CHAT Inclusive Sport in Action: Assistive Technology, Rights and Participation
Date: 3rd June 2026
Venue: Bank of Ireland Theatre, University of Galway
Part of: European Academy of Childhood-onset Disability (EACD) Congress 2026 Pre-Conference Programme
Bringing Together Sport, Technology and Inclusion
The June 2026 CHAT (Community Hub for Accessible Technology) event brought together disabled people, researchers, sports organisations, assistive technology innovators, practitioners, students, advocates and community organisations to explore how assistive technology can support participation, inclusion and belonging in sport and recreation.
Hosted at the University of Galway as part of the European Academy of Childhood-onset Disability (EACD) Congress 2026 pre-conference programme, the event focused on the role of assistive technology as a rights enabler and explored how technology, inclusive design and community partnerships can support meaningful participation in sport and physical activity.
The event reflected the core values of CHAT by placing lived experience at the centre of the conversation while bringing together research, innovation, practical demonstrations and opportunities for collaboration.
Welcome to Galway
The event opened with a welcome from Dr Hazel Killeen, President of EACD 2026 and University of Galway.
Dr Killeen welcomed attendees joining both in person and online and highlighted the importance of creating opportunities for researchers, practitioners, technology innovators and people with lived experience to learn from one another. She welcomed the inclusion of CHAT within the wider EACD programme and acknowledged the value of bringing community-led conversations into international research and practice discussions.
Sarah Boland introduced CHAT and reflected on the growth of the Community Hub for Accessible Technology over more than a decade. She highlighted CHAT’s ongoing role in connecting people around assistive technology, accessibility, digital inclusion and participation across Ireland.
Setting the Scene: Sport, Participation and Inclusion
Ana Geppert from the ALL Institute at Maynooth University opened the event by exploring the relationship between disability, sport, physical activity and participation.
Drawing on research and practical experience, they highlighted that participation is influenced by much more than access to equipment. Transport, coaching, accessible facilities, information, confidence, funding and social attitudes all influence whether people can engage meaningfully in sport and recreation.
Ana shared insights from her research into sport, physical activity and inclusion, emphasising that participation should be viewed through a lens of rights, belonging and community connection. She highlighted the importance of involving disabled people directly in research, programme design and decision-making and reinforced that successful inclusion happens when people are supported to participate in activities that are meaningful to them.
The opening presentations established an important theme that continued throughout the day: assistive technology is one part of creating inclusive sporting environments, but its impact is greatest when combined with accessible communities, supportive relationships and opportunities to participate.
Reclaiming Adventure Through Assistive Technology
One of the highlights of the day was a keynote presentation from adventurer, pharmacist and advocate Jack Kavanagh.
Jack shared his personal journey following a spinal cord injury sustained in 2012 and reflected on the impact of losing access to activities that had previously shaped his identity, including surfing, sailing, windsurfing and mountain adventure.
Through determination, peer support and assistive technology, Jack gradually rebuilt his connection with sport and outdoor recreation. He showcased a range of technologies that have supported his journey, including adapted hand cycles, standing devices, adaptive skiing systems and all-terrain mobility equipment.
Jack spoke about returning to activities he once thought were no longer possible and challenged attendees to think about technology not simply as equipment, but as a tool for freedom, independence and participation.
His presentation provided a powerful reminder that access to sport and recreation can transform confidence, wellbeing and quality of life.
Adventure Education Without Limits: The EASE Project
The audience then heard from participants involved in the Erasmus+ EASE Project (Empowering Abilities through Adventure Education and Experiences for All), delivered through Skills4Life at St. John of God Kerry Services and MTU.
Students Katie, Dylan and Erin shared their experiences of travelling to Finland and participating in adaptive outdoor adventure activities including snowshoeing, ice fishing, hiking, cold-water swimming and team-building challenges.
The group demonstrated how assistive technology and accessible supports helped make the experience possible. Examples included translation technologies, visual communication supports, accessible surveys, mobile travel tools and adaptive outdoor equipment.
Participants reflected on the confidence they gained through travelling independently, building friendships with peers from other countries and participating in activities they had never previously imagined themselves doing.
