The Mass Hospital School Summer Program: Dick Crisafulli’s 30 Years of Joy (and Counting)
“Activity-by-activity; day-by-day; we strive to send them home tired, dirty, and happy”– from the MHS Summer Program Web site
Summer campers, many in wheelchairs, smiling and dressed as dalmations for a play.
A MHS Summer Program performance of 101 Dalmations
When Dick Crisafulli started the summer day program at the Mass Hospital School (MHS) in 1983 he was looking to fill a need. Kids with disabilities–significant physical disabilities from conditions like cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy–were often idle during the summer months. They risked losing the skills they worked so hard to gain during the school year. Plus they were bored.
Crisafulli, Director of Recreation and Athletics at MHS, saw an opportunity to serve not only MHS student residents, but also the wider community. After all, MHS had the facilities and the adaptive recreation know-how. No child with a disability should spend their summer bored.
Since that first year, the MHS Summer Program has provided summer fun and learning to hundreds of young people ages 6-22 with significant physical disabilities. Easter Seals Massachusetts partners with MHS to run the program and now over 40% of families served come from the community.
The program allows kids to be kids, providing traditional summer day camp activities that embed learning in the fun. Activities range from windsurfing and horseback riding to scrap-booking and interactive technology. Students may also continue their speech and physical therapy on site. Oftentimes recreation is therapy, of course, and the Summer Program incorporates activities such as “Mat Madness” to lend fun to PT needs. “We have an Internet café,” Crisafulli boasts, “an indoor riding facility, pool, gymnasium, bowling alleys, greenhouses, our own lake, nature trails. We have, frankly, the best facility you are ever going to have.”
Two smiling people seated on a surfboard pulled like a waterski on the lake.
Fun on the lake in Canton
When it comes to the learning potential in summer recreation, Crisafulli has long been a true believer.
A Natick native, Crisafulli first became interested in adaptive recreation as a teen athlete (a football player). The town’s recreation director recruited him for its Camp Arrowhead which serves residents with disabilities–one of the first of its kind. The rec director needed energetic teens like Crisafulli to help out. It wasn’t long, Crisafulli says, before he was hooked. He went on to become active with the Special Olympics and to study adaptive physical education in college, a path that led to the MHS Recreation Department where he’s been for much of his career. About this career decision, Crisafulli is effusive, “Each day is a joy. I go home every day feeling pretty good, and then I rush to work each morning.”
Crisafulli’s passion is contagious and may be reflected in the MHS Summer Program’s growth. Back in 1983, the MHS served 23 young people with its first summer program. This year, its 30th, the program anticipates welcoming 140. They now come from 85 greater Boston communities, growth achieved largely through word of mouth. “We don’t get a chance to do much recruiting,” he reflects.
The same is true for Summer Program staff. Asked if he’s now recruiting athletic 16-year-olds to help out, Crisafulli concedes these are very competitive summer jobs, not the kind of teen camp employment that first got him working in the field of adaptive recreation. Most of the Summer Program participants require 1-1 support, and MHS attracts summer staff members who are college and graduate students gaining experience to enter fields such as special education or occupational therapy. “Everyone here is truly dedicated to wanting to make a change in a life. It’s not flowery. It’s just an honest and sincere type of person that works here.”
30 years is a long time to run a summer program. Asked if there is a special story to share from his years of experience, Crisafulli says there are too many. “Every day there’s a story–someone who has tried windsurfing for the first time, someone who started out the day fearful and then went on to have a great day.” One story he does share, however, is of a young man he got to know over decades. It’s a story that speaks indirectly to the gift he’s received doing this work over such a span of time… the opportunity to see his work impact whole lives.
A young man, he says, came to camp who was a quad amputee. He started on the swim team, and then learned wheelchair basketball. Eventually, as he grew and returned each summer, he became a volunteer. Then Crisafulli hired him, and then a family with twin boys with cerebral palsy hired him to be their personal care attendant. The man went on to earn his Masters degree. A few years ago, sadly, he passed away. “He lived a full rich life,” Crisafulli reflects. “We named our waterfront after him.”
Learn more about the Mass Hospital School Summer Program. (There’s still room for 2013!)
Updated Summer Camp Resources for Special Needs!
