Many of my courses for my Masters in Adventure Education was through Project Adventure
Interesting Article:
Excerpts taken from: http://www.pelinks4u.org/articles/brassard0508.htm
Adventure and Experiential Education: Principles, Adaptations 
By: Elaine Brassard

HISTORY AND PRINCIPLES

The power of movement in group and individual activities has been known to be essential for people of all abilities and fitness levels. Participating in physical activities at a level that allows success for the individual gives people, including those identified with disabilities, the chance to be free of limitations by learning to rise above challenges. It also helps erase stereotypes as people's awareness and attitudes change. Incorporating adventure-based and experiential activities in fitness and educational programs promotes life-long physical wellness and inclusion.

Many public schools are attempting to design physical education programs that include principles and elements of Adventure Education. Adventure Education has gained considerable momentum over the past 25-30 years (Winnick, 2005).

Adventure or experiential programming in PE can be designed to allow all students to participate safely at their level of comfort and ability. It can successfully include those identified with physical, developmental, emotional, and cognitive disabilities.  By doing so the core values of Adventure Education are modeled: trust-building, inclusion, problem-solving, teamwork, and rising above barriers for all involved. The success of dealing with curriculum design, safety, inclusion, and funding issues takes creativity, collaboration, and cooperation among staff and administrators in new program development at public schools.

The area of Adventure Physical Education (Adventure PE) is large. It can include anything from trust and team-building games to ropes course activities (high ropes and low ropes), and outdoor pursuits such as cycling, hiking, mountaineering, climbing, kayaking, fly-fishing, or snowshoeing. According to Sugarman (1988), the core values of Adventure Education (which are the building blocks of Adventure PE programs) include:

• activities tend to be non-competitive
• successful completion of a specifically designed sequence of activities results in a feeling of accomplishment by participants
• activities promote cooperation and trust among participants
• communication occurs among group members to achieve goals
• activities can be implemented at the level of the participant
• participants have fun while improving flexibility, strength, coordination, and endurance
• activities require cooperation with nature which leads to a greater respect and appreciation of the natural environment

One of the best-known programs in Adventure Education is Project Adventure, initiated by R. Lentz in 1971 (Winnick, 2005). Headquartered in Beverly, Massachusetts, Project Adventure employs a series of activities that encourage the development of individual and group trust, cooperation, confidence, courage, independence, and competence (Winnick). The themes are addressed through cooperative games, rope course elements, high ropes courses, initiative problems, and trust-building activities. Concepts of a "Full Value Contract" and "Challenge by Choice" are incorporated into their curriculum. The "Full Value Contract" implies that everyone must contribute to their best effort in order for each participant, and the entire group, to achieve the maximum benefit. The contract may be written or oral, and is designed by the participants and facilitators. The "Challenge by Choice" concept is an important one. It means that participants choose their own level of challenge and involvement in each activity - guided by their commitment to the "Full Value Contract." Zones of comfort or challenge level include: the comfort zone, learning zone, and panic zone (Folsom and Munson, 2006).

Adventure Education can be therapeutic to an individual in a number of ways. It is a method that can produce benefits in the affective, cognitive, and psychomotor domains (Cassidy, 1982; Dillenschneider, 1983). It allows for development of self-concept, social attitudes and perceptions, shared responsibility for the safety and well-being of others in the group, and for taking risks and facing challenges. For students in special education, or with special needs, these activities can foster growth in confidence and self-esteem, and break barriers of stereotypes and discrimination. They learn, like other participants, how to make choices, take turns, follow directions, and share and perform as a team, as well as receiving the physiological benefits of healthy activity (Ray, 2002).