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This paper offers a brief response to the article of Bouffard (2001), which in itself was a reaction to two earlier papers published by the present author (Shephard, 1998, 1999). Bouffard makes a vigorous attack on his perceptions of my observations concerning the use of jargon, the primacy of the scientific method, and postmodernism. Unfortunately, his perceptions of my arguments are not always substantiated by a careful reading of the text. Many of the world's social ills are rashly attributed uniquely to rationalism. No viable alternatives to the scientific method are suggested, and self-criticism of the postmodern approach is less than optimal. Nevertheless, the paper is to be welcomed, both as a challenge to continuing perfection of evidence-based science and as providing an insight into the thinking of those who espouse the postmodernist philosophy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents brief abstracts of several articles on adapted physical activity published in the October 2003 issue of the periodical "Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly," which were previously published in different scientific journals.

This paper is a reaction to Shephard's (1999) criticism of the July 1998 special issue of the Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly on research assumptions. Shephard's paper is essentially a defense of the use of the scientific method in adapted physical activity and a critique of his own understanding of the postmodern alternative. He argues that the scientific method is the method adapted physical activity researchers must privilege to know the truth. In this paper, it is argued that Shephard's description of the scientific method is too general to be useful. In addition, he often confounds traditional modernist issues with postmodernist issues. His depiction of the postmodern alternative is too sketchy to be an adequate critique of the postmodern alternative. This paper highlights key issues unaddressed by Shephard and, as well, outlines some major postmodernist themes so that some of Shephard's distortions can be corrected, [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is in response to the article recently published in Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly entitled "Physical Education and Sport for the Deaf: Rethinking the Least Restrictive Environment" (Butterfield, 1991). Dr. Butterfield maintained that regular class placement of deaf students is inappropriate whereas such placements lack (a) cultural foundations unique to deaf individuals and essential for their optimal development and (b) appropriate supportive services vital for the education of such students. In response, the present paper (a) delineates terminology frequently applied to individuals with hearing impairments and (b) maintains that failures of least restrictive environment placement are failures of implementation rather than of conception. Specifically, it is hypothesized that lack of established supportive services for students with hearing impairments may be traced, in part, to rejection of the least restrictive environment concept by such students and their parents/ guardians. This paper contends that individuals with hearing impairments have much more to gain than to lose from increasing ties to the hearing world, particularly in educational settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents information regarding physical diseases and their cure. One of the sections provides personal reflections on the challenges of recruiting people with disabilities to participate in research investigations and to discuss strategies to address these challenges. Another section identified the sensory characteristics of children with autism and children with Asperger Syndrome. Yet another presents the social construction of the history of adapted physical education.

Abstracts of papers are presented including "Perspectives of Students With Disabilities Toward Physical Education: A Qualitative Inquiry Review" by J.S. Haegele and S. Sutherland, "Loneliness and Perceived Quality of Life Among Older Persons With Visual Impairments" by S.J. La Grow, A. Towers and P. Yeung and "Comparison of Patterns of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behabior Between Children With Cerebral Palsy and Children With Typical Development" by J.M. Ryan et al.

This paper focuses on competency guidelines related to adapted physical education Ph.D. professional preparation in the United States with an emphasis on educational models and different orientations applicable to doctoral professional preparation. Key literature and related information are provided on teacher reform, standards, and competencies, with an emphasis on adapted physical education. The method of development, refinement, validation, and endorsement of the doctoral competencies over the course of this 6-year project precedes the listing of the final 79 competencies across two generic areas (adapted physical educator, researcher) and four other competency areas (administrator, movement scientist, advocate, pedagogue). The paper concludes with a discussion of quality control, doctoral program commonality and diversity, future competency guideline refinement efforts, and postgraduation professional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The central concern of this paper is how an adapted physical education practicum and the journal writing of that experience affected the lives of the students involved. The paper uses as its resource material the fieldwork journals of physical education students who were involved in practicum experiences with people of varying abilities and disabilities. The stories in the journals disclose something of what it is like to come to terms with others and with oneself in the "adapted" teaching-learning adventure. These disclosures will be presented thematically, the themes describing a journey through an adapted physical education practicum. The thematic composite of this journey is based upon content, critical, and thematic analyses of the data, coupled with the experiences and insights of the student collaborators. The potential for these kinds of experiences in physical education and teacher education is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are basic philosophical and paradigmatic assumptions that guide scholarly research endeavors, including the methods used and the types of questions asked. Through this article, kinesiology faculty and students with interests in adapted physical activity are encouraged to understand the basic assumptions of applied behavior analysis (ABA) methodology for conducting, analyzing, and presenting research of high quality in this paradigm. The purposes of this viewpoint paper are to present information fundamental to understanding the assumptions undergirding research methodology in ABA, describe key aspects of single-subject research designs, and discuss common research designs and data-analysis strategies used in single-subject studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents information on several articles and books related to physical activity, published in the issue of the periodical "Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly" as on January 2004. The Article "Activity-Based Intervention Research and Resources" is an annotated bibliography of research and resources related to activity-based instruction. This article is a also a good overview for adapted physical education teachers and researchers interested in investigating the activity-based intervention approach. The book "Positive Behavior Supports: A Review of the Literature," is an approach to discipline that reflects on the cumulative variables that affect one's behaviors.

