Adapted Physical Education Research Articles

Adapted Physical Educators’ Social Media Usage for Professional Learning

Physical educators report a multitude of benefits from accessing informal learning opportunities via social media. However, a lack of research has been conducted on adapted physical education (APE) teachers’ usage of social media for professional learning (PL) purposes. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore how APE teachers use social media to learn about APE content. A survey was used to identify APE teachers’ (n = 73) social media usage patterns. Descriptive statistics were reported, and multiple t-tests were used to compare how participants perceived the usefulness of social media vs. conferences for PL purposes. Multiple linear regression analyses were also used to identify variables that predicted the participants’ likelihood of attending conferences and using social media for PL purposes. Results demonstrated many participants used an array of social media platforms to learn about topics such as activities and equipment. However, participants indicated that conferences were significantly more useful in gaining information about APE related topics compared to social media. Following multivariate analysis, personal and professional usage of social media for PL purposes was associated with conference attendance. The potential of APE teachers and organizing bodies to use social media for PL purposes and future research recommendations are discussed.

Investigating the impact of adapted physical education service-learning projects on preservice teachers' attitudes toward individuals with disabilities.

Service-learning (SL) has been implemented widely in teacher education to connect knowledge and practical experiences. In the field of Physical Education Teacher Education, Adapted Physical Education (APE) Courses have been implemented SL to provide hands-on experiences to promote preservice teachers’ attitudes toward individuals with disabilities. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of two SL projects, the volunteer project, and the parasports project, in the Intro APE course on preservice teachers’ attitudes toward individuals with disabilities. A total of 130 preservice teachers participated in this study taking the Multidimensional Attitude Scale Toward Persons with Disabilities (MAS) before and after completing two SL projects. The result of the t-test indicated that there is no difference in overall MAS scores between pre- and posttest (Meanpre=2.954, SDpre=0.689, Meanpost=3.01, SDpost=0.679; t(129)=0.390, P=0.784). However, the significant increase observed in affects subscale of MAS (Meanpre=3.47, SDpre=0.374, Meanpost=3.52, SDpost=0.188; t(129)= 0.347, P=0.327). Our finding indicated cognition and behavior of preservice teachers toward individuals with disabilities were positively increased, but not significantly improved yet. Evidence suggested that two SL projects in this study did not significantly improve the overall positive attitudes of preservice teachers toward individuals with disabilities, but it was meaningful to observe that preservice teachers increased their affects toward individuals with disabilities.

Adapted Physical Education Teaching Online During COVID-19: Experiences from the South of the United States

ABSTRACT The rapid transition from face-to-face to online teaching due to the COVID-19 pandemic provided unprecedented experiences for Adapted Physical Education (APE) teachers while they have had many different emerging roles, demands, and expectations related to program delivery. The purpose of this study was to examine APE teachers’ experiences teaching online during COVID-19. Participants included 11 APE teachers from the south region of the United States (8 females, 3 males). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with each participant. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Data analysis resulted in five themes: ‘initial thought: how are we going to even do this?’, ‘challenges in teaching online’, ‘collaboration: key to overcome challenges’, ‘Parents’ support is critical’, and ‘it’s doable, but I am over it’. Despite the challenges experienced by the participants during COVID-19, they were able to navigate and adapt the online teaching; however, the quality and delivery of instruction declined.

School Administrators’ Intentions to Promote Adapted Physical Education

A survey, developed with the Theory of Planned Behavior, was used to assess school administrators’ intention to promote adapted physical education (APE). Survey results indicated that when school administrators’ attitudes and subjective norms were favorable, the intention to promote APE was subsequently higher. The results indicate that if we expect public school administrators to promote APE in schools, they must know the importance of high-quality physical education to students with disabilities.