Logo for DisabilityInfo.org, an Index website. Interested in summer camp options for your child with special needs? Check out the impressive (and recently updated!) collection of resources from the Massachusetts Network of Information Providers for People with Disabilities (MNIP). Find:
Camp Fairs,
Camp Guides,
Online Camp Search Engines and Resources,
Free Referral Services,
Financial Assistance Ideas
Visit this DisabilityInfo.org Summer Camp Resources 2013 Web page.
Mobile Tech: Powerful AT for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing Community
by Jonathan O’Dell, Assistive Technology Manager and Training Specialist at the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Photo headshot of Jonathan O’dell
Jonathan O’Dell
Before mobile devices and associated mobile information streams came along, there was the telephone. And while the telephone, especially the cellular telephone, certainly proved to be a boon to hearing people, it presented deaf people with insurmountable barriers. Even people who are severely deaf can usually lipread some of what another person is saying; with the telephone, lipreading becomes impossible. While technology was developed that allowed deaf people to type text at first over land line telephones and then cellular phones, they were either bulky, expensive or unreliable.
Mobile devices, as we know them today, however, have proven to be as much a boon for people who are deaf or hard of hearing as they are for anyone else. Through them we receive messages, texts, emails, Tweets, and Facebook status updates like any hearing individual; the barrier that used to exist in terms of access to what we call “incidental information” (information that may be overheard and of interest, but not specifically directed to someone) is starting to fall away simply due to the sheer ubiquity of mobile computing and communicating devices, and the flood of information that is received on them.
Generally speaking, “mobile devices,” here, references smart phones and tablets. These come in a bewildering array of sizes, features, capabilities and operating systems (OS). The operating systems with the most features available today are iOS (Apple) and Android (Google). Windows Mobile and BlackBerry are also on the market, but as yet they do not provide access to Video Relay Service applications (VRS) which allow deaf mobile device users to call hearing users–an essential service.
Video Relay and Point-to-Point Video Calling
Through VRS mobile applications, deaf persons may sign a conversation to an operator (also known as a “communication assistant”) using the device’s camera. The operator then voices it for the hearing caller and signs back the voiced response. In addition to Video Relay Service apps, are Video Phone apps (and apps that provide access to both). Video Phone apps allow deaf persons to communicate directly in sign language without an intervening operator.
Direct, point-to-point video communications are also accessible through Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) video providers like Skype and Oovoo and through apps like Facetime (native to iOS) and Google Talk (Android). Such point-to-point video services can also boost speech comprehension for some hard-of-hearing individuals due to the added assistance of the visual component. Both VRS and point-to-point video calls are possible with iOS and Android–on tablets as well as smart phones–so long as the mobile device has a front-facing camera, and a fast enough Internet connection (inadequate bandwidth will render video choppy, pixilated, and essentially useless). Users may also need a specific version of their device’s operating system since manufacturers continually update their OS, and an OS that is generations behind will usually not be compatible with the newest versions of any Video Phone or VRS software.
Apps for Text, Captioning, and More…
Text and email applications are invaluable for many people who cannot hear or speak; while those who can speak but not hear often use captioned telephone applications. Captioning services, such as Hamilton Captel, allow a caller to use speech and then read the text of the other person’s spoken reply as relayed through an operator. Operators hear the other person’s voice and repeat their words into speech recognition software. The software sends the text to the deaf or hard-of-hearing caller’s phone.
Also useful for some individuals who are hard of hearing are sound amplifier apps. Apps like SoundAMP boost sound for greater clarity. For individuals who are completely deaf, decibel measuring apps can alert them to the presence of loud sounds in their environment. These display when the decibel level of background noise has suddenly peaked against the previous “baseline normal” sound level.
Other applications, such as GPS, while not specifically designed for deaf or hard of hearing people, can free a person from having to ask for directions from someone who may not understand them or whom they may not understand. Also useful are applications for travel, online ordering, and the like which make it possible to conduct business without having to talk to someone else–a boon for people who don’t find that easy to do.
In summary, mobile devices and applications are powerful tools for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, individuals who will usually choose devices and services based on accessibility features. Such considerations include the availability of closed captions and subtitles (such as provided by Netflix), the adequacy of volume controls, accessory headphone jacks, and more. However, also important are battery life, screen size, weight, portability, the network coverage, and service plan. For example it’s important to know who may offer a discounted rate for deaf users who will not use voice plans and instead opt for unlimited text and larger data buckets as part of a text access plan.
