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last recommendati<strong>on</strong> would be to provide<br />
c<strong>on</strong>structive feedback at each daily reminder<br />
sessi<strong>on</strong> to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> campers without disabilities<br />
about <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir interacti<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> previous camp<br />
day.<br />
Limitati<strong>on</strong>s<br />
There were several factors both foreseen <strong>and</strong><br />
unforeseen that produced limitati<strong>on</strong>s to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
results of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> STAR interventi<strong>on</strong>. As is often<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> case with inclusive recreati<strong>on</strong> programs,<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re were very few participants with disabilities<br />
at each camp site. For this study <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re<br />
were <strong>on</strong>ly <strong>on</strong>e or two campers with disabilities<br />
who had permissi<strong>on</strong> to participate in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> study<br />
at each camp site <strong>and</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se campers had mild<br />
disabilities that were not apparent to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r<br />
campers. It is unclear if <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> results of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> study<br />
would have been different if <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> campers with<br />
disabilities had impairments easily recognizable<br />
to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r campers (e.g., a child in a<br />
wheelchair).<br />
An additi<strong>on</strong>al limitati<strong>on</strong> to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> research<br />
comes as a result of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> design of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> interventi<strong>on</strong><br />
itself. During <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> baseline c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>,<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> campers with <strong>and</strong> without disabilities were<br />
seated away from each o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r, essentially eliminating<br />
any opportunity for interacti<strong>on</strong> between<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> two. During <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> interventi<strong>on</strong> observati<strong>on</strong>s,<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> campers with <strong>and</strong> without<br />
disabilities were seated next to each o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r.<br />
Simply placing <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> campers next to each o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r<br />
may have increased <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> incidence of interacti<strong>on</strong><br />
between <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>m. The campers without disabilities<br />
were always free to move during <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
interventi<strong>on</strong>; however, most stayed in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> seat<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y were asked to sit in. Had <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> participant<br />
pool been larger, it may have been possible to<br />
take baseline data <strong>and</strong> complete <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> interventi<strong>on</strong><br />
with a camper who was initially sitting<br />
next to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> camper with a disability.<br />
Future Directi<strong>on</strong>s<br />
The positive results of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> STAR interventi<strong>on</strong><br />
have far-reaching directi<strong>on</strong>s for future research.<br />
It is important to replicate across different<br />
variables so <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> STAR interventi<strong>on</strong> may<br />
be used by a variety of recreati<strong>on</strong> programs in<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> future. It is also important to replicate <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
procedures using campers with a variety of<br />
disabilities <strong>and</strong> a range of severity. This should<br />
include campers with physical, emoti<strong>on</strong>al, <strong>and</strong><br />
cognitive disabilities. Procedures should be<br />
replicated using different recreati<strong>on</strong> settings<br />
<strong>and</strong> activities, such as team sports, games,<br />
swimming, <strong>and</strong> dance. A final factor to c<strong>on</strong>sider<br />
for future research is <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> age <strong>and</strong> gender<br />
similarities of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> pair of campers. Gender<br />
<strong>and</strong> age differences in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> dyads may have<br />
affected <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> results of this investigati<strong>on</strong>, but<br />
future replicati<strong>on</strong>s with pairs of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> same gender<br />
or age versus pairs of differing gender <strong>and</strong><br />
age will give fur<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r insight into facilitating<br />
interacti<strong>on</strong>s in camp settings. Future studies<br />
could also explore different interventi<strong>on</strong>s<br />
based <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> age of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> child, such as <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> use<br />
of pictures for younger children versus abstract<br />
presentati<strong>on</strong>s for older children. Future<br />
research will streng<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>n <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> effectiveness of<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> STAR interventi<strong>on</strong> <strong>and</strong> will exp<strong>and</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
opportunity for many recreati<strong>on</strong> programs to<br />
use this method to increase friendships<br />
am<strong>on</strong>g campers with <strong>and</strong> without disabilities.<br />
References<br />
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