Professional Preparedness and Psychosocial Beliefs as Predictors of Quality Physical Education and Recreation Services to Students with Disabilities

The purpose of this study was to examine how professional preparedness and psychosocial beliefs affected behavioral intentions and quality service behaviors in providing physical education (PE) and recreation services to students with disabilities (SWD). Participants of an online survey included New Mexico adapted physical education (APE) teachers (N=42) and recreational therapists (RT; N=13) and a sample of PE teachers (N=63). Analyses revealed significant differences between PE teachers and personnel in specialty professional disciplines. APE and RT personnel reported greater positive attitudes, higher self-efficacy, greater behavioral intention, and more engagement in quality service behaviors than PE teachers. The results have implications for the selection and training of school personnel hired to provide PE and recreation services to SWD.

Adapted Physical Education Teachers’ Job Satisfaction

Grounded in occupational socialization theory, the authors examined adapted physical education (APE) teachers' job satisfaction. Twelve (nine female and three male) APE teachers who had 3-43 years of teaching experience participated in the study. A semistructured interview was employed. The interviews focused on the participants' roles and responsibilities. The following questions guided this study: (a) What social agents positively impact APE teachers' job satisfaction? (b)what APE teachers' roles and responsibilities are related to job satisfaction? and (c)what type of working conditions are linked to APE teachers' job satisfaction? Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the data. The following four themes emerged from the analysis: (a) support from administrators, physical education teachers, and colleagues; (b)relevant and meaningful professional development; (c)itinerant working conditions; and (d)seeing students' progress and achievement. The results of this study provide several implications to enhance APE teachers' job satisfaction.

Japanese adapted physical education graduate students’ learning about master’s research thesis projects

Abstract The purpose of this study was to describe how Japanese adapted physical education (APE)graduate students engage themselves in learning research skills through masters’ research thesis projects. In this study, andragogy theory was utilized, which allowed the researchers to understand Japanese graduate students’ learning experiences of master’s research thesis projects. Five Japanese APE master’s students (3 men and 2 women) participated in the study, which had a descriptive-qualitative design using an in-depth, semi-structured interview approach. The data source was face to face interviews. Interview data were analyzed using a constant comparative method, and resulted in themes related to (a) reasons for selecting a master’s research thesis topic, (b) learning challenges of research methods, and (c) peer evaluation and collaboration. To better support Japanese graduate students, this study encourages APE faculty and graduate students to learn how to develop a blueprint of the research design, research method, and presentation of the results and discussion using various research sources in the graduate students’ research seminars. This study posits that Japanese APE graduate students will benefit from a learning strategy such as language translation-oriented strategy that enables them to capture the nuance of content learning in APE.

Effects of an Adapted Physical Education Course on Attitudes toward Sport of Omani Individuals with Disabilities

The adapted physical education (APA) is a set of sports activities, programs, and exercises that are adjusted to be compatible with individuals with special needs. This research explored the effect of an adapted physical education course on attitudes toward the sport of Omani individuals with disabilities. Participants were 25 undergraduate female students from the Department of Physical Education at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), Sultanate of Oman. The participants responded to the attitudes toward APA scale before and after studying the APA course. This scale consisted of 30 items distributed into three domains related to course instructor, course topics, and course teaching methods. The results revealed that studying the APA course significantly contributed to modifying the participants' attitudes toward the sport of Omani individuals with disabilities. In other words, these effects were demonstrated by the high effect size of the studying the APA course on modifying the participants' attitudes. The research recommends converting the course into a compulsory one, upgrading its credit to 3 credit hours, and adding other courses on Paralympic Games to the program plan at Physical Education Department, SQU. The contributions of this research focused on university special education courses. The presence of these courses will actually contribute to modifying college students' attitudes toward the sport of individuals with disabilities.

