Graduation Year
2026
Document Type
Capstone Project
Research Type
Project
Degree Name
Doctor of Occupational Therapy
Department
Occupational Therapy
Program Chair
Kitsum Li, OTD, OTR/L, CSRS
Faculty Mentor
Caroline Umeda, PhD, OTR/L
Content Expert
Stacy Frauwirth , MS, OTR/L and Lena Gipson Showalter, OTD, OTR/L
Site Mentor
Stacy Frauwirth , MS, OTR/L
Community Partner
Through The Looking Glass
Abstract
Limited implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility standards and concepts of universal design in the playground environment restrict parents with physical disabilities' engagement in the co-occupation of visiting the playground with their children. The outdoor playground environment promotes the child’s physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development and has positive benefits on the mental health of the parent. Local community park organizations have the power to make accessibility changes to playgrounds in the community but often they lack the knowledge to do so. The purpose of this capstone project is to facilitate increased inclusivity and physically accessible playground environments in Auburn, CA region to support parents with physical disabilities’ participation in co-occupations with their children. The goals achieved project are to (1) advocate to local Auburn, CA community officials to encourage making local playgrounds more accessible for parents with disabilities; allowing participation in co-occupations with their children. (2) Support parents with disabilities by equipping them with a Google Maps resource that will provide them with assessment data that shows them accessibility features of local playgrounds. Methods of this project included conducting playground accessibility assessments using the mPARCS, creating a Google Maps resources for parents with physical disabilities to access, collaborating with local partners to develop strategies for more inclusive playgrounds in the community, conducting advocacy efforts with local community officials to encourage increased playground accessibility, and creating resources for community agencies. Resources include a formal written report, a brochure highlighting accessible playground components for ARD playgrounds in Auburn, CA, a playground voting flyer specifically for parents with physical disabilities, and a presentation all highlighting accessibility features of playgrounds in Auburn, CA. Outcomes were measured using a post-presentation survey and Google Maps viewer data to determine the effectiveness of this project. The outcomes and impacts of this project increased awareness of accessibility needs among community partners and parents with physical disabilities. The significance of this project was in promoting occupational justice and demonstrating the emerging role of occupational therapy in advocacy and community environmental adaptation.