Inclusion and Adapted Physical Education

Article #7 (Inclusion):  Implementing Disability Sports in the General Physical Education Curriculum.

Article Information: Journal: Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance.  Authors: Ronald Davis a , Suzanna Rocco-Dillon b , Michelle Grenier c , David Martinez d & Amy Aenchbacker. 

This article states that IDEA has pushed for inclusion by stating that each child should be educated in the Least Restrictive Environment.   One inclusive approach that can be adopted by the physical education teachers is the development of a disability sport curriculum.  The article discusses the interrelated task systems of the ecology of the gymnasium.  This consists of an instructional task system, a Managerial Task System, and a social Task System.  An Instructional Task System involves development, sequencing, risk, ambiguity of tasks, novelty, challenge, culturally relevant instruction and student ownership.  Managerial Task System  involves accountability, rules and routines, expectations, consequences, monitoring, and assessment.    The Social Task System involves the student socializing, passing the course, teacher student relationships, and student to student relationships while providing an overall good social climate.   The four key considerations that must be implemented while program planning are recognize the similarities in content between traditional and disability sports, consider key teaching cues to be presented for student of all abilities, match the key teaching points with the students assessment performance, and finally, implement the lesson while making sure to take into account the student current functioning levels.  Having accurate assessment results will allow you to make a sound physical education lesson.  You should discuss modifications with your student and can even let them choose or develop which rules/ modification you want to establish within the game.   This article offered many practical approaches to helping a student who is receiving consult services be successful in a unit of goal ball.  Including disability sports in the GPE curriculum has the potential to unite students of all abilities through successful participation.  In or­­der for their participation to be meaningful, appropriate consultative services will be needed for many students with disabilities who are receiving APE consults services.

Article #8 (Inclusion):  Empowering children with special educational needs to speak up: experiences of inclusive physical education.   

Article Information:  Authors: JANINE COATES & PHILIP VICKERMAN.   Disability and Rehabilitation, 2010; 32(18): 1517–1526.  Faculty of Education, Community and Leisure, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, England, UK. 

This article examines the viewpoint of children that have special education needs attending both mainstream and special schools in relation to their experiences in the physical education setting.   The findings of this study offered ideas about how to improve PE and make it more beneficial for the students with disabilities.  The findings show that students are empowered through consultation and also when the students are aware of their own abilities and needs.   When students from various schools were asked about their physical education preferences they indicated an overall preference for athletic and game activities.   Dance activities were the least favored in the study with 45 % of the children with special needs not liking dance.  Many of them said it was hard because they had to remember the steps from a day to day basis with more to learn each day.  The students with special needs overall perceived themselves to be good at sports but most believed that others thought they were not good.  The results of this study showed that many of the special needs students were being bullied but did like the teacher that they had.   Even though most of the students did like there teachers.  The findings suggest that teachers did not uphold their responsibility for managing situations that involved redirecting negative behaviors to minimize the students feeling or distress. 

Article #9 (Inclusion):  Let the children have their say: children with special educational needs and their experiences of Physical Education – a review

Article Information:  Authors: JANINE COATES and PHILIP VICKERMAN.   Journal compilation © 2008 NASEN. Published by Blackwell Publishing, 9600 Garsington Road, Oxford OX4 2DQ, UK and 350 Main St, Malden, MA, 02148, USA. 

This article reviews the perspectives of students with disabilities with regards to their experiences related to physical education.   There are six key that are discussed which were the students experiences with regards to

• Their experience of PE
• Their experience with PE teachers
• Discrimination by others.
• Feelings of self-doubt
• Barriers to inclusion
• Empowerment and consultation 

The findings of this study suggest that students with disabilities enjoy Physical Education when they are fully included.  Findings indicated that the students are limited in physical education when discrimination, limited teacher training, and limited materials are present.