‘I mean I hate to say it’s sink or swim, but … ’: college course instructors’ perceptions of the adapted physical education content that they prioritize and teach

ABSTRACT As most physical education teacher education programs provide little preparatory coursework on disabilities, it is unsurprising preservice physical educators often struggle to effectively include students with disabilities. Given upwards of 95% of students with disabilities are taught in integrated physical education classes, it is imperative teachers are prepared for this inevitability. Though it is moderately understood that preservice physical educators receive little preparation, what remains unknown is what those preparatory courses provide and what the rationale is behind their construction. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to examine introductory adapted physical education (APE) course instructors’ perspectives towards the purpose of this course, the content delivered, and their rationale for the included content. Based on interviews with seven faculty (4 males and 3 females), three themes were constructed: ‘It is learning that this may fail’, ‘[Our] purpose is to expose them’, and ‘We cover … broad strokes’. These findings highlight APE faculty’s recognition that their course alone is not enough to prepare future physical educators to effectively provide students with disabilities a quality physical education experience. Overall, teachers largely emphasized the practical components of the course and heavily relied on medicalized definitions of disability. The results from this study deepen the understanding of how introductory APE courses are currently being taught across the United States and provide suggestions for ways to improve course development.

Teachers’ preparedness to deliver remote adapted physical education from different European perspectives: Updates to the European Standards in Adapted Physical Activity

ABSTRACT When schools were closed due to the COVID-19 restrictions, teachers were challenged to engage children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) through remote teaching, particularly in physical education. The European Standards in Adapted Physical Activity (EUSAPA) have been used to define the competencies of adapted physical education (APE) teachers. Through a consensus building exercise, the standards were updated in this paper to include technologically supported pedagogy. Evidence from 125 APE teachers, who completed a technological communication inventory, modified versions of the technology, pedagogy and content knowledge scale (TPACK-21), and self-efficacy on including students with disabilities in physical education scale (SE-PETE-D), were used to inform experts to create technological indicators for the EUSAPA. Teachers used 3 to 4 technologies (email, phone, SMS, Whatsapp) to communicate with students and colleagues, and many reported low levels of technological content knowledge. Experts considered the need to add 13 new functions to the EUSAPA. Most of the functions were considered to be feasible to implement in existing practices and the other requiring extra resources or skills. As further training is planned, consideration of expertise is warranted when mapped against meeting standards.

The experiences and understandings of the K-13 curriculum implementation of Indonesian teachers of Adapted Physical Education (APE)

The purpose of this study was to illuminate the experiences and understandings of adaptive physical education (APE) teachers in their implementation of the newly introduced K-13 curriculum in special needs schools (SLB) in Indonesia. This research is a replication of previous research (Sigid XXABSTRACT Setiawan, 2018) conducted with primary school physical education (PE) teachers. Twenty-six APE teachers aged 28-39 years (X = 34.04, SD = 3.46) who worked with various disabilities in SLB were involved as participants. Data collected were observations, interviews, and documentation working within a phenomenological framework. Results indicated that teachers’ experiences of the K-13 implementation were focused on (1) the acquisition of basic knowledge and competence, (2) the adoption of the scientific approach, (3) the use of authentic assessment, and (4) awareness of the supporting and inhibiting factors. The understandings arising from these experiences were that: (1) the required knowledge of APE SLB teachers could be found within the supporting government publications; (2) the scientific approach placed systematic student problem solving at its core, and; (3) authentic assessment involves a comprehensive focus on the learning and development of skills, attitudes and knowledge. A comparison of these findings with those of the primary teacher study showed that some of the additional understandings revealed by the Adapted PE teachers reflected some of the specific demands and challenges facing teachers in the context of special needs education. This research should serve as a reference for novice teachers in emphasizing that good K-13 curriculum learning at all levels must involve preparation for its implementation and its assessment. Recommendations for the value of ongoing research of this nature with a broader cohort of teachers are made.

