He became a professor at the University of Alberta in 1971, later served as chairman of the Department of Athletics, and published more than 150 papers about disability sport.

After a few years of not attending school, he returned to the University of Alberta and earned a Bachelor of Physical Education in 1967.

[4] He completed a Master's degree in physical education science and then a Doctorate at the University of Oregon,[1][3][5] during which he was a member of the Epsilon-Alpha chapter in the Kappa Sigma fraternity.

[7] He coached for the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) from 1966 to 1976, in swimming, wheelchair basketball, and track and field.

[7] He helped design and construct a three-wheeled racing wheelchair used by Doug Bovee at the 1972 Summer Paralympics.

The experiment impacted the design of future racing wheelchairs, and opened the door for high-performance competition in disability sport.

[7] Steadward coached the Canadian national wheelchair basketball team at the same Summer Paralympics, and at the 1973 International Stoke Mandeville Games.

He was head of mission for Canada at the 1976 Summer Paralympics in Toronto, and served as president of the Canadian Federation of Sport Organizations for the Disabled.

[11] While with the CPC, he also acted as a governor, treasurer, coach at the national level, and head of mission to international events.

[1][7] Steadward felt that being aligned with the Olympics would allow the Paralympics to reach its potential, but noted that the relationship was delicate at first "because we're seen as the poor cousin needing help and we don't want that".

I'm proud that I was able to change attitudes by sending out these proposals around the world which said we can no longer treat our athletes like patients."

[1][14] He was an agent for gold medal Olympians Jamie Salé and David Pelletier during their 2001 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships.

[8] In 2001, he was made an honorary life president of the International Paralympic Committee,[2] and named Professor Emeritus at the University of Alberta.

[1] In 2002, he was inducted into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame and he received the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal.

[2][7] In 2010, he was appointed to the Alberta Order of Excellence,[18] and received the President's Award from the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance.

[2] The Lieutenant Governor of Alberta credited Steadward for bringing attention to the Paralympic movement, and stated that he "served to inspire all people with disability to pursue more active lifestyles".

The Steadward Centre for Personal and Physical Achievement which he founded was credited for being a "model for independence and fitness training for people with disability".