The importance of physical and sports activities in the social integration of people with special needs (wheelchair basketball)

Abstract

We often talk about our rights and the duties of others toward us, without taking into account our duties toward others, especially if there are individuals who are in dire need of us, particularly those with special needs. Disability, whether physical, mental, or sensory, inevitably affects the individual's psyche and behavior on one hand, and those around them, near or far, on the other hand. This calls for the social environment (family, neighborhood, school, society) to take measures that accommodate various disabilities. Undoubtedly, the importance of physical and sports activity holds a significant place within the educational curriculum and is considered one of its essential elements because it has motor, physical, cultural, social, and economic dimensions. This is what gives it importance in the educational curricula of developed countries, where it receives great attention, as evidenced by its inclusion in the programs of all educational stages and the allocation of all human and material resources for it. The goal of physical and sports activity for the disabled is to increase their functional capacity, enabling them to cope with all the requirements of daily life. It plays an important role in improving the social lifestyle of the disabled and is one of the best educational means as it helps with integration. The social integration of people with disabilities is especially important, as society often overlooks their ability to build their lives and keep pace with the times. A person with a disability, like any living being, possesses functional abilities. Engaging in sports activities helps a person with a disability build physical competence by strengthening and developing their body systems, enabling them to endure physical effort and resist fatigue. Therefore, practicing sports activities is used to combat defects and deformities and helps in natural growth, thus making a person with a disability an active and useful member of society. To obtain answers that help us understand the importance of physical activity in the social integration of people with special needs, we conducted a study on this subject. In our study, we relied on a structured plan, which preliminarily outlined the problem and formulated hypotheses based on previous and similar studies. We approached the topic from a theoretical perspective that included three chapters: In the first chapter, we addressed the importance and effects of physical sports activity, concluding the chapter with a summary. We then moved to the second chapter, which focused on the social integration of people with special needs, discussing integration, the means and strategies for achieving it, its importance, and its strategies. We also covered rehabilitation and its types, then concluded the chapter with a summary. In the third chapter, we discussed disability, its types, scope, classification, causes, and prevention methods, and then concluded the chapter with a summary.