{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,1]],"date-time":"2026-10-01T10:02:06Z","timestamp":1790848926312,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":25,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,12]],"date-time":"2025-12-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1765497600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJERPH"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Inclusive sports and recreational programs are essential for enhancing the physical, social, and psychological well-being of learners with disabilities. In South Africa (SA), and particularly in rural provinces such as Limpopo, the development of such programs remains limited due to infrastructural, socio-economic, and attitudinal barriers. This study explored the barriers and facilitators influencing inclusive sports and recreational opportunities, as well as their impact on the well-being of learners with disabilities in rural Limpopo. A qualitative study design was employed in selected rural special schools. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with educators (n = 5) and focus group discussions with leaners with disabilities (n = 25) of ages ranging from 10 to 18 years using purposive sampling. Thematic analysis was guided by the Social Model of Disability, Self-Determination Theory, and Ecological Systems Theory. Findings revealed key barriers, including inaccessible infrastructure, a lack of adaptive equipment, and social exclusion. Educators further highlighted inadequate training, limited resources, and inconsistent policy implementation. Facilitators included teacher support, family involvement, and community initiatives. Participation in inclusive sports was associated with improved confidence, happiness, social skills, and belonging among learners. The study concludes that inclusive sports programs hold transformative potential in rural contexts. Addressing infrastructural gaps, teacher capacity community engagement policy implementation is critical for sustainable inclusion.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph22121855","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,12]],"date-time":"2025-12-12T08:30:17Z","timestamp":1765528217000},"page":"1855","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Developing Inclusive Sports and Recreational Programs for Learners with Disabilities in Rural Limpopo: Barriers, Facilitators, and Impact on Well-Being"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"22","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7470-4295","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Khodani","family":"Nemaranzhe","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biokinetics, Recreation and Sport Science, Faculty of Health Science, University of Venda, Thohoyandou 0950, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6104-1760","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Phumudzo Khangwelo","family":"Mulibana","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biokinetics, Recreation and Sport Science, Faculty of Health Science, University of Venda, Thohoyandou 0950, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0185-1259","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Khuliso","family":"Matshovhana","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biokinetics, Recreation and Sport Science, Faculty of Health Science, University of Venda, Thohoyandou 0950, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Anzani","family":"Mululuma","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biokinetics, Recreation and Sport Science, Faculty of Health Science, University of Venda, Thohoyandou 0950, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Shields, N., and Synnot, A. (2016). Perceived barriers and facilitators to participation in physical activity for children with disability: A qualitative study. BMC Pediatr., 16.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12887-016-0544-7"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"193","DOI":"10.1016\/j.afjem.2020.06.005","article-title":"Impact of lockdown measures implemented during the Covid-19 pandemic on the burden of trauma presentations to a regional emergency department in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa","volume":"10","author":"Morris","year":"2020","journal-title":"Afr. J. Emerg. Med."},{"key":"ref_3","first-page":"35","article-title":"Challenges in Policy Implementation of Inclusive Quality Education and Sustainable Development Goal #4 in Ethiopian District Primary Schools","volume":"12","author":"Gerbi","year":"2025","journal-title":"Ethiop. J. Sci. Sustain. Dev."},{"key":"ref_4","first-page":"144","article-title":"Inclusive physical education from the perspective of students with physical disabilities","volume":"17","author":"Goodwin","year":"2000","journal-title":"Adapt. Phys. Act. Q."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"S1","DOI":"10.15700\/saje.v43ns2a2180","article-title":"Accounting teachers\u2019 teaching practices associated with learners\u2019 performance in high schools","volume":"43","author":"Ndlovu","year":"2023","journal-title":"S. Afr. J. Educ."},{"key":"ref_6","unstructured":"Walters, W., Robinson, D., Barrett, J., Harenberg, S., Cudmore, A., Zakaria, T., and Fahie, K. (2024). Game Changers: Providing Equitable Sporting Opportunities for Students with Disabilities. Rev. Ph\u00e9nEPS\/PHEnex J., 14, Available online: https:\/\/ojs.acadiau.ca\/index.php\/phenex\/article\/view\/4448."