The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in several areas, including employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications and access to state and local government’ programs and services.

Nearly 20% of all children and adolescents have a chronic condition or disability (National Center on Physical Activity and Disability), and the levels of participation in recreational or school sport, and physical activity programs are much lower than their non-disabled counterparts.

Unfortunately, children and youth with special needs are often overlooked or systematically excluded when school physical activities are planned and implemented. Usually, this is not due to intentional efforts to exclude or ignore. This exclusion, which significantly limits the experiences of these children, is more likely due to the lack of understanding of the abilities of the student(s) or/and fear of potential injury related to the limitations of various conditions suffered by students with disabilities.

The benefits of physical activity participation for students with special needs are the same as for other students. They include:

• Improved physical fitness
• Reduction of disease risk
• Skill development
• Socialization

• Social-emotional well-being
• Greater confidence
• Decreased body fat
• Greater attention

In addition, specific benefits to students with special needs may include:

• Controlling the progress of chronic disease
• Managing functional decline
• Mediating the psychological and social impact of disability
• Increasing independence
• Facilitating life skill competencies
• Improving overall inclusion in family/community life
• Enhancing socialization

Boyd County 4-H began clubs with special needs students in fall 2011.  Each month, classes came to the Boyd County Extension office for hands on educational lessons.  The program has grown tremendously throughout the years with teachers inquiring for more and more opportunities for their students.  Due to the demand for more community inclusion, a Special 4-H Farm and Field Day was planned by the Boyd County 4-H adult council, teen council, agent, staff, volunteers, Photo Buds club and schools.

The Special 4-H Farm and Field day consisted of seven educational stations:  corn information and shucking; pumpkin in a bag making and tasting; class photo; pumpkin make and take craft; milk tasting and milking of Frannie the 4-H Cow;  a petting zoo of local farm animals; and last but not least a good old fashion hay ride.   There were 97 special needs students in attendance with 49 volunteers.  Those volunteers included some from the Boyd County 4-H Teen Council members, Boyd County Homemakers, Boyd County Agriculture Council members, parents, and Photo Bud club members to document the day with pictures.

Teachers were given a survey for their students and asked to email the results to the Boyd County 4-H Youth Development agent.  Results proved that 100% of the students attending experienced two or more new activities; 97% tasted a milk they had never tried before; 95% experienced a hay ride for the first time; 70% of the attendees achieved progress in a specific goal contained in his/her Individual Education Plan.

Including children with disabilities in academic as well as extracurricular and nonacademic activities has been at the heart of special education since its inception in 1976 and since the passage of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.   Participation in cultural programs and curricular activities is a source of inspiration and development of self-confidence.   The Special 4-H Farm and Field Day proved to be a positive experience for its members.