Children with disabilities sometimes feel excluded from their peers, as they may not be up to cognitive speed of the other children. However, a new study is suggesting that feeling like a participant in an activity or having friends are ways for children with special needs to feel included.

According to research published in Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, children with special needs share the same desire to be included as their peers without disabilities.

"Many children spoke about initiating play," said lead author Dr. Nancy Spencer-Cavaliere. "Either being invited to play or asking to play and being rejected or not being invited or not being allowed. Making that initial step into a play environment is really a critical step for children."

This could be something for educators to keep in mind who have children with disabilities in their classroom. Particularly at an early age, it could be easier for teachers to initiate playtime that includes all students, helping everyone feel like one big group.