The presentation highlighted how assistive technology can support adventure, exploration, independence and social inclusion.
Innovation Supporting Participation
Field of Vision
Omar and the Field of Vision team demonstrated technologies designed to support people who are blind or vision impaired to engage more fully with live sporting events.
Declan Meenagh from Fighting Blindness shared his personal experiences as a football supporter and described how accessible audio technologies have transformed his experience of attending matches and engaging with sport.
The discussion highlighted that participation in sport extends beyond playing and includes spectating, volunteering, supporting teams and being part of sporting communities.
Irish Powerchair Football Association
The Irish Powerchair Football Association provided attendees with the opportunity to see specialist adapted football equipment designed to enable people with significant physical disabilities to participate in competitive football.
The demonstration showcased how assistive technology can create opportunities for people to participate in team sport, competition and community life. It also highlighted the importance of visibility, role models and accessible pathways into sport.
For many attendees, this practical demonstration perfectly captured the event’s central message: assistive technology can create opportunities for participation, achievement and belonging.
Community Voices Workshop
Ana Geppert facilitated an interactive Slido workshop inviting participants to share their experiences, ideas and aspirations.
Discussion focused on five key questions:
- How has assistive technology helped you or someone else participate in sport?
- What could you do if you had access to the right assistive technology?
- What is the best way to improve access to assistive technology in sport?
- What barriers prevent people from using assistive technology in sport?
- What assistive technology do you wish existed or was more available?
Several common themes emerged:
Awareness and Information
Participants highlighted the need for better information about available technologies, supports and sporting opportunities.
Cost and Funding
The high cost of specialist sporting equipment was identified as a significant barrier for many individuals and organisations.
Opportunities to Try Equipment
Participants expressed strong support for regional equipment libraries, demonstration centres and opportunities to trial technology before purchase.
Training and Confidence
There was recognition that coaches, volunteers and sports organisations require greater awareness and confidence in supporting disabled participants.
Rights and Choice
Many participants emphasised that access to sport should be viewed as a rights issue and that people should have the opportunity to pursue activities that reflect their interests and goals.
Assistive Technology Showcase
The lunchtime exhibition area provided opportunities for attendees to explore assistive technologies, meet innovators and build new connections.
Exhibitors and contributors included:
- Sight and Sound Technology
- Corlann Centre- 3D Printing Demonstrations
- Field of Vision
- Irish Powerchair Football Association
- DigiCoach
The exhibition created valuable opportunities for networking, peer learning and hands-on demonstrations throughout the day.
Inclusive Sport in Practice
Special Olympics Ireland
Claire Savage and Shelly Breslin shared insights into the work of Special Olympics Ireland and the importance of creating inclusive pathways into sport.
Their presentation highlighted how sport can support confidence, friendship, leadership, routine, health and personal achievement. They explored how local clubs, volunteers, families and communities play a critical role in supporting participation for people with intellectual disabilities.
Claire and Shelly emphasised that inclusion is not simply about access to facilities but about creating welcoming environments where people feel valued and supported. They also highlighted the wide range of opportunities available through Special Olympics, from local participation programmes through to national and international competition.
Their presentation reinforced the importance of choice, opportunity and community connection in creating meaningful sporting experiences.
St Michael’s House and Access Earth
Representatives from St Michael’s House and Access Earth shared examples of initiatives designed to improve access to recreation and leisure opportunities.
The discussion highlighted the importance of accessible information, community partnerships and inclusive design in helping people identify opportunities and participate with confidence.
Examples included work to improve access to swimming and recreation facilities and initiatives that help people better understand the accessibility of venues before attending.
Irish Wheelchair Association and National Rehabilitation Hospital
Mark Barry reflected on the role of rehabilitation, recreation and lifelong participation in sport.
Drawing on his experience within the National Rehabilitation Hospital and the Irish Wheelchair Association, he highlighted how sport can support physical health, rehabilitation, wellbeing and social participation.
Mark emphasised that participation in sport should not be viewed solely through an elite sporting lens. Instead, opportunities should be available throughout a person’s life and should support people to remain active in ways that are meaningful to them.
