I love it when a camper leaves us and tells me, ‘This has been the best experience of my life.’ That may be selfish on my part but it is so rewarding for me and for my staff to hear. To offer something to campers with special needs that proves to be so profound to these campers means everything to us. That experience may be the camp session they just experienced. It may be a trip to the Grand Canyon or another destination. So many campers return from a trip program and tell us how important that one trip has been to them. Because it is unbelievably moving to them it is also unbelievably moving to us.”
Staff quality, he reemphasizes, “is the number one priority for us. We won’t compromise on a staff person. We want only the very best and then treat them in a way that ensures they will stay with us for the longest possible period of time. For example, if we recruit 10 more staff than last year then we will increase the camper population to match those hires. It’s a win-win situation for us.”
In the future, Charlie Becker will not lose sight of the road he has traveled from the past to the present. “Before I came to Camp Courageous 30 years ago I never dreamed I’d run such a camp. The campers and their families hook you, however, and pull you in – and you realize that there is nothing in life that you would rather do.
Founded nearly 20 years ago, Camp Courageous is a year-round recreation and respite care camp for children and adults with disabilities. Sessions last one week and are separated by disability in order to give children exposure to those with like disabilities. Camp programs emphasize physical activity and group support. There are no competitive activities. All activities are based on the “Challenge by Choice” concept in which no camper is forced to participate in or fully complete any activity. Instead, campers choose the amount of challenge that they want to experience in the activity of their choosing. Campers set their own goals and staff members help to achieve them. A year-round travel camp is also available. For more information contact:
With 7,000 members nationwide, ACA is a leading accrediting entity for U.S. camps with more than 2,400 meeting up to 300 standards for health, safety and program quality. ACA works closely with other youth-serving organizations and associations.
Established in 1983, NCA provides free referral services for parents seeking a summer camp experience for their child with disabilities. All NCA-referred camps are fully accredited programs that have met strict standards for health, safety and quality programming. All accredited facilities have been evaluated by NCA staff. For further information on NCA, contact:
AEG provides education programs for struggling or underachieving youth. With a comprehensive network of therapeutic schools and programs, AEG aims to match professionals and families with the most appropriate setting. Services range from short-term intervention programs to residential treatment and include special needs summer camps and wilderness therapy. Financial assistance is available. For additional information, contact AEG by phone:
This organization is a physical activity information center for families of children with disabilities. The NCPAD website offers an article entitled “Can Disability, Chronic Conditions, Heath and Wellness Co-Exist?” which aims to refute the notion that health and disabilities are at opposite ends of a continuum. The site also provides directories of organizations and programs, including summer camps for children with special needs, which promote physical activity. For more information on NCPAD, contact:
Located on a wooded site near Lake Probus in South Windham, CT, Camp Horizons’ facilities include a program center, a media center, fitness center, hobby center and trading post, plus a dining hall, kitchen, infirmary, laundry and a recreation hall that houses a full basketball court, stage and game room. Campers ride horses and participate in arts and crafts, woodworking and pottery. A waterfront with a sandy beach, docks and boats accommodates water sports. Other amenities include a swimming pool, lighted outdoor tennis courts, miniature golf course, basketball court, playing fields and many cabins to house campers and staff. A 5:1 camper-counselor ratio, plus program instructors and staff, facilitates individualized attention to camper’s special needs, including maintenance of academic skills, socialization, personal hygiene, independence, and development of leisure time skills. Campers attend three programs in the morning and four in the afternoon. Evening activities include campfires, dances, movies, field games and music. For further information on this camp, contact:
Founded 78 years ago, The League provides vocational, rehabilitative educational, medical, wellness and social services, including a year-round camping and therapeutic recreation program, to 1,800 individuals in the Baltimore, MD area with multiple, physical, cognitive and neurological disabilities. 
Nearly 50 years old, Camp Arrowhead is located 335 acres along the shores of Lake Cochituate near Natick and Framingham, MA and provides social and physical recreation for children from age five with and without disabilities. The program is sponsored by the Natick Recreation and Parks Department with the Parents Association of the Handicapped, Inc. The day camp portion runs for six weeks at the Amputee Veteran’s Center from the end of June through the first week in August, while the residential portion entails a six day/five night trip to Lion’s Camp Pride in New Durham, NH, scheduled two weeks after the end of day camp.
This camp focuses on social and learning/relaxation skills development for children and adolescents diagnosed with non-verbal learning disabilities, Asperger’s syndrome, high functioning autism and Pervasive Development Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS). Camp Maple Leaf offers opportunities for campers to expand their social skills, learn new leisure activities and take social risks. This environment is fostered by trained peer counselors and highly qualified staff.
Camp Aldersgate offers summer medical camps, respite camps and camps for children with disabilities.
Camp Thunderbird serves campers of all ages with developmental disabilities. Thunderbird campers participate in activities such as camping, fishing, swimming canoeing, arts and crafts, sports and games, evening socials and nature study. Camp Thunderbird also provides day camp and six and 12-day overnight respite programs.
Sponsored and operated by Lions Club International, the camp, free to all who qualify, serves Wisconsin children with mild cognitive disabilities and diabetes and those who are deaf and hard of hearing or blind or visually impaired. Each summer camp week features nature hikes, campfires, games and skill building activities. Other activities include swimming, canoeing, sailing, paddle boating, inner tubing, kayaking, rowing, fishing, archery, crafts, nature programs, overnight camping and cookouts, hiking trips and challenge courses.
Held in the mountains Held in the mountains east of Albuquerque, NM, Camp Rising Sun annually focuses on the needs of 30 children ages 8-13. Twenty of the campers will have autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Ten of the students will be siblings, cousins and close friends of those 20 campers and will serve as peer models. Activities include swimming, hiking, sports, arts and crafts, games horseback riding, music, drama, campfires, hayrides, a ropes course and friendship building activities. The staff-to-camper ratio is 1:1.
Located in northern Nevada, the camp annually provides recreational, therapeutic and educational opportunities for about 600 children and teens ages 5-22, plus respite care for their families. Sixty percent of Camp Lotsafun participants have autism; the other 40% are children with Down syndrome, ADHD, bi-polar disorder, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injuries and other disabilities. In addition, many of the participants have a secondary diagnosis such as OCD, oppositional defiant disorder, sensory integration disorder, and/or post traumatic distress syndrome. The camp explains that these disorders may negatively affect children’s ability to control impulses, interact and communicate appropriately with peers, identify social cues and maintain personal care and hygiene.
A non-profit organization located in Ketchum, ID, SVAS is a chapter of Disabled Sports USA, a network that has enabled SVAS to collaborate with 80 of the top U.S. adaptive sports organizations in creating programs that produce measurable outcomes for children with disabilities, injured war veterans and others. SVAS winter and summer children’s programs encompass youth of all ages with a range of disabilities. SVAS programs include:
Located near Honesdale, PA, Summit Camp focuses on boys and girls ages 7-17 with attention related disabilities, including ADD, verbal or non-verbal learning disabilities, mild social or emotional issues, Asperger’s syndrome, Tourette syndrome, OCD and mild mood issues. The camp also works with older children ages 15-19 with similar issues. Activities include water sports, sports and athletics, creative and computer arts, Discovery Centers, a teen program, mini camps and travel. Campers age 16 and over travel to San Diego, Hawaii and Virginia. On-site camp facilities consist of:Academy for Educational Development (AED) 1825 Connecticut Avenue, NW 7th Floor Washington, DC 20009-5721
phone: (202) 884-8068 fax: (202) 884-8441 email: fctd@aed.org
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