Summer camps in the United States operate in different contexts and formats to attract and serve youth with varying backgrounds. Overall, they currently serve more White, able-bodied, middle- to upper-class youth than youth of color, LGBTQ+ youth, youth with differing physical abilities, and other diverse identities (American Camp Association,…

Communication deficits are one of the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As such, individuals diagnosed with ASD are often taught to communicate using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems. One of the most commonly used AAC systems is the Picture Exchange Communication System® (PECS®). Despite the prevalent use of…

As an increasing number of Jewish summer camps welcome campers with disabilities, it becomes more important to understand the experience of these campers and that of their neurotypical peers. In this study, campers with disabilities and neurotypical campers participated together in a photography activity. Photographs and their accompanying…

The summer activities and summer learning of exceptional students--students who have an individualized education plan or who are English-language learners--are potentially important yet understudied. We analyze nationally representative survey data to fill this gap. Exceptional students are significantly less likely than their mainstream…

Summer camp can be a setting for positive youth development, yet more understanding is needed about how camps measure youth development outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp--a medical specialty camp-- using the American Camp Association's Youth Outcomes Battery (YOB) over six years.…

This qualitative study was designed to understand parents' perceptions of their children's participation in an inclusive surf therapy programme in the United States. Ten parents and one caregiver were interviewed about theirs and their children's experience in the surf programme. Parent discussions centred on the child, parent/caregiver,…

As appreciation of the impact of Jewish camping has grown, so have efforts to increase the number of campers able to participate in these settings. Inclusion of campers with disabilities, though not a new phenomenon, has likewise expanded. As more services are provided to campers with disabilities, more camps are hiring an Inclusion Coordinator to…

Preparing competent staff is a critical issue within the camp community. This quasi-experimental study examined the effectiveness of an online course for improving staff competency in camp healthcare practices among college-aged camp staff and a comparison group (N = 55). We hypothesized that working in camp would increase competency test scores…

University students who experience real-world service tend to develop a more inclusive world view and enhanced understandings outside of their personal perspectives. This project combined course objectives, community collaboration, and service provision to identify the impact of students' understanding of social justice and disability access…

Baglieri and Shapiro (2012) argue that considering attitudes toward disability is an important step toward building a more inclusive society. This study examines attitudes toward disability of staff members of vocational and independent living skills programs for young adults with disabilities in four Jewish summer camps. McDermott and Varenne's…

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of students with disabilities seeking postsecondary education. The complexity of needs is also increasing, resulting in more students withdrawing from college or taking leaves of absence in their first year. In 2012, the Student Academic Support Services office (SASS) at McDaniel…

Contemporary models highlight the need to cultivate cognitive and psychosocial factors in developing domain-specific talent. This model was the basis for the current study where high ability youth with self-reported social difficulties (n = 28, 12 with a coexisting disability) participated in a social skills and talent development intervention…

The authors modeled programwide positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) principles to 26 preservice teachers during consolidated yearly extended school year (ESY) services delivered to elementary students from four school districts. While PBIS were in place for preservice teachers to implement with students, a similar system was…

Teacher praise is one of the most important elements of teaching and learning. Behavioral consultation with and without performance has been shown to be an effective method for increasing instructional praise. The authors used an ABCBC design to investigate the effects of an interdependent group oriented contingency (GC) and the GC plus…

New special education teachers often struggle to teach children the mathematics vocabulary necessary to understand and effectively solve math word problems. The authors designed and implemented a pilot program to prepare pre-service teachers majoring in special education to implement the Camelot Learning Math Intervention Program (CLMIP). We met…