Indeed, devices, apps, operating systems, and service plans change and/or multiply constantly. The single best tool to make your experience successful is knowledge, and there is much information online about mobile devices, apps, and plans. As the expression goes, the best consumer is an educated consumer; and it cannot be forgotten that each and every one of us has certain communication preferences and auditory differences that make the search for the “single best device/software/application” as elusive as the hunt for the fabled unicorn.
Compare mobile devices for features of interest to deaf/hh users at this FCC Accessibility Clearing House Web page.
Learn more about specific apps of interest to deaf/hh mobile tech users from this annotated list of Android and iOS apps compiled by the Minnesota Dept. of Health.
Adaptive Bikes Provide Greater Access to Cycling
By Marcy Marchello, Program Coordinator for the Dept. of Conservation and Recreation’s Universal Access Program in Massachusetts State Parks
Child on an adapted trike. Don’t let physical limitations stop you from enjoying a bike ride! Many well-established bike designs on the market reach beyond the typical concept of the traditional upright two-wheeled bicycle. Adaptive bikes often sport three wheels and offer people with a wide variety of disabilities greater stability and function as they access bike paths, trails, and roads.
People using wheelchairs with good upper body strength most commonly use hand cycles – hand and arm powered tricycles which come in either upright touring models or sleek, low riding performance bikes. For people who cannot use their legs to propel themselves, these bikes are a wonderful way to get out of a wheelchair and experience the exercise benefits of cycling.
Those with mobility impairments, who are able to pedal with their legs, benefit from recumbent trikes for easier balance. Various designs accommodate people in an upright seated position or a more recumbent mode, with hand controls at thigh height or raised to a conventional handle bar level. A foot-pedaled adult sized trike…. Read the rest at this Bruce Freeman Rail Trail Web page.
Also check out:
“Big Bikes for Big People” also by Marchello, at the Everyone Outdoors blog,
Cycling for Seniors’ summer schedule on the Norwottuck Rail Trail in Hadley,
Cycling program for persons with traumatic brain injury summer schedule.
Adaptive Cycling opportunities in the Universal Access summer events schedule.
The Abilities Expo is Coming and it’s Free!
Abilities Expo logo: Serving the Community Since 1979. Shows graphic of stick figure in wheelchair pushing forward.
September 20-22 2013
The Abilities Expo is an exciting event that travels around the U.S. and as far as Singapore! Abilities features a pavilion of cutting-edge assistive technology, free workshops, adaptive sports events, and much, much more. In September it will be held at the Boston Convention and Exhibit Center (Hall C). MassMATCH is a sponsor and will have a booth! Learn more at this Abilities Expo Web page.
Get AT Stuff Highlights
GetATStuff logo: image of New England States with recycling arrows around them
GetATStuff–the New England “Craig’s List” for AT–currently has hundreds of items available for sale or free throughout the six New England states.
As of this writing, GetATStuff highlights include:
9 Vision-related items
including an Ameriphone JV35 Large-Button Amplified phone for $25 in Boston.
2 Hearing-related items
Amplified Cordless Telephone for $45 OBO in Manchester, NH
16 Speech Communication-related items
including a 2011 Dynavox Maestro-LIKE NEW- for just $1,000 OBO in Newton, MA
12 Learning, Cognitive, Development related items
including an HR Desktop Computer with webcam, Windows 7 for $300 OBO in Barre, VT
314 Mobility, Seating, and Positioning related items
including a Nova folding bath chair, ideal for travel. $58 OBO in Amherst, MA
290 Daily Living related items
including an alternating pressure and low-air loss therapy mattress for $600 OBO in Pittsfield, MA
68 Environmental Adaptation related items
including a Bruno Electra-Ride Stairway Elevator for $1,500 OBO in Fitchburg, MA
50 Transportation and Vehicle Modification related items
including dadc push/twist hand controls, purchased in 2006 for $500 OBO in Jamaica Plain, MA
8 Computer related items
including a free fully adjustable computer station in Watertown, MA
11 Recreation, Sports, and Leisure related items
including a 3-wheeled handcycle wheelchair (Quickie) for $200 in North Attleboro, MA
Go to www.getatstuff.org to search items by category or geography or to list what you need. Go to the MassMATCH AT Swap and Shop web page to learn about additional AT reuse sites.