In your own words, define disability-specific (medical), sport-specific (functional), and performance-based classification systems. What are the pros and cons of each system?

Assume that you are classifying athletes for a swimming competition. First, identify all of the classification procedures that may be appropriate for each disability population. Then, indicate which classification procedure(s) should be preferred for each disability population. Be prepared to justify your answers. How would your answers change if the sport was basketball? boccia? yachting? (This is a matching question where there may be more than one correct classification procedure for each disability.)

Disability	Classification Procedure
Spinal cord injury Deaf Cognitive disabilities Cerebral palsy Blind Amputation Dwarf Muscular dystrophy Osteogenesis imperfecta Head injury	Coordination tests ROM tests Muscle function tests Hearing tests Vision tests Anthropometry Level of spinal injury Site of amputation Swimming tests Prior race results

Cite examples of fair and unfair sport-specific classification systems. Consider the sport-specific classification systems described on the IPC web site at http://www.paralympic.org.

Assume that you are organizing a multi-disability competition for athletes who have physical disabilities. The following sports are being offered for both men and women: (a) basketball; (b) swimming, (c) track events, and (d) field events. How many events would take place in each sport? Assume that there is a separate event for each classification in each sport.

Disability Sports Web Site                        © Michigan State University                        Revised 12/12/2007