Adapted Physical Education in the Special Education Process

Adapted physical education (APE) services have the same overall objectives as general physical education; however, adapted physical educators should implement accommodations and modifications to personalize the programs to meet the individual needs of students with disabilities. Because of the high levels of health disparity for people with disabilities, as well as cognitive and socio-emotional benefits associated with physical activity and exercise, it is crucial that students with disabilities receive high-quality APE programming. To give the readers a broad overview of APE and how it should be implemented, this chapter covers the following topics: physical education and physical literacy, the benefits of physical education and exercise for students with disabilities, federal laws in relation to physical education for students with disabilities, the role of adapted physical educators in interdisciplinary team approaches within the individualized education program process, and highlighting specialized teaching strategies and specialized equipment for students with disabilities.

Promoting Social Acceptance and Inclusion in Physical Education

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.

Strategies to Increase Self-, Student, and Discipline Advocacy in Adapted Physical Education

While sharing some characteristics with their general physical education colleagues, adapted physical educators also face unique challenges related to their role. For example, both general and adapted physical education teachers encounter stress stemming from the marginalized nature of their discipline but may navigate such experiences differently. Adapted physical education teachers often serve in itinerant roles travelling among multiple schools and may provide services for upwards of 100 students. They must also have a functional understanding of a wide variety of disabilities, individualize instruction for each student, collaborate with service providers across several schools, and be an active team member in the individualized education program process. As a result, they may need to advocate for themselves, their students, and the role of the discipline in different and unique ways. Drawing from research on general and adapted physical education teacher socialization, and available research-informed practices, the purpose of this paper is to describe the unique stressors associated with teaching adapted physical education and strategies they may implement as part of local advocacy.

Predictors of Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Teaching Students With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in General Physical Education

Purpose: This research was undertaken to examine predictors of physical education (PE) teachers’ attitudes toward teaching students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in general PE. Method: In-service PE teachers (n = 151) in Hong Kong completed a multi-section survey measuring demographic variables, attitudes, self-esteem, and intrapersonal and interpersonal mindfulness. Survey data were mainly analyzed through multiple regression analyses. Results: The results showed that special education-related coursework and self-esteem were positive predictors of attitudes. However, they were no longer a significant predictor after mindfulness was entered into the regression model while both types of mindfulness positively predicted attitudes. Discussion/Conclusion: Self-esteem as well as intrapersonal and interpersonal mindfulness play an important role in predicting PE teachers’ attitudes toward teaching students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Related training components may be included in the professional development programs for improving PE teachers’ attitudes.

Self-Efficacy of Pre-Service Physical Education Teachers Toward Inclusion in Saudi Arabia

This study aims to determine the differences in levels of self-efficacy toward inclusion in general physical education (PE) classes among Saudi pre-service PE teachers. It also aims to evaluate the effect of independent variables with the covariate of attitude scores on participants’ self-efficacy toward including students with intellectual disabilities (ID), physical disabilities (PD), and visual impairments (VI). In total, 260 pre-service PE teachers enrolled in a university in Saudi Arabia completed the Arabic version of the self-efficacy scale for a physical education teacher education major toward children with disabilities. Repeated-measures multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) revealed that self-efficacy was highest towards including students with intellectual disability in general PE class and lowest towards students with physical disabilities. Having previous experience of observing a PE teacher teaching a student with a disability significantly influenced participants’ self-efficacy. Participants’ attitudes toward inclusion were only significant with participants’ self-efficacy toward students with physical disabilities. The findings suggest that observing a role model significantly predicts self-efficacy toward the inclusion of students with a disability.