no106-109

[109] Issues in Creating Inclusive Play Environment for Children with Special Needs

- A Study based on a Survey of Parents in Miyagi Prefecture

○Momoka Hirai¹, Ai Miyamoto², Maya Nishikori³, Nobuyuki Arai³ (1. Tohoku Univ., 2. Certified NPO Tsunagari Design Center, 3. Tohoku Institute of Technology)

Keywords:inclusive play environment, children with special needs, parent and child, outing, outing destinations

This study aimed to understand the awareness of going out through a survey of parents of children with special needs and clarify the issues in creating an inclusive play environment. Through the analysis by age groups and types of disabilities, the following insights were gained:
(1) In older age groups, the gap between the age and their actual behavior had a negative effect on their decision on going out.,(2) in all ages, the difficulty in hands-on play affected the selection of outing destinations, (3) experiences of going out were expected to be important opportunities for parents’ refreshment as well, and (4) negative experiences were observed in all ages, but their tendency differed by age groups and types of disabilities.