The purpose of this paper was to provide examples of physical activities in which children with severe spastic cerebral palsy can participate. These activities were designed in consultation with a physical therapist and used in elementary and middle schools. They included the four-pin stretch, sitting t-ball, hit and move, soccer kick, wheelchair knockdown, and tetherball. Each activity was described and illustrated. Also mentioned was the importance of cooperative planning with allied health personnel and the need to analyze and adapt skills that lead to successful performance. This paper is most useful for practitioners seeking activities that can be safely and successfully employed in an adapted physical education class. It could also serve as supplemental reading for undergraduate physical education majors enrolled in an adapted physical education class. For students, the paper identifies activities that could be utilized in an adapted laboratory experience or included in their adapted physical education activity notebook. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to show how images of disability are portrayed in physical education textbooks for secondary schools in Spain. The sample was composed of 3,316 images published in 36 textbooks by 10 publishing houses. A content analysis was carried out using a coding scheme based on categories employed in other similar studies and adapted to the requirements of this study with additional categories. The variables were camera angle, gender, type of physical activity, field of practice, space, and level. Univariate and bivariate descriptive analyses were also carried out. The Pearson chi-square statistic was used to identify associations between the variables. Results showed a noticeable imbalance between people with disabilities and people without disabilities, and women with disabilities were less frequently represented than men with disabilities. People with disabilities were depicted as participating in a very limited variety of segregated, competitive, and elite sports activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides support for the Personal-Social Responsibility Model (RM) for physical education. This physical activity program model, originally developed for underserved youth, is used in physical activity and other programs for a wide range of children in many states and several countries. In order to address several issues on this topic, the authors have reviewed 26 studies within this article. Each study investigated the impact of RM on underserved and⁄or at-risk youth. They suggest, however, that the 26 reviewed studies offer good evidence of the theoretical and practical potential of RM as a program model for underserved and at-risk youth and feel strongly that further research is warranted.

