Disability Inclusion

Swimming Australia Ltd is committed to a swimming for all philosophy. Swimming Australia incorporates inclusion strategies in all aspects of the sport, creating opportunities for people of all abilities to participate.

Whether you choose to swim for fun and enjoyment, health and fitness, aspire to be a world champion, or choose to be involved in a non-swimming role as a coach, official or volunteer swimming provides many opportunities.

In this section of the website you will find some information specific to Swimming Australia’s commitment to including people with disability. Further important information and resources can be found in other relevant sections of this website.

To get involved visit goswim.org.au, contact your State or Territory Swimming Association or email inclusion@swimming.org.au

Check out the Swimming for people with disability vidcast! It highlights all of the amazing things that getting involved in mainstream swimming has to offer.

 Download the Transcript

Inclusion Tips

• Discovering Disability [pdf]
• Adapting and modifying [pdf]
• Terminology [pdf]
• Communication [pdf]
• Communicating with people with a hearing impairment [pdf]
• Coaches [pdf]
• Swimmers [pdf]
• Administrators [pdf]
• Officials and volunteers [pdf]
• Parents and carers [pdf]
• Media professionals [pdf]
• Vision Australia Fact Sheets [external website]
• Deaf Sports Australia Fact Sheets [external website]
• Transplant Australia Fact Sheets [external website]
• PlaybytheRules.net.au Resources [external website]

Making inclusion part of what we do

For many years Swimming Australia has been committed to addressing the needs of people with disability in the sport. This includes what happens in the pool, out of the pool and how we operate. Working in cooperation with its stakeholders Swimming Australia aims to make inclusion simply part of what we do. Below are some important initiatives that are helping the swimming community become more inclusive.

National Inclusive Swimming Framework

Swimming Australia is working to establish a national Inclusive Swimming Framework (ISF) which will guide Swimming Australia and its aquatic partners toward achieving sustainable inclusion of people from disadvantaged backgrounds in swimming and aquatic activities. It will build on the existing resources and programs of Swimming Australia, and incorporate the direction, thoughts and opinions of the swimming and aquatic community. It will be a practical framework that aims to assist organisations and individuals in developing structures and processes, evaluation tools and practical strategies to ensure continuous improvement in all aspects of inclusion. The framework will draw on lessons from existing models and research (for example, previous Disability Action Plans (DAP), national models of Sports CONNECT and supply and demand, the Participation and non-participation of people with disability in sport and active recreation (ASC 2011); the SHUT OUT Report).

To view Swimming Australia's past Disabilty Action Plan (2009-2011) CLICK HERE

Information and progress will be posted here periodically. For enquiries or contributions please email inclusion@swimming.org.au

Inclusion Research

Swimming Inclusion: Barriers and Incentives for participation of people with a disability in aquatic activity

Swimming Australia has partnered with the University of the Sunshine Coast to establish a three year research project examining the barriers, motivations and outcomes of participation in swimming for people with physical disability.

Survey: People with disability aged 14 years or older or their parent/carer are invited to take part in the research by completing the survey below.

CLICK HERE to complete the survey. (Alternative survey formats are available by contacting the Principal Researcher)

For more information please contact the Principal Researcher Katrina.Murphy@research.usc.edu.au

Other Research

• Getting involved in sport: Participation and non-participation of people with disability in sport and active recreation (ASC 2011)
• Disability Sector Resource Project (ASC 2011)
• SHUT OUT: The Experience of People with Disabilities and their Families in Australia (NPDCC 2009)
• Participation in Sport by People with Disability (ABS 2009)

What can you do?

Swimming Australia recognises the great potential for inclusion of people with disability in all aspects of the sport. Go to the Getting Involved section to learn more about the opportunities available for everyone to get involved or check out the Quick Links below.

Quick Links

• GO Swim – Find a club or learn to swim school near you
• Athlete Classification – The first step to competing
• Multi Class Competition – Races with modified rules
• Junior Excellence (JX) Program – Junior swimmer development
• Youth Performance Squad (YPS) Program – Youth swimmer development
• GO Club Inclusive Club Standard – Helping clubs make inclusion part of what they do