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"FitzGerald, C., Martin, A., Berner, D., and Hurst, S. (2019). Interventions designed to reduce implicit prejudices and implicit stereotypes in real world contexts: A systematic review. BMC Psychol., 7.","DOI":"10.1186\/s40359-019-0299-7"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"691","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2788.2010.01295.x","article-title":"The role of support staff in promoting the social inclusion of persons with an intellectual disability","volume":"54","author":"McConkey","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Intellect. Disabil. Res."},{"key":"ref_9","first-page":"1","article-title":"A Family Medicine response to the COVID-19 lockdown: University of Pretoria perspective","volume":"25","author":"Ngcobo","year":"2022","journal-title":"S. Afr. Health Rev."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2269","DOI":"10.1080\/09602011.2021.1938142","article-title":"A qualitative exploration of fatherhood after acquired brain injury (ABI)","volume":"32","author":"Cregan","year":"2022","journal-title":"Neuropsychol. Rehabil."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"251","DOI":"10.1177\/00220574211031957","article-title":"The impact of inclusive education on academic motivation, academic self-efficacy, and well-being of students with learning disability","volume":"203","author":"Kausik","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Educ."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Oliver, M. (1996). The social model in context. Understanding Disability: From Theory to Practice, Macmillan Education.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-1-349-24269-6_4"},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Shakespeare, T. (2013). Disability Rights and Wrongs Revisited, Routledge.","DOI":"10.4324\/9781315887456"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109","DOI":"10.1016\/0092-6566(85)90023-6","article-title":"The general causality orientations scale: Self-determination in personality","volume":"19","author":"Deci","year":"1985","journal-title":"J. Res. Personal."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ntoumanis, N., Quested, E., Reeve, J., and Cheon, S.H. (2017). Need-supportive communication: Implications for motivation in sport, exercise, and physical activity. Persuasion and Communication in Sport, Exercise, and Physical Activity, Routledge.","DOI":"10.4324\/9781315624365-10"},{"key":"ref_16","unstructured":"Bronfenbrenner, U. (2005). Ecological systems theory (1992). Making Human Beings Human: Bioecological Perspectives on Human Development, Bronfenbrenner U., Ed., Sage Publications Ltd."},{"key":"ref_17","unstructured":"Yin, R.K. (2018). Case Study Research and Applications, Sage."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"59","DOI":"10.1177\/1525822X05279903","article-title":"How many interviews are enough? An experiment with data saturation and variability","volume":"18","author":"Guest","year":"2006","journal-title":"Field Methods"},{"key":"ref_19","first-page":"120","article-title":"Teaching thematic analysis: Overcoming challenges and developing strategies for effective learning","volume":"26","author":"Clarke","year":"2013","journal-title":"Psychol."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"471","DOI":"10.1080\/19406940.2022.2074515","article-title":"The relationship between disability and inclusion policy and sports coaches\u2019 perceptions of practice","volume":"14","author":"Hammond","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int. J. Sport Policy Politics"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"469","DOI":"10.1177\/10126902221110157","article-title":"Tokyo 2020 Olympics sustainability: An elusive concept or reality?","volume":"58","author":"Trendafilova","year":"2023","journal-title":"Int. Rev. Sociol. Sport"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.1111\/reel.12149","article-title":"Getting to 2030: Negotiating the post-2015 sustainable development agenda","volume":"25","author":"Chasek","year":"2016","journal-title":"Rev. Eur. Comp. Int. Environ. Law"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1257","DOI":"10.1136\/bjsports-2022-106224","article-title":"Inclusion of persons with disability in sport: Part 1\u2014Rights and challenges in Qatar","volume":"56","author":"Swart","year":"2022","journal-title":"Br. J. Sports Med."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"357","DOI":"10.57239\/PJLSS-2024-22.1.0027","article-title":"A Study on the Sustainability of Large Sporting Events and Host Cities-The Harbin Asian Winter Games as an Example","volume":"22","author":"Wu","year":"2024","journal-title":"Pak. J. Life Soc. Sci."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"McConkey, R., Slater, P., Dubois, L., Shellard, A., and Smith, A. (2023). Engagement with Special Olympics by the general public in 17 countries world-wide. Special Olympics, Routledge.","DOI":"10.4324\/9781003409403-3"}],"container-title":["International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1660-4601\/22\/12\/1855\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,12]],"date-time":"2025-12-12T08:33:41Z","timestamp":1765528421000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1660-4601\/22\/12\/1855"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,12]]},"references-count":25,"journal-issue":{"issue":"12","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,12]]}},"alternative-id":["ijerph22121855"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ijerph22121855","relation":{},"ISSN":["1660-4601"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1660-4601","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,12]]}}}