The practice of adapted physical education should be consistent with a theoretical model of motor behavior, We believe that the dominant view of movement skills, motor abilities, and general motor ability, as expressed in the current literature, often is not congruent with assessment instruments currently used in adapted physical education. The purpose of this paper is to review the dominant conceptualization of skills, abilities, and general motor ability; present four problems with the dominant view related to assessment in adapted physical education; and then offer a new perspective based on a four-level taxonomy. The levels of the proposed taxonomy are movement skills, movement skill sets, movement skill foundations, and general motor ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to examine the content of previously published empirical literature utilizing self-efficacy theory with regard to physical education teachers' perceived self-confidence to teach students with disabilities in general physical education. Keyword searches were used to identify relevant literature from electronic databases published from 2000 to 2022. Twenty-four articles, from 11 countries, met all inclusion criteria, and relevant data regarding participants, theory, measurement, research design, and dependent variables were extracted. Of the 24 studies, nine were survey validation, eight were experimental, six were cross-sectional, and one was mixed-methods design. Major findings across the examined studies indicate that teachers' perceptions of training, amount of experience, and support from personnel significantly influence their self-efficacy toward teaching students with disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is imperative that teachers utilize effective and efficient instructional strategies to teach task-analyzed gross motor skills in physical education activities to individuals with severe disabilities. The purpose of this paper is to describe the constant time delay procedure, which has been shown to be effective in teaching task-analyzed fine motor skills in daily living and safety activities. In this article, guidelines are presented for teaching task-analyzed gross motor skills to individuals with severe intellectual disabilities. These guidelines are based on a review of the constant time delay procedure reported in the special education literature and current research being conducted by the authors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This investigation is concerned with the identification and assessment of Singaporean primary school children who have developmental coordination disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 1987). The present study forms part of a larger project concerned with the suitability of currently available assessment techniques and intervention programs for use in Singapore. In this paper the usefulness of the Movement ABC Checklist and Test as an assessment instrument is explored. The data on a sample of 212 7- and 8-year-olds compared favorably with data from the standardized sample in the United Kingdom. Age and gender differences were similar, and the effects of increasing task difficulty within the checklist were generally confirmed. The checklist identified 15.6% of children as having movement problems or being at risk, which was close to the value obtained in the U.K. The Movement ABCTest provided evidence of the validity of this figure as it successfully differentiated the selected children from age-matched controls who scored well on the checklist. Although some of the items in both instruments need modification, the results suggest that the Movement ABC package is a workable research tool in the Singaporean context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Staff development is essential for physical educators who teach students with disabilities in the regular program. In the past, in-service providers were primarily concerned with assessment procedures, curriculum content, and teaching methodology. These same professionals failed to acknowledge the importance of various issues and concerns (e.g., school district policies, procedures, and practices) when planning and conducting staff development. Content covered in this paper includes (a) issues and concerns that affect what teachers learn in staff development programs, (b) use of established group process techniques (Nominal Group Technique and Interpretive Structural Modeling) to identify issues and concerns that influence teachers' abilities to comply with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and (c) differences between teachers' and administrators' perceptions concerning which issues and concerns are important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is appropriate physical education for students with profound disabilities? Some suggest a developmental model in which students learn prerequisite skills before they are exposed to higher level skills. Others suggest the use of specially designed games that often bear little resemblance to traditional physical education activities. Still others call for a therapeutic model in which physical education focuses on physical and occupational therapy techniques. While these models provide viable programming options for students with profound disabilities, alone they do not constitute an appropriate physical education program as defined in PL 94-142 (reauthorized as PL 101-476). In addition, current philosophies in special education for students with severe and profound disabilities call for programs that are chronological age appropriate, functional, data based, and taught in natural, community based settings. This paper provides an alternative view of what is appropriate physical education for students with profound disabilities by integrating the best aspects of the models described above with the current life-skills curricula model employed in special education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Balance is an integral part of most movement activities, but assessing its contribution to overall movement performance and identifying possible balance deficits poses a complex problem. Although almost all of the adapted physical education textbooks published in the last 10 years include a section on balance, adapted physical educators need a more in-depth understanding of the issues related to the assessment of balance and postural control that presently may be gained only by going directly to the extensive research base that cuts across many fields of inquiry. Thus the purpose of this paper is to (a) provide a brief overview of the current knowledge base related to balance, with an emphasis on balance deficits, and (b) describe the types of tasks used to assess balance, discuss some problems involved in evaluating balance in adapted physical education, and provide some suggestions on how to improve balance assessment procedures in adapted physical education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tests constructed using item response theory (IRT) produce invariant item and test parameters, making it possible to construct tests and test items useful over many populations. This paper heuristically and empirically compares the utility of classical test theory (CTT) and IRT using psychomotor skill data. Data from the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD) (Ulrich, 1985) were used to assess the feasibility of fitting existing IRT models to dichotomously scored psychomotor skill data. As expected, CTT and IRT analyses yielded parallel interpretations of item and subtest difficulty and discrimination. However, IRT provided significant additional analysis of the error associated