Aquatic Instructors’ Attitudes Toward Teaching Students with Disabilities

2000 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 197-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phillip Conatser ◽  
Martin Block ◽  
Monica Lepore
Keyword(s):  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Stepwise Multiple Regression ◽  
Physical Educators ◽  
Stepwise Multiple Regression Analysis ◽  
Mild Disabilities ◽  
Attitudes Toward Teaching ◽  
Students With Severe Disabilities ◽  
The U.S

The purpose was to examine attitudes of aquatic instructors (female, n = 59; male, n = 23) toward teaching swimming to students with mild to severe disabilities in an inclusive setting. Aquatic instructors from 28 states representing 75 cities across the U.S. participated in this study. Data were collected by mail with a modified version of Rizzo’s (1984) “Attitudes of Physical Educators Toward Teaching Handicapped Pupils” (renamed “Physical Educators’ Attitudes Toward Teaching Individuals with Disabilities - Swim”). A correlated t test showed that aquatic instructors were significantly more favorable toward teaching aquatics to students with mild disabilities than students with severe disabilities. Stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that conducting an inclusive aquatic program was the best predictor of favorable attitudes toward including students with mild disabilities, while having more certifications in aquatics was the best predictor of favorable attitudes toward including students with severe disabilities in regular aquatic programs.

Attitudes and Attributes of Physical Educators Associated with Teaching Individuals with Severe and Profound Disabilities

1995 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin E. Block ◽  
Terry L. Rizzo
Keyword(s):  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Adapted Physical Education ◽  
Physical Educators ◽  
Attitudes Toward Teaching ◽  
Profound Disabilities ◽  
Students With Severe Disabilities ◽  
Education Coursework ◽  
Regular Classes

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between attitudes and selected attributes (teaching assignment, teaching level, adapted physical education coursework, special education coursework, years teaching students with disabilities, quality of teaching experience, and perceived competence in teaching students with disabilities) of public school (K-12) physical educators toward teaching students with severe and profound disabilities in regular classes. Teacher (N = 150) from suburban school districts in a midwestern state were sent the Physical Educators' Attitude Toward Teaching Individuals with Disabilities-III (PEATID-III) and 91 (61%) responded. Data showed that physical educators were undecided about teaching students with severe disabilities and disagreed with the proposal of teaching students with profound disabilities in their regular classes. There was a significant difference between attitudes toward teaching students with severe and profound disabilities. Although only a moderate amount of the variance was accounted by attributes, results from a forward stepwise multiple regression procedure showed that as the quality of teaching experiences improved and adapted physical education coursework increased, attitudes toward teaching students with severe disabilities were more favorable. Favorable attitudes toward teaching students with profound disabilities were associated with an increase of both coursework in special education and perceived teacher competence.

Teaching Students with Mild Disabilities: What Affects Attitudes of Future Physical Educators?

1995 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 205-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terry L. Rizzo ◽  
Don R. Kirkendall
Keyword(s):  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Perceived Competence ◽  
Academic Preparation ◽  
Stepwise Multiple Regression ◽  
Physical Educators ◽  
Individuals With Disabilities ◽  
Behaviorally Disordered ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Attitudes Toward Teaching ◽  
Demographic Attributes

This study assessed the association between demographic attributes (gender, age, year in school, experience with students with disabilities, perceived competence in teaching students with disabilities, and academic preparation regarding individuals with disabilities) of undergraduate physical education majors and their attitudes toward teaching students labeled educable mentally retarded (EMR), learning disabled (LD), and behaviorally disordered (BD). Future physical educators (n = 226) were asked to complete the Physical Educators’ Attitudes Toward Teaching the Handicapped questionnaire, and 174 (77%) agreed. Data were collected on the first day of classes of a 16-week semester. Results from forward stepwise multiple-regression procedures showed that perceived competence and academic preparation regarding individuals with disabilities were the best predictors of favorable attitudes in general, and for EMR and LD. Results also showed that for BD, age and year in school were the best predictors of favorable attitudes. Thus, attitudes vary as a function of disabling conditions. The results provide evidence that there is a need to promote positive attitudes toward teaching individuals with disabilities.