Interprofessional Collaboration: Training Preservice Adapted Physical Education Teachers to Facilitate Peer Engagement Among Children With Disabilities

PurposeSpeech-language pathologists (SLPs) and adapted physical education (APE) teachers working in schools have a distinct opportunity to collaborate and serve students with communication and movement needs.MethodTwenty-three preservice APE teachers were given a brief presentation led by SLPs and then rated using a fidelity checklist during the duration of a summer physical activity camp for children with disabilities. A cumulative link mixed model was used to determine APE preservice teachers' ability to facilitate peer engagement and social interaction among children with disabilities within tasks related to their discipline following speech-language pathology training and live coaching.ResultsFollowing intervention, preservice APE teachers demonstrated significant gains in increasing peer engagement between campers with disabilities. In addition, observers rated the preservice APE teachers as more skilled in demonstrating comprehension of and implementing the engagement techniques.DiscussionResults indicate even a brief in-service from SLPs to APE preservice teachers can help them better recognize and support opportunities for peer engagement for children with disabilities while targeting tasks related to their discipline. Future research is warranted with a larger sample size to elucidate collaboration opportunities that promote optimal outcomes for children with needs across disciplines.

Curricular Approaches Used by Adapted PE Teachers

Within adapted physical education (APE), there is a lack of knowledge regarding content and attitudes toward curricular domains, which can influence student learning. This study assessed APE teachers’ attitudes toward four curricular domains. Participants (n = 219) completed a modified version of the Attitudes Toward Curriculum in Physical Education inventory. Results indicated that the importance of all domains, but higher for social development and physical activity. Understanding the content taught in APE will help teacher educators create programs that will provide preservice teachers with the content knowledge and pedagogy skills to meet the needs of their students.Subscribe to TPE

The Self-Efficacy of Preservice Physical Education Teachers in Disabilities Education in China

The adapted physical education (APE) field is developing vigorously in China, and an increasing number of students with physical education (PE) as their major will encounter students with disabilities in their future teaching careers. This study thus surveyed PE major students from eight Chinese sports colleges and universities in order to explore how perceived social support could affect the self-efficacy of PE major students who are expected to face students with different types of disabilities; furthermore, it aimed to demonstrate the regulating effect of APE studies and internships. The survey found that (1) perceived social support positively affected self-efficacy among Chinese PE majors who would be facing students with different types of disabilities; (2) APE studies and internships positively affected self-efficacy among Chinese PE majors who would be facing students with different types of disabilities, and; (3) APE studies and internships strengthened perceived social support’s effects on self-efficacy among Chinese PE majors who would be facing students with different types of disabilities.

The Impact of Adapted Physical Education on Physical Fitness of Students with Intellectual Disabilities: A Three-year Study

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to examine the effect of an adapted physical education (APE) program on physical fitness of adolescents with intellectual disabilities, and (2) to investigate the associations between the changes of physical fitness tests over the course of a three-year period. A secondary data analysis design was used to evaluate the long-term effects of an adapted physical education program on physical fitness components of the participants. Forty-four students (age, 15.9 ± 0.4 years) with intellectual disabilities were included in this study. A series of repeated measures ANOVA revealed significant positive outcomes over time in body composition, muscular endurance, explosive strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular fitness. The findings were mixed, as the participants performed better in muscular strength/endurance and cardiovascular fitness by Year Three. However, participants had lower scores in body composition and flexibility. Additional research is needed to explore the factors affecting physical fitness of students with intellectual disabilities by APE programs.

Special Education Administrators’ Knowledge of Adapted Physical Education: A Pilot Study

ABSTRACT Special education administrators have an influence over adapted physical education (APE) services, however little research to date has assessed special education administrators’ knowledge of APE services. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine special education administrators’ knowledge of APE services. Fifty-one special education administrators completed a 21-question content knowledge test about key areas within the field of APE. A series of exploratory t-tests were used to determine whether their overall test scores differed significantly by a variety of demographic variables (e.g., gender, prior APE training). In addition, a repeated measures ANOVA was used to determine whether there were any significant differences between the three subsections of the test. Participants’ overall test scores were approximately 40% (M = 8.41, SD = 2.28), which was similar to all three sub-sections within the test (‘federal laws and APE’ = 43%, M = 3.04, SD = 1.34; ‘best teaching practices in APE’ = 38%, M = 2.76, SD = 1.29; ‘inclusion and least restrictive environment and APE’ = 39%, M = 2.63, SD = 1.06). Test scores did not significantly differ by any of the demographic variables, p >.05. Recommendations for future research and professional development are discussed.