with estimating examinee ability. The IRT two-parameter logistic model provided a superior model fit to the one-parameter logistic model. Although both TGMD subtests estimated ability for examinees of low to average ability, the object control subtest estimated examinee ability more precisely at higher difficulty levels than the locomotor subtest. The results suggest that IRT is particularly well suited to construct tests that can meet the challenging measurement demands of adapted physical education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper emphasizes that attitude research in adapted physical education must become increasingly theory oriented. Likewise, teacher training must broaden to include scholarly study in relation to social psychology and attitude theory. To facilitate progress in this direction, nine attitude theories have been abstracted from the literature and reviewed under four general headings: learning-behavior theories, cognitive integration theories, consistency theories, and reasoned action theory. Individual theories presented are (a) contact, (b) mediated generalization, (c) assimilation-contrast or persuasive communication, (d) stigma, (e) interpersonal relations, (f) group dynamics, (g) cognitive dissonance, and (h) reasoned action. Illustrations of how each theory applies to selected studies in adapted physical education research and practice are offered, and a lengthy reference list provides both primary and secondary sources for the further study of attitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adapted physical education specialists must design and carry out programs for students with movement coordination problems, but intervention strategies for such students are rarely included in adapted physical education textbooks. In response to the lack of information available to practitioners, the purpose of this paper is to provide a conceptual framework for better understanding movement coordination, to briefly review some of the methods used by both researchers and practitioners to assess coordination, and to present some possible strategies for addressing movement coordination deficits. Two types of coordination solutions are discussed--neuromotor and mechanical--and specific activity progressions are given for jumping jacks and overhand throwing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The review of literature focuses upon a disorder that affects between 2 and 25 % of school-age children. Commonly referred to as hyperkinesis, the disorder lacks definitive consensus on nomenclature, etiology, treatment, and symptomatology. The divergence in identifying hyperkinesis as a homogeneous disorder has prevented the development of data based educational strategies.The disorder is often associated with learning disabilities, and research in hyperkinesis or attentional deficit disorder relative to psychomotor skills and learning has been limited. Subsequently, motor activity programs have not had the resources to address the motor needs of these children. This paper reviews the divergency in the literature on hyperkinesis and offers research considerations in the area of motor learning and development for these children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terminology used to describe our discipline/profession varies throughout Europe and North America; in this paper the term adapted physical activity is used as an umbrella term. (The term will be defined and described by Geoffrey Broadhead in a Opening Session keynote presentation at the 7th International Symposium Adapted Physical Activity in Berlin in June 1989.) Precedent has already been set for its use as the umbrella term. For example, it is used in the title of our international organization, the International Federation on Adapted Physical Activity, and for our international symposia (e.g., 7th International Symposium Adapted Physical Activity in Berlin). It is found in the title of this journal as well as in the name of a professional council of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, the Adapted Physical Activity Council, the European organization entitled the European Association for Research on Adapted Physical Activity (Vermeer, 1988), and in the "Jasper Talks: Strategies for Change in Adapted Physical Activity in Canada" (CAHPER/ACSEPL, 1988). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to increase awareness of creativity as a goal of adapted physical education, to describe assessment techniques, and to suggest instructional approaches for developing creativity in the movement setting. Creative behaviors that can be developed in handicapped children and youth include fluency, flexibility, originality, elaboration, risk-taking, courage, curiosity, and imagination. Research on creativity and handicapped children is identified and cited. Assessment instruments reviewed are Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking, Wyrick Test of Motor Creativity, Torrance Test of Thinking Creatively in Action and Movement, TWU Motor Creativity Rating Scale, and Brennan Test of Creative Motor Performance. Instructional approaches described are dance and movement education, games analysis intervention, and shared decision-making versus teacher decision-making. Also discussed are modeling and the influence of specific teaching behaviors on handicapped children's classroom responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper traces the rare intertwining of motor learning theory and research undertaken with mentally retarded (MR) individuals. Some of the broad themes in the research are outlined from a historical context, and their impact on motor learning in MR persons is examined. If for no other reason than the sheer volume of the work, traditional information processing theory is emphasized within its historical context. The review treats as subject matter the main theoretical developments leading to the adoption of the information processing model. Rationale for the widespread use of the model to account for rather than describe the performance of MR persons is outlined, particularly as it relates to theoretical development. Further, some comment on the state of knowledge is added along with conjecture about the future of motor control research with MR individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the exercise tolerance of a young girl with a congenital heart defect associated with asplenia syndrome. The child was exercised minimally on a treadmill for a period of 10 minutes, during which time heart rate, blood pressure, ECG, and transcutaneous PO2 values were monitored. Due to a small increase in heart rate and a very low PO2 during exercise, it was suggested that some adaptive mechanism had been developed to counteract her cyanotic condition. An optimal increase in hematocrit and hemoglobin levels supported this. No ECG abnormalities were noted. It was concluded that this child should have some, but minimal, involvement in physical education programs despite the severity of her condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the editor's views regarding the periodical "Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly (APAQ)" as on January 2004. The editor says that it is now a decade since APAQ has become the official publication of the organization International Federation of Adapted Physical Activity (IFAPA).With the formal APAQ/IFAPA alliance came a more diversified editorial board, consisting of scholars from selected countries. He further says that the periodical's international perspective has also allowed to begin developing a richer understanding of adapted physical activity from a variety of cultural contexts.

