JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Participation of children with disabilities in leisure activities is a key determinant of their physical and mental health. The COVID-19 pandemic has limited participation in leisure activities for all children, but in particular, for children with disabilities. As a result, children with disabilities may be less active while feeling more isolated and stressed. Online communities and activities are taking on growing importance. Understanding how online activities include or exclude children with disabilities can contribute to developing inclusive communities that may support participation post-pandemic.

Objective:

The objective of this project was to identify attributes that enable participation in online leisure activities that are inclusive for children with disabilities.

Methods:

We adopted a qualitative descriptive interpretative methodology and conducted interviews with two groups of participants: 1. service providers offering inclusive online leisure activities, 2. parents of children with disabilities who have engaged in online leisure activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. A semi-structured interview format facilitated the dialogue between researcher and participant to collect open-ended qualitative data. The questions focused on the description of the online activities offered by the service provider (age range, frequency, cost, target population, type of activity offered) and any adaptations to make the online activity accessible to children and youth with disabilities.

Results:

Fifteen interviews were conducted. The features that could prevent or facilitate children’s participation in online activities were categorized based on characteristics of the activities, children and their families, and organizations. Activities that had flexible schedules, both recorded and live options for joining, and required less attention from the caregivers were felt to be more inclusive. Activity facilitators who were trained and familiar with the online environment and knew the specific characteristics of the child facilitated participation. Engagement of community champions and parents in the program was perceived as beneficial. Access to technology resources and caregivers able to facilitate child engagement were crucial factors that need to be considered when offering online programs.

Conclusions:

This study identifies important characteristics of inclusive online activities and offers suggestions to make these activities more inclusive. Lack of awareness is a main barrier to engage children with disabilities in online leisure. Stakeholder involvement is a main facilitator for developing inclusive online activities. Finally, small groups of participants and short program duration can facilitate meaningful engagement in these activities.