The Young Adult Program (YAP) extends beyond the core curriculum and academic goals: YAP students explored learning opportunities such as life skills and job skills. Lifelong fitness was an important goal, and an adaptive tricycle provided a fun way to work on that goal. With the adaptive trike, students were not limited by issues that prevented them from riding a traditional bicycle or tricycle, such as balance and coordination issues, low muscle tone, or physical impairments. The YAP Adaptive Tricycle (Rifton Model #R140) featured a large base of support, trunk and waist safety belts, Velcro straps, and a pulley system for the pedals. A firm brake locked the wheels to provide safe mounting and dismounting. A detachable rear steering bar allowed staff to steer and push students, offering opportunities for even the most inexperienced riders. The adjustable seat and handlebars accommodated riders of diverse sizes.
Goals included fitness, coordination, balance, and endurance. Developmental aspects were also addressed: learning to ride a recumbent bicycle could lead to learning to ride an upright trike. Therapeutic benefits of tricycling included lower extremity strengthening, reciprocal leg motion patterning, balancing skills, using visual skills and spatial patterning skills, and social interaction with peers and neighbors.
Social aspects included being part of a cycling class, as well as rides on school grounds and into the community. Dan Hunt also hoped to build a trike “cycling club” whose members could meet with volunteers and other local cyclists. The program explored collaboration with PEAC, an Ypsilanti-based advocacy and cycling training program for people with disabilities (referenced at http://www.bikeprogram.org/).