Presents abstracts on physical activity published in the 2001 issue of the 'Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly' journal. 'Circuit Resistance Training,' by P.L. Jacobs, M.S. Nash and J.W. Rusinowski; 'Health Supervision Guidelines for Children With Down Syndrome'; 'Developing Motor Growth Curves for Children With Down Syndrome,' by R.J. Palisano, S.D. Walter, D.J. Russell, P.L. Rosenbaum, M. Gemus, B.E. Galuppie, and L. Cunningham.

The purposes of this study were (a) to investigate the prevalence of physical educators who report delivering high-quality instructional practices to students with disabilities and (b) to examine the relationships between teachers' qualifications and the delivery of high-quality instructional practices. A secondary analysis using data from the School Health Policy and Practice Study 2014 data set was employed. The analytic sample included 256 physical educators who taught students with disabilities. Prevalence estimates of physical educators who reported using high-quality instructional practices were calculated. Two separate binary logistic regressions using weighted data were conducted to evaluate the relative contribution of (a) teacher qualifications and (b) educational degrees in accounting for differences in the use of high-quality instructional practices. Less than half of the sample reported using high-quality instructional practices. Considering the increasing prevalence of students with disabilities in general education classrooms, teacher education programs should prioritize providing teacher candidates with coursework that aligns with the expectations of physical educators who teach students with disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts of physical activity and education research. They include "Inclusion in Physical Education: From the Medical Model to Social Constructionism," "Social Skills Intervention for Children Who Are Blind," "Web-Based Training for Preparing Teachers to Supervise Paraeducators," and "Teacher's Verbal Aggression and Student's Fair Play Behaviors."

The purpose was to determine whether publications pertaining to adapted physical activity (APA) pedagogy in the core serials from 1988 to 1998 adhere to library science laws. A bibliometric analysis was conducted on 770 articles in 259 serials selected from 4,130 serials initially identified in four databases (Article First, ERIC, Medline, Sport Discus). Results indicated that 1,720 authors have constructed the early APA pedagogy literature. Of these, only 11 contributed four or more articles. The scatter of APA pedagogy literature over four zones, with 4, 15, 64, and 176 journals in the zones, respectively, supports Bradford's law of scattering. Price's law was not supported because most authors contributed only one article. Most pedagogy articles (n = 184) were published in Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise, Physician and Sports Medicine, and Palaestra. Graduate education should include exposure to bibliometrics and collaboration with library and information science specialists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents several abstracts related to physical activity research. 'Intervention Programs for Children with DCD' by H.C. Wright and D.A. Sugden; 'Test of Infant Motor Performance' by M.E. Murney and S.K. Campbell; 'Accountability and Competence' by L.C. Fawcett and L.R. Strickland; 'Premature Babies' by J. Case-Smith, L. Butcher and D. Reed.

This article provides summaries of published studies regarding the field of adapted physical activity. The article "Diamond of the visually impaired athlete," by J. Maestro, appearing in the journal "Palestra: The Forum of Sport of Physical Education for the Disabled," is summarized. Provided as well is a summary of the article "Kinesthetic recall of children with athetoid and spastic cerebral palsy and of non-handicapped children," by J. Opila-Lehman, M. Short and C. Trombly, appearing in the journal "Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology." Also summarized is the article "Development of a short form to assess perceived freedom in leisure," by P. A. Willis and G. D. Ellis, appearing in the "Journal of Leisure Research.

