Inclusion of disabilities and triangulation method for adaptive table tennis

Abstract

This article investigates the challenging ground of disability integration in sport, with adaptive table tennis as a critical case for an argument on the need for multiple approaches to extend beyond current techno-managerial and therapeutic models. Whereas current initiatives often focus on physical accessibility and regulatory change, this paper argues that authentic inclusion is achieved through the elements of culture, identity and communication. This is a methodological bridge between cognitive science and participatory sport that allows for micro-ethnographic study of how disabled youth "enact" their preference, frustration, happiness or concentration through physical expression while joining in the game. This work shows that table tennis, requiring little equipment and space for practising, may be chosen to apply context-related adaptations aimed at retaining the relational dimension rather than focusing only on technical uniformity. The results indicate that through its communicative and corporeal dimensions, adaptive table tennis can act as an effective medium for the development of social inclusion, mental health and cultural autonomy of disabled individuals.