Comparison of Parental Involvement in Regular and Special Education

1988 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 268-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Salisbury ◽  
Ian M. Evans
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Parental Involvement ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Regular Education ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Parental Participation ◽  
Mild Disabilities ◽  
Students With Severe Disabilities ◽  
Perceptions Of School

The importance of parental participation in the educational process has been recognized in both regular and special education. However, most of what is known about parent involvement in special education has been garnered through studies at the elementary age level and with families of students with mild disabilities. In this study, mothers of students with severe disabilities were compared with mothers of nondisabled students and students with mild to moderate disabilities regarding their perceptions of school involvement. A total of 117 mothers were interviewed. The results indicated that in comparison to the parents of students in regular education, parents of students with disabilities were offered more opportunities to be involved, were more satisfied with their involvement, and felt more able to influence their children's education. This was true over the school age span. No significant differences were related to the severity of the children's disability. Types of activities in which the mothers were involved suggest that some of the parental involvement mechanisms developed in special education might profitably be extended to regular education.

Peer-Interaction Strategies: Fostering Positive Experiences for Students With Severe Disabilities in Inclusive Music Classes

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 28-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellary A. Draper ◽  
Laura S. Brown ◽  
Judith A. Jellison
Keyword(s):  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Peer Interaction ◽  
Task Complexity ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Positive Interactions ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Regular Classrooms ◽  
Working Together ◽  
Students With Severe Disabilities

Too often, students with disabilities in regular classrooms have limited access to the regular curriculum, and for students with severe disabilities, interactions are often with paraprofessionals, not typical classmates. The present study is grounded in action research methods in that an elementary teacher and the authors worked together for the purpose of designing, implementing, and evaluating interaction guidelines between her students with severe disabilities and their typically developing classmates. Overall, instruction and implementation of peer-interaction activities for working together and helping each other were efficient and resulted in high rates of positive interactions. Although the students with disabilities needed different kinds of support, they were capable of participating in a wide-range of music activities and interacting with their typical classmates. Differences in frequencies and quality of interactions are attributed primarily to task complexity, individual needs, and partner assignments.

LRE and the Placement of Students with Severe Disabilities

1992 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 145-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn Haring ◽  
Felicia Farron-Davis ◽  
Lori Goetz ◽  
Patricia Karasoff ◽  
Wayne Sailor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Educational Placement ◽  
National Monitoring ◽  
Severely Handicapped ◽  
Degree Of Disability ◽  
Survey Validity ◽  
Students With Severe Disabilities ◽  
Integrated Or

This study addresses the issue of state variability in the placement of students with disabilities in integrated or segregated (students with disabilities only) settings. The study examines actual placement patterns of students with severe disabilities (“severely handicapped”) in a small sample of states in order to more closely identify and analyze factors that might influence national monitoring and reporting of LRE issues. Three states representing different geographical areas and including rural, suburban, and urban population bases participated in a direct survey. The survey asked respondents to identify the number of students with severe disabilities (as defined by the U.S. Department of Education) in the state and the educational placement of these students. A survey validity check was also carried out on a sample of 139 students across the three states. Students were observed and rated using a scale that reports degree of disability (moderate to profound) across nine characteristics; in addition, the placement of these students was recorded. The results of the study suggest that the means by which states collect child count data to report to the federal government under Section 618 of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act are inadequate to meet present informational needs. The collection of data by disability category, for example, rather than by estimates of the extent of disability, may make it difficult to evaluate the effects of present educational reform efforts.

Physical Educators’ Attributes and Attitudes Toward Teaching Students with Handicaps

1991 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terry L. Rizzo ◽  
Walter P. Vispoel
Keyword(s):  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Mentally Retarded ◽  
Learning Disabled ◽  
Stepwise Multiple Regression ◽  
Physical Educators ◽  
Behaviorally Disordered ◽  
Attitudes Toward Teaching ◽  
Forward Stepwise ◽  
Educable Mentally Retarded ◽  
Post Hoc

This study examined the relationship between selected attributes of physical educators (N=94) and their attitudes toward teaching students labeled educable mentally retarded, behaviorally disordered, and learning disabled. Data were collected through the administration of the Physical Educators’ Attitude Toward Teaching the Handicapped–II (PEATH–II) instrument. A forward stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that, of the eight selected teacher variables assessed, physical educators’ perceived competence in teaching students with handicaps was the best predictor of attitudes. A repeated-measures ANOVA and subsequent post hoc comparison tests indicated that learning disabled students were viewed more favorably than educable mentally retarded and behaviorally disordered students.