An historical view of the life and contributions of Hollis Francis Fait to the field of special physical education is presented in this article. Dr. Fait's childhood, education, and early career are explored as well as his success in developing at the University of Connecticut one of the first graduate programs to train physical educators to work with the handicapped. Dr. Fait's perspectives on athletics, administration, minorities, and scholarship are described. His belief in the need for concise language and clarity of thought demonstrated in his own scholarship is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents several abstracts related to physical activity research. 'Something to Consider? by B.A. Ferri, C.H. Keefe and N. Gregg; 'Aerobic Activities and Cystic Fibrosis' by P.A. Nixon, D.M. Orenstein and S.F. Kelsey; 'Do People With Visual Impairments Have Increased Acuteness in Other Senses? by G. Grouios, A. Alevriadou and I. Koidou.

The Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD) measures fundamental motor skills competency and is frequently used for eligibility determination of adapted physical education services in children with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to determine if the TGMD-3 is clinically sensitive to detect deficits in the fundamental motor skills of children with disabilities (i.e., intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, language and articulation disorders). Eighty-five children with disabilities and 85 matched controls (i.e., typically developing, individually matched on age, sex, ethnicity, and race) completed the TGMD-3. Mann–Whitney U tests identified significant differences in the total TGMD-3 scores for children with intellectual disability (p <.001), autism spectrum disorder (p <.001), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (p =.032). No differences were identified for children with language and articulation disorders. Comparisons of subscales (i.e., locomotor and ball skills) differed across disability groups. This study provides evidence that the TGMD-3 is clinically sensitive to identify deficits in fundamental motor skills competency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between interpersonal/intrapersonal mindfulness, contact anxiety, and attitudes toward students with visual impairments among certified adapted physical educators. Participants included 115 certified adapted physical educators who completed a 31-item online survey, composed of a 10-item demographic questionnaire, a 14-item mindfulness in teaching scale, a four-item intergroup anxiety scale, and a three-item attitude scale. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that intrapersonal mindfulness was a negative predictor of contact anxiety (β = −0.26, p =.007) and contact anxiety negatively predicted attitudes (β = −0.22, p =.02). A mediation analysis revealed that intrapersonal mindfulness had an indirect effect on attitudes through contact anxiety, b = 0.09, SE = 0.05, 95% confidence interval [0.006, 0.22]. Collectively, both intrapersonal and interpersonal mindfulness appear to be responsible for the formation of attitudes, but with different underlying processes involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) may experience stress in physical activity contexts due to emphasis on their poor motor skills. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of children at risk for DCD in physical education in order to develop a deeper understanding about what they experience as stress and how they cope with it. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, six children in Grades 4–6 participated in two semistructured interviews. A motivational (and developmental) stress and coping theory informed interpretation of the three themes that described the children's experiences: (a) they hurt me—psychological and physical harm sustained from peers, (b) it's hard for me—difficulties encountered in activities, and (c) I have to—pressure to meet the teacher's demands. Although the children at risk for DCD were confronted with various stressors in physical education, they coped more adaptively when social support was provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to describe the reflections of adults with visual impairments about learning to run during K–12 physical education. An interpretative phenomenological analysis research approach was used, and eight adults (age 22–35 years) with visual impairments served as participants. Primary data sources were semistructured, audiotaped telephone interviews and reflective interview notes. Based on a thematic data analysis process, two themes were developed: (a) "I wouldn't expect anything better from you": running instruction in physical education and (b) "You look like the guy in the crosswalk signal": making up for the shortcomings of physical education. The narratives portraying these themes highlight the lack of instruction that took place in physical education, and the fact that no running instruction occurred at all. These findings indicate that professionals working with individuals with visual impairments should use instructional strategies that will allow for maximum access to learning fundamental movement skills such as running. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the periodical "Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly" (APAQ). The APAQ invites manuscripts from the fields of corrective therapy, gerontology, health science, occupational therapy, pediatrics, physical education, physical therapy, recreation, and rehabilitation. The APAQ's mission is to stimulate scholarly inquiry into the physical activity of special populations including at-risk infants and preschool children, handicapped children and young adults, the aging and the elderly.

