Integration in integrated sports can engender a lot of benefits for individuals with intellectual disability, their parents and non-disabled athletes. However, many barriers need to be removed before such benefits can be more widely realized.

PurposeCommunity-based rehabilitation (CBR) must prove that it is making a significant difference for people with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries. Yet, evaluation is not a common practice and the evidence for its effectiveness is fragmented and largely insufficient. The objective of this article was to review the literature on best practices in program evaluation in CBR in relation to the evaluative process, the frameworks, and the methods of data collection.MethodA systematic search was conducted on five rehabilitation databases and the World Health Organization website with keywords associated with CBR and program evaluation. Two independent researchers selected the articles.ResultsTwenty-two documents were included. The results suggest that (1) the evaluative process needs to be conducted in close collaboration with the local community, including people with disabilities, and to be followed by sharing the findings and taking actions, (2) many frameworks have been proposed to evaluate CBR but no agreement has been reached, and (3) qualitative methodologies have dominated the scene in CBR so far, but their combination with quantitative methods has a lot of potential to better capture the effectiveness of this strategy.ConclusionsIn order to facilitate and improve evaluations in CBR, there is an urgent need to agree on a common framework, such as the CBR matrix, and to develop best practice guidelines based on the literature available and consensus among a group of experts. These will need to demonstrate a good balance between community development and standards for effective evaluations.Implications for RehabilitationIn the quest for evidence of the effectiveness of community-based rehabilitation (CBR), a shared program evaluation framework would better enable the combination of findings from different studies.The evaluation of CBR programs should always include sharing findings and taking action for the sake of the local community.Although qualitative methodologies have dominated the scene in CBR and remain highly relevant, there is also a call for the inclusion of quantitative indicators in order to capture the progress made by people participating in CBR programs.The production of best practice guidelines for evaluation in CBR could foster accountable and empowering program evaluations that are congruent with the principles at the heart of CBR and the standards for effective evaluations.

The needs of individuals who are homeless are often unmet. This study identifies the potential role of occupational therapy with adults who are homeless. Method: This was a qualitative study of occupational therapists working in Montreal, Québec, Canada, consisting of two survey modes: focus group and self-administered questionnaires. A moderate inductive strategy was used in the analysis of the responses. Findings: Twenty-two occupational therapists participated. The traditional roles of assessing, treating and conducting research were discussed, as well as the emerging role of occupational therapists as case managers, outreach workers and advocates. The challenges to implementing services included health care structures and processes. The potential facilitators included active leadership and advocacy by occupational therapists regarding the needs of those who are homeless. Implications: There is a clear and pertinent role for occupational therapy services with those who are homeless. The traditional process of service delivery presents challenges that must be addressed. The topic of homelessness and role-emerging practice placements with this population should be included in the occupational therapy curriculum.

The practice guidelines should facilitate CBR evaluation decisions in respect to facilitating an evaluation process, using frameworks and designing methods. Implications for rehabilitation Ten practice guidelines provide guidance to facilitate sound community-based rehabilitation (CBR) program evaluation decisions. Key indications of good practice include: • being as participatory and empowering as possible; • ensuring that all, including the most affected, have a real opportunity to share their thoughts; • highly considering mixed methods and participatory tools; • adapting to fit evaluation context, local culture and language(s); • defining evaluation questions and reporting findings using shared CBR language when possible, which the framework offered may facilitate.

This article presents the results of a scoping review on strategies that foster social inclusion of individuals with intellectual disability through sports. Five promising strategies were identified in 14 articles: 1) develop Unified Sports, 2) develop peer-support programs, 3) facilitate participation as an athlete in mainstream activities, 4) facilitate participation as a fan in mainstream activities, and 5) conduct activities to raise awareness. Their outcomes and key considerations for implementation are presented. Then, a model of social inclusion through participation in sports and physical activities is proposed as a mean to provide guidelines on how to provide a range of meaningful opportunities for sports participation in context(s) that are as inclusive as possible with enabling supports provided as needed.

CBR evaluation processes should strive to be inclusive, participatory, empowering and respectful of local cultures and languages. CBR evaluators should strongly consider using mixed methods, participatory tools, a combination of indicators generated with the local community and with others from a bank of CBR indicators. CBR evaluations should be situated within a shared, but flexible, framework. This shared framework could combine the CBR Matrix and the CBR Principles.

Parents of children with disabilities face challenges in their daily lives, but little is known about their experience of the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of the study was to explore the experiences of parents of children with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec, Canada. Forty parents of children with disabilities from Quebec, Canada (mean [SD] age: 41.2 [6.7]; 93% women) were selected from the Ma Vie et la pandémie (MAVIPAN) study. All 40 parents completed the MAVIPAN online questionnaires including the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing short 7-item scale (WEMWBS), Social Provisions Scale-10 item (SPS-10), and the UCLA Loneliness Scale (UCLA-LS). A multi-method analysis was used to summarize questionnaires and thematically explore parents’ experiences. Parents reported deterioration in their mental (50.0%) and physical (27.5%) health, with moderate levels of depression, stress, and anxiety, yet moderately positive well-being. Additional experiences included reduction in available supports (71.4%) and feelings of social isolation (51.4%). Our results highlighted reduced mental and physical health, limited and modified access to certain services, and reduction of social supports for some parents of children with disabilities. Health professionals, policymakers, and governments should be mindful of these challenges experienced by parents of children with disabilities.

Background Canada’s national parks are world-renowned. However, despite recent attempts to improve access, many are not accessible to people with disabilities. With the advent of provincial and federal legislation, standards are being developed to assist with the design and management of parks. Objective The overarching objective of this study is to inform accessibility standards for federal parks that meet the needs of all park visitors, regardless of ability. The specific objectives of this study are to identify park accessibility standards that exist internationally, identify the accessibility challenges that people with disabilities face in park environments, and prioritize and recommend accessibility standards for national parks. Methods A 3-phase approach will be used to achieve the study objectives. In the first phase, a scoping review of the existing accessibility standards will be conducted. The second phase will include objective audits of trails and features in 6 parks, 3 in western Canada and 3 in eastern Canada, as well as mobile interviews with 24 diverse participants in each region regarding their experiences of and recommendations for improving the park’s accessibility. In the final phase, a Delphi participatory consensus development process will be used, based on the data gathered in the first 2 phases, to prioritize recommendations for standards. Results We expect to find gaps in existing standards that do not account for the diverse range of accessibility requirements that people with disabilities have for visiting parks. We also expect to find that existing standards, on their own, may not be enough to ensure equitable access to all the experiences and amenities that parks have to offer. Development of subsequent guidelines and best practices may be necessary to address complex scenarios for which standards may not be the best approach to ensuring accessibility. Conclusions The participatory and mixed methods approaches used in this study will provide rich insights for developing accessible park standards that consider the diverse needs of people with disabilities. The findings will also support the development or enhancement of park standards at all levels of government. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/33611