A Review of Ecological Factors that Influence the Pay and Activity Engagement of Handicapped Children

Abstract

This review examines ecological factors that have been shown to influence the play and activity engagement of children with behavioral, cognitive, and physical handicaps. The review focuses on conditions in group-care settings (e.g., day care, institutions, hospitals) that can be arranged to promote children's play and engagement in social and non-social activities. The factors reviewed fall into three major categories: characteristics of play materials, characteristics of the play settings, and the teaching of play behavior. In addition to summarizing the findings of selected studies in these areas, the article provides (a) guidelines for practitioners seeking to promote play and activity engagement among handicapped children, and (b) suggestions for researches pursuing this line of investigation.