The sports or recreational infrastructure of schools for pupils with disability

By preparing the space within an educational institution for a quantitatively significant group of pupils with special needs, we prevent exclusion by enabling environmental integration. That policy of public space management is consistent with the World Health Organization's (UN WHO) "World Action Program for People with Disabilities", the European Union's document "Accessibility: principles and lines directives", as well as with Polish law. The aim of this study was to analyse the adaptation of school sports and recreational infrastructure to the needs of students with different types of disabilities. The study was carried out as a part of the research project DS-300 at the University of Physical Education in Warsaw. According to the premises of the pilot study, the analysis of the available source materials, participant- and open nonparticipant observation together with photographic documentation were applied. Structured interviews with the employees of primary schools with integrated classes in the selected districts of Warsaw (Bielany and Żoliborz) were conducted. A questions layout was used as a research tool for closed-ended structured interview. Adapting school facilities to the needs of students with disabilities (with mobility dysfunctions, visually impaired or with other special needs) is an extremely complex issue due to the variety of disorders. Therefore, the principle that should be applied to the design of education facilities (all levels) needs to be universal design, taking into account their functional availability, including sports and recreational infrastructure for all groups of students, with the message: "designing for the disabled - we design for everyone". It should be emphasized that there is no single, universal and ideal model of integration, or school sports team "without barriers", therefore the problem of functional and curricula concept is still open, and professional search and discussions should be constantly conducted - both practical and theoretical.