He discussed the importance of creating pathways between rehabilitation services and community-based opportunities and ensuring that people have access to the equipment, coaching and supports required to participate confidently.
Panel Discussion: What’s Working, What’s Possible and What’s Next?
The final panel discussion was chaired by Dr Emma Smith and brought together contributors from across disability, sport, research and assistive technology.
Panel contributors included:
- Joe Gerrity (Vision Ireland and Vision Sports)
- Shelly Breslin (Special Olympics Ireland)
- Mark Barry (IWA / NRH)
- Contributors and speakers from across the day’s programme
The discussion explored three key questions.
What’s Working?
Panellists highlighted the growing number of inclusive sporting opportunities available across Ireland, stronger collaboration between disability organisations and sporting bodies, and increasing awareness of the role assistive technology can play in enabling participation.
Examples from powerchair football, adaptive adventure education, inclusive swimming, accessible spectator experiences and Special Olympics programmes demonstrated that significant progress is already being made.
What’s Possible?
Discussion focused on future opportunities including:
- Greater access to assistive technology for sport.
- Regional demonstration centres.
- Equipment loan libraries.
- Improved pathways from rehabilitation into community sport.
- Better information and awareness.
- Stronger partnerships between universities, sporting organisations and disability services.
- Co-designed technologies and services.
Joe Gerrity highlighted the importance of ensuring that spectators with disabilities are not forgotten when discussing inclusion in sport, while Shelly Breslin emphasised the importance of welcoming communities and lifelong participation opportunities.
What’s Next?
The panel identified several priorities for future action:
- Continue placing lived experience at the centre of decision-making.
- Increase opportunities to trial equipment.
- Improve access to information and supports.
- Strengthen collaboration between sectors.
- Build evidence demonstrating the impact of inclusive sport.
- Develop sustainable funding pathways for equipment and participation.
The discussion concluded with a shared commitment to continue building opportunities for participation, choice and belonging through collaboration, innovation and co-design.
Research, Co-Design and Future Innovation
Throughout the day, Ana Geppert helped connect the discussions to emerging research on participation, disability and inclusive sport.
She highlighted the importance of understanding participation as more than attendance or activity levels and encouraged attendees to think about belonging, identity, confidence and community connection as important outcomes.
The closing reflections were provided by Fatima Badmos, researcher and inclusive design specialist.
Fatima reflected on the common themes that had emerged throughout the day and highlighted how the most successful examples shared all had one thing in common: they were shaped by the experiences of the people who use them.
Drawing on her work in human-centred design and co-design, she encouraged participants to move beyond thinking about individual technologies and instead focus on creating systems, services and communities that support participation.
Fatima emphasised that meaningful innovation begins by listening and that disabled people must be involved as equal partners in identifying challenges, generating ideas, testing solutions and evaluating outcomes.
Her reflections brought together the key messages of the day and provided a powerful reminder that technology achieves its greatest impact when combined with lived experience, co-design and collaboration.
Key Messages
Several key messages emerged throughout the day:
- Participation in sport and recreation is a right.
- Assistive technology can create opportunities for independence, inclusion and achievement.
- Technology works best when combined with accessible environments and supportive communities.
- Co-design and lived experience must remain central to innovation.
- Collaboration is essential to creating sustainable change.
- Participation includes playing, spectating, volunteering, coaching and belonging.
Looking Ahead
CHAT Sport Edition 2026 demonstrated the growing momentum across Ireland to improve access to sport, recreation and physical activity through assistive technology and inclusive practice.
The event successfully brought together researchers, practitioners, technology innovators, sports organisations, policy makers and people with lived experience to share ideas, build partnerships and explore new possibilities.
Most importantly, it reinforced a simple but powerful message:
When assistive technology, inclusive design and supportive communities come together, participation becomes possible, meaningful and transformative.
CHAT would like to thank all speakers, exhibitors, volunteers, partner organisations, the University of Galway and the EACD 2026 organising committee for supporting the event and helping to create a day that celebrated participation, possibility and inclusion.