Paraprofessionals' Attitudes toward Inclusion of Students with Disabilities in Physical Education

1998 ◽  
Vol 86 (1) ◽  
pp. 98-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
John O'Connor ◽  
Ron French

The Physical Educators' Perceptions of Inclusion Inventory was administered to 80 paraprofessionals in special education. A Mann-Whitney U analysis indicated a significant difference in scores on knowledge related to inclusion by years of experience working. There was a significant difference between knowledge scores for length of time working but none for scores on perception.

2022 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim G. Swenson ◽  
Justin A. Haegele

Paraeducators are often utilized in physical education environments to assist instructors as well as students with disabilities; however, there is little research on the utilization of these professionals within this setting. This study explored paraeducators’ perceived roles and competencies in physical education from the perspectives of both paraeducators and physical educators. This study was conducted with physical educators and paraeducators serving as participants and completing a content-validated survey on the various roles typically assumed by paraeducators when assisting in physical education classes. Data were analyzed via descriptive statistics and t tests, and differences between physical educators and paraeducators were identified. Results indicated these key findings: (1) There was a significant difference in the perception of role clarity of paraeducators between participant groups, (2) there was a significant difference in the perception of role ability of paraeducators between participant groups, and (3) there was not a significant difference between groups in terms of the training needs of paraeducators specific to physical education. Using the results of this study, physical educators and paraeducators can work together to provide the best learning environment possible within physical education for students with disabilities and within the working environment for both physical educators and paraeducators.


Author(s):  
Rami Abdallah ◽  
Rawhi Mraweh Abdat ◽  
Christopher Hill

Professional learning communities (PLCs) are formed on the basis of the perception that collaboration among educators is an essential factor to improve and develop the learning environment and students’ outcomes (Hord, 1997; DuFour, 2004). Accordingly, the purpose of this study is twofold: First, we investigated the extent of practicing the characteristics of PLCs at special education (SE) centers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Second, we determined whether the PLC skills among SE educators vary on the basis of the type of educator, educational level, years of experience, and students’ disability. We collected our data using Google Forms and with a pre-existing and tested questionnaire (Abdallah, 2021). After collecting filled-out forms from (151) educators, we conducted descriptive analysis and inferential statistics, including Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests. Our results revealed that educators working with students with disabilities in SE centers have a high level of PLC skills in all domains. Educators’ educational level, years of experience, and students’ disabilities create significant differences in the practice of the PLC characteristics in SE centers. However, the type of educator has no significant difference in implementing these characteristics. Overall, this study can serve as a basis for further research on PLCs within the SE field and addresses the lack of knowledge of this topic. We conclude the effectiveness and readiness of PLCs as a new approach to handling and teaching students with disabilities in the UAE context.


2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 76-84
Author(s):  
Chunxiao LI ◽  
Shihui CHEN ◽  
Wing See Emily TSOI

LANGUAGE NOTE | Document text in Chinese; abstract also in English. The aim of the survey was to examine the attitudes of general primary PE teachers toward integrated PE and the relationships of gender, teaching experience, and class size. Eighty three teachers participated in the survey. The results indicated a neutral attitude towards integrated PE by teachers. There was a significant difference between male and female teachers in their perception of whether “students with disabilities like my teaching” (p = 0.018), but no significant differences with other attitudes by gender. There was a significant difference between teachers’ teaching experiences and their perceptions of whether “Little support offered to integrated PE” (p = 0.006), however, no significant differences with other items by experience. There was also a relationship between perceived teaching competency and class size (p < 0.001, r = 0.454). The results were mainly discussed in relation to teaching competency, support, teaching experience and class size. 本研究的目的在於探討香港主流小學體育教師融合體育教學態度。83位小學體育教師回應了本次調查。通過分析發現教師對於融合體育教學持較為中立的態度。文章最後主要對融合體育態度與教學效能,支援,教學經驗和班級大小的關係進行了討論。


1998 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 370-380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim A. Duchane ◽  
Ron French

Fishbein and Ajzen’s (1975) reasoned action theoretical model was used to examine physical education teachers’ attitudes toward grading students with disabilities. Participants were 82 male and 100 female teachers who taught physical education in grade 6-8, representing 119 schools. The Physical Educators’ Attitude Toward Teaching Individuals with Disabilities (PEATID-III) survey and a grading practices questionnaire were administered. A three-way ANOVA indicated no significant differences in grading practices between genders and between teachers with positive and negative attitudes. However, comparison of grading practices for students with (M = 122.83) and without disabilities (M = 133.49) revealed significant differences, F(1, 154) = 21.31, p < .001. It was concluded that criteria for grading students with disabilities are significantly different from those for nondisabled classmates. Neither attitude nor gender made a significant difference in grading practices.