Using Badges to Increase Initiations of Children with Severe Disabilities in a Play Setting

1993 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann C. Jolly ◽  
St. Marks Center ◽  
David W. Test ◽  
Fred Spooner
Keyword(s):  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Role Playing ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Free Play ◽  
Multiple Baseline ◽  
Play Skills ◽  
Training Strategy ◽  
Age Appropriate ◽  
Students With Severe Disabilities ◽  
Teacher Assistant

A study was conducted to investigate a training strategy that allowed children with severe disabilities to choose and initiate activities when playing with chronologically age-appropriate peers without disabilities. Prior to intervention, each student with severe disabilities was taught to use badges with photographs to indicate play activities. Pretraining involved role-playing with the teacher, teacher assistant, and a fourth grader without disabilities and not otherwise involved in the study. The intervention involved having students with disabilities take their badges into a free-play situation. A multiple-baseline, across-subjects design indicated a functional relationship between intervention and student use of play organizers, initiations, and shares. Results are discussed in terms of including students with severe disabilities in the training process when teaching social and play skills.

Increasing Peer Interactions for Students with Severe Disabilities via Paraprofessional Training

2005 ◽  
Vol 71 (4) ◽  
pp. 431-444 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie N. Causton-Theoharis ◽  
Kimber W. Malmgren
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Peer Interactions ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Multiple Baseline ◽  
Single Subject ◽  
Single Subject Design ◽  
Paraprofessional Training ◽  
The Social ◽  
Students With Severe Disabilities

As students with severe disabilities are included in general education settings, the use of paraprofessionals has expanded to meet these students' needs. Unfortunately, paraprofessionals can have the inadvertent effect of intensifying the social isolation of students with disabilities. This study investigated the effectiveness of a training program aimed at teaching four paraprofessionals to facilitate interactions between students with severe disabilities and their peers. A multiple baseline, single-subject design across four paraprofessional/student pairs was utilized. Observational data were collected over the baseline and postintervention phases. Rates of paraprofessional facilitative behavior increased following the intervention. Additionally, rates of student interaction increased immediately and dramatically and were maintained through the maintenance probe.

Aquatic Instructors’ Beliefs Toward Inclusion: The Theory of Planned Behavior

2002 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 172-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phillip Conatser ◽  
Martin Block ◽  
Bruce Gansneder
Keyword(s):  
Theory Of Planned Behavior ◽  
Planned Behavior ◽  
Reasoned Action ◽  
Behavioral Control ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Stepwise Multiple Regression ◽  
Perceived Behavioral Control ◽  
Individuals With Disabilities ◽  
Inclusive Settings ◽  
Attitudes Toward Teaching

The purpose was to (a) examine aquatic instructors’ beliefs (female, n = 82; male, n = 29) about teaching swimming to individuals with disabilities in inclusive settings and (b) test the theory of planned behavior model (Ajzen, 1985, 1988, 2001). Aquatic instructors from 25 states representing 122 cities across the U.S. participated in this study. The instrument, named Aquatic Instructors’ Beliefs Toward Inclusion (AIBTI), was an extended version of the Physical Educators’ Attitudes Toward Teaching Individuals with Disabilities— Swim (Conatser, Block, & Lepore, 2000). A correlated t test showed aquatic instructors’ beliefs (attitudes toward the behavior, normative beliefs, perceived behavioral control, intention, behavior) were significantly more favorable toward teaching aquatics to individuals with mild disabilities than individuals with severe disabilities. Stepwise multiple regression showed perceived behavioral control and attitude significantly predicted intention, and intention predicted instructors’ inclusive behavior for both disability groups. Further, results indicated the theory of planned behavior predicts aquatic instructors’ behavior better than the theory of reasoned action.

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