Finding a Home for Adapted Physical Education in Individualized Education Program Software

The United States’ Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004) is a law that mandates special education is free and appropriate for all children with disabilities and includes services in physical education (PE). Few scholars have examined how PE for students with disabilities is documented within individualized education program (IEP) software systems. Thus, the purpose of this investigation was to examine the extent to which PE is being included in IEP software. Fifteen IEP software companies were surveyed. In addition, nine state IEP templates were randomly selected and reviewed in order to determine how they labeled PE services. Four IEP templates were selected from states with an adapted physical education (APE) teaching certificate or endorsement, and five IEP templates were selected from states that did not have an APE teaching certificate or endorsement. The findings from this study indicate that IEP software companies and state IEP templates across that nation are using a variety of terms (e.g., adaptive PE) to label PE services for students with disabilities. Furthermore, many of the documents are also incorrectly classifying PE services as a related service, rather than a direct service which is the correct classification of PE services. These findings support the need for PE experts to be consulted during the development of state IEP templates and IEP software

Teacher Readiness in Adapted Physical Education: Teaching the “Able,” Not the “Label”

The majority of physical education teacher education (PETE) programs include some form of adapted physical education (APE) training for preservice teachers; yet PETE candidates report feeling underprepared to teach individuals with disabilities. The number of students with disabilities included in general education continues to grow, in accordance with inclusion legislation, particularly free appropriate public education (FAPE) and least restrictive environment (LRE). The aim of this article is to present a template or overview of the essential topics and methods that should be included in an APE course for PETE candidates.

Adapted Physical Education Collaborative Consulting: A Systematic Literature Review

The purpose of this review was to analyze English language articles that addressed collaborative consulting in adapted physical education (APE). A systematic process was used to search the literature in six different databases. First, article quality was analyzed. Subsequently, thematic categorization of data was performed. Eleven articles published between 1995 and 2015 that satisfied the criteria for inclusion in the study were selected. The results were organized into seven thematic categories: the concept and definition of consultation, the role of the APE consultant, the planning and documentation of APE consulting, the stages of APE consulting, general physical education and APE teachers’ perceptions regarding consulting, major challenges of APE consulting, and collaborative work training for physical education teachers. In conclusion, although research remains scarce, all of the selected articles reinforce the relevance of collaborative consulting for including students with disabilities in general physical education settings. Further investigation, particularly through empirical studies, must be encouraged.

Adapted Physical Educators’ Perspectives of Educational Research

ABSTRACT Purpose: Educational research often provides insight into the potential best practices to use within the classroom setting. Yet, limited information is available on teachers’ perspectives toward research in the field of adapted physical education (APE). The current study examined adapted physical educators’ perceptions toward research. Method: Sixty general physical education and APE associations within the United State of America were emailed a survey adapted from the National Center for Research Policy and Practice. Results: One hundred twenty-four adapted physical educators were included within the study. Spearmen correlations and frequency counts of open-ended responses were used to analyze the data. Overall, findings indicated that a majority of participants had conducted research, with most participants mentioning it helped them learn more about a particular issue they were facing. Adapted physical educators reported a high rate of engagement with research and that research has a positive impact on important issues, such as behavior management and advocating for students with disabilities. Although positive overall perceptions toward educational research were reported, several items that related to the usefulness and accessibility of research were ranked quite low. In addition, it was found that higher levels of education and years of experience were correlated with lower perceptions toward the validity and usefulness of research. Conclusion: This study highlights the important role research plays in the practice of adapted physical educators; however, researchers need to present their research findings in a more practical way for teachers to translate to their own situations.