Author(s):  
Martin E. BLOCK ◽  
Eun Hye KWON ◽  
Sean HEALY

Students with disabilities around the world are leaving special schools and special classes and are receiving their education in general education schools. In addition to attending general education classes, these students with disabilities are attending general physical education classes. Unfortunately, research has clearly demonstrated that physical educators do not feel prepared to include students with disabilities into their general physical education classes. Such findings are not surprising given that the typical physical education teacher education program in the United States only requires one course in adapted physical education, and in many countries around the world not even one adapted physical education course is required. However, many physical education teacher education programs do not have the space to add more adapted physical education classes, and other universities do not have professors with specialized knowledge to teach adapted physical education. What can be done to better prepare future and current physical educators? Online education is a relatively new method for delivering information about disability in general and more specifically how to include students with disabilities into general physical activities. The purpose of this paper is to introduce online education and present preliminary research that supports the use of online training with physical educators.


1992 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin E. Block ◽  
Patricia L. Krebs

The concept of least restrictive environments (LRE), originally conceived by Deno (1970) and Reynolds (1962) to advocate for a range of special education placements for children with disabilities, has become synonymous with a continuum of physical education placement options for students with disabilities. Many models have been presented over the years. Options range from full-time regular physical education in a regular school to full-time adapted physical education in a special school or facility, with various placement options in between. The emphasis of these models is on varying the placement to meet the needs of the student with disabilities. Taylor (1988) has identified several flaws to the concept of LRE placement options. In addition, many special education professionals advocate placing all students with disabilities in regular education with varying levels of support (e.g., Stainback & Stainback, 1990). This paper discusses an alternative to the traditional continuum of LRE placement options. This new model presents a continuum of support which emphasizes how much and what type of assistance is provided to a particular student with disabilities that will enable him/her to succeed in regular physical education.


2002 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 435-452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel R. Hodge ◽  
Nathan M. Murata ◽  
Francis M. Kozub

The purpose was to develop an instrument for use in physical education teacher education (PETE) programs that would yield valid evidence of the judgments of PETE preservice teachers toward the inclusion of students with disabilities into general physical education classes. Both the conceptualization that judgments represent the cognitive expressions of attitudes (Ajzen, 2001; Sherif & Hovland, 1961) and focus group discussions were used to create the Physical Educators’ Judgments About Inclusion (PEJI) instrument. Following content validation procedures, we administered PEJI to 272 PETE preservice teachers. Subsequent principal component analysis to generate construct validity evidence indicated 15 items should be retained; they collectively explained 53% of the variance using a three-component model. Dimensions of the PEJI pertained to judgments about inclusion, acceptance, and perceived training needs. Alpha coefficients for the three subscales ranged from .64 to .88.


2021 ◽  
pp. 004005992110296
Author(s):  
Kason O’Neil ◽  
LeAnn Olson

In addition to psychomotor and cognitive learning, social development is one of the three pillars of the national standards for physical education instruction. Though a plethora of research has exhibited the benefits social inclusion can have for students with and without disabilities, inclusion cannot be successful unless physical educators are deliberate, persistent, and continually reflective on the needs of students. The purpose of this paper is to outline the state of inclusion of students with disabilities in a general physical education classes and to highlight teacher behaviors and instructional techniques that promote social acceptance and inclusion for all students in physical education.


2021 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 342-365

The purpose of this study was to examine typical students’ attitudes toward the inclusion of students with disabilities in physical education (PE) classes. The participants were between 10 – 16 years of age and their grade level from fifth grade to ninth grade in the Eastern province in Saudi Arabia. The participants were 614 typical students in elementary and middle schools. Participants responded to Children’s Attitudes Toward Integrated Physical Education-Revised (CAIPE-R). The findings of this study indicated that the overall means scores of attitudes of all participants toward the inclusion of students with disabilities in physical education classes was 2.99, indicating normal attitudes toward the inclusion of students with disabilities in PE classes. In general, female students had more positive attitudes toward the inclusion of students with disabilities in PE classes than male students, as well as students who had a family member or a close friend with a disability, had more positive attitudes toward inclusion than students who did not have. Moreover, very competitive students had less attitudes toward inclusion than not competitive students did, and very competitive students who had students with disabilities in their schools had more positive attitudes toward inclusion than very competitive students who did not have students with disabilities in their schools. Finally, students who attended schools with students with disabilities had more positive attitudes toward inclusion than students who did not have students with disabilities in their schools. Keywords: Attitude, Disabilities, Physical Education, Saudi Arabia, Inclusion


2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 49
Author(s):  
Ibrahim A. Alqaryouti

The present study attempts to identify the attitudes of parents of students with disabilities and without disabilities towards inclusion of students with disabilities in the Omani schools. In particular, it examines the effect of a number of variables on the attitudes of parents towards inclusion. The study sample consists of 622 parents of whom 236 are parents of students with disabilities, and 386 are parents of students without disabilities. The study uses a scale to measure parents’ attitudes towards inclusion in the Omani schools (Alqaryouti, Moosa & Husien, 2012). The results show a statistically significant differences between the attitudes of the two groups, in favor of the parents of students with disabilities. The results also demonstrate that there is a statistically significant difference in parents’ attitudes towards inclusion as a result of differences in parents’ educational levels. In contrast, the study does not reveal any effects for the other variables - age and type of guardian. The study makes a number of recommendations related to the subject.


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