Inclusion Services

Inclusion means individuals with and without disabilities participate together in the same way, in the same place, and enjoy the same benefits.

The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act of 2008) defines a person with a disability as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity. This includes people who have a record of such an impairment, even if they do not currently have a disability. It also includes individuals who do not have a disability but are regarded as having a disability.
In addition to the above criteria, MMSD recognizes anyone receiving Special Education Services/504 Plans as a person with a disability.

To ensure success, we encourage you to ask and discuss these questions:

• Do I and/or my child have an interest in the program, the activities being offered, and the location and environment where the program is offered?

• Will my child be comfortable and function appropriately, with or without accommodations, in an inclusive environment?

• Do my / my child’s current activities or goals prepare me/them for this inclusive recreation experience?

If inclusion is not the right choice for you or your child, please consider one of our Adapted Recreation Programs

Inclusion services are free and available upon request. Requirements for inclusion in a program or activity are the same as those for a person without a disability.

• Meets age requirement

• Is registered

• Adheres to behavior expectations, with or without reasonable accommodations

• Voluntarily participates in registered activity, with or without reasonable accommodations

• Meets any other essential eligibility requirements for a specific activity

An accommodation is reasonable when it does not fundamentally change the nature of the program or activity. Reasonable accommodations include, but are not limited to the following:

• An enhanced staff to participant ratio

• Access to low-sensory environments

• Behavior support plans

• Sign language interpreters

• Adaptive equipment

• Alternate or accessible transportation, when transportation is provided for all participants

• Removal of architectural barriers

• Additional staff training

MSCR provides reasonable accommodations for inclusion. Some accommodations, due to the activity or the environment in which the activity is conducted, may not be reasonable and thus there is no guarantee they will be provided. For example, these accommodations are not guaranteed:

• Individualized therapy or programming

• Provision and/or purchasing personal, custom devices or equipment

• Hiring or placement of a specific person as support staff

• Services of a personal nature such as toileting , feeding and dressing

Recreation Inclusion Staff are not provided for non-structured/non-registered programs i.e. open gym, open swim, drop-in program, or parent/child or family activities, though other reasonable accommodations will be discussed.

MSCR hires Recreation Inclusion Staff to enhance staff to participant ratios. MSCR makes every effort to hire diverse staff that have experience and have an interest in working with people with disabilities. View job openings

1. When you register, mark “YES” in the Require Accommodations section of the online or paper registration form and indicate the potential accommodations needed.

2. Complete the Online Participant Profile Form or print this form and return to MSCR by mail or drop off at our office. Our address is MSCR Central, 328 E. Lakeside St, Madison, WI, 53715.

3. Upon receipt of the necessary documents, MSCR’s Inclusion Services Staff will review your request and work with you to establish an individualized inclusion plan.

We request at least 2 weeks to plan and secure reasonable accommodations. In some cases reasonable accommodations may take longer.  All attempts will be made to accommodate the needs of all participants.  However, due to staffing constraints and/or capacity limits of the requested activity, registrations or accommodations may be limited.  If so, other options (days, times, locations) may be discussed.

By requesting inclusion services, I understand that:

• Inclusion services is not designed for therapeutic or 1:1 care

• It is my responsibility to provide MSCR with the most current information to assist in providing accommodations to meet my or my child’s needs

• My or my child’s inclusion plan may assist in meeting activity rules/expectations, but does not exempt them from following them

• If my or my child’s behavior presents clear or imminent risk to myself or others, and reasonable accommodations do not eliminate that risk, MSCR may unenroll me or my child from the activity.