Teachers' attitudes toward students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are vital predictors of successful inclusive education. Guided by the basic psychological needs theory, this cross-sectional survey aimed to examine the relationships among mindfulness, basic psychological needs satisfaction (basic psychological needs theory-based construct), and attitudes toward including students with ASD among preservice physical education (PE) teachers. A multisection survey form was administered to 211 preservice PE teachers. Path analysis indicated that mindfulness and basic psychological needs satisfaction positively predicted attitudes toward the inclusion of students with ASD. In addition, mindfulness had an indirect effect on attitudes through basic psychological needs satisfaction. The findings provide a preliminary direction for the development of a mindfulness-based intervention program for enhancing preservice PE teachers' attitudes toward the inclusion of students with ASD. The findings also suggest that the basic psychological needs theory is a useful framework for understanding the relationship between mindfulness and attitudes. Future longitudinal or intervention studies are needed to examine whether the findings can be replicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students regularly learn to exhibit appropriate social skills during physical education. These skills include communication, problem-solving, decision making, assertion, interactions with others and self-management. Social skills are transferred to interactions with family, friends and teachers. However, there are only a few studies that sought parents' understandings of social skills and identified parents' perspectives of their children's social skills. Critical skills identified by parents were grouped into two broad categories, namely, interpersonal and intrapersonal skills and moral development. A further outcome of data analysis included parents' unsolicited suggestions for effectively teaching social skills to students with high-incidence disabilities.

Discusses the strategies for success transition. Explanation on practical examples and planning methods of the Adapted Physical Education Transition Model; List of professionals who should participate in planning and implementing services; Benefits of the transition programs.

Presents an overview of behavioral analysis research conducted in physical education settings. Number of articles that were selected by the authors which used a single subject design to asses the effects of behavioral interventions; Categorization of the articles; Recommendations given for future research.

The purpose of this study was to adopt an explicitly intersectional approach to examine the embodied perspectives of males with visual impairments about physical education. An interpretative phenomenological analysis research approach was used, and six adults (18-33 years) who identified as males with visual impairments acted as participants. The primary sources of data were semistructured, audiotaped, telephone interviews and reflective field notes. Thematic development utilized a four-step interpretative phenomenological analysis-guided analytical process. Based on the data analysis, the following three interrelated themes emerged: (a) "I didn't feel very integrated": Noninclu- sionary experiences based on blindness; (b) "Oh great, where's my cane now?": Bullying, blindness, and maleness; and (c) "Okay, just do what you can": Competitive culture glass ceiling. The themes highlight several issues that have been faced by males with visual impairments, which should be considered by physical education and adapted physical education personnel to enhance the quality of education for this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic review examines research published from 2009 to 2015 on inclusion of children with disabilities in physical education according to the PRISMA guidelines. We have used a stakeholder approach as a framework for organizing and discussing the results. The searches yielded 535 studies, of which 112 were included. The systematic review outlines which stakeholder perspectives received the most attention, the main themes and findings, the methodological trends that governed the research contribution, and the country of data collection. The main findings indicated that perspectives of pre- and in-service teachers and studies of attitudes still dominate the research contributions. The strengths and limitations of the research conducted to date highlight that several other perspectives need to be discussed. Especially important is seeking information from children with disabilities themselves. Other barriers and facilitators perceived by those actively involved in the inclusion process need to be sought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the behavioral beliefs of physical education (PE) teachers about teaching students with disabilities in their general PE (GPE) classes and to identify the factors that contribute to their beliefs. A total of 195 PE teachers from a region in eastern China were surveyed. Results of the Physical Educators’ Attitudes Toward Teaching Individuals With Disabilities-III survey indicate that although some teachers felt that including students with disabilities in GPE classes provides benefit for them, they were concerned about the practical difficulties of teaching students with disabilities in GPE classes, the lack of support, and the possible rejection of students with disabilities by their peers. Moreover, the behavioral beliefs of teachers vary according to the disability conditions of the students. Results show that there is no significant effect of demographic factors on the beliefs of PE teachers. Quality of experience predicts positive beliefs. The study has important implication for teacher training, provision of equipment, and support from teacher assistants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article was to review published research literature on physical activity for school-age individuals with visual impairments by describing study characteristics and major findings. Keyword searches were used to identify articles from electronic databases published from 1982 to June 2013. Eighteen articles met all inclusion criteria, and relevant data such as participants, visual-impairment levels, theory, measurement, and dependent variables were extracted from them. Of the 18 studies, 5 were descriptive, 6 correlational, and 7 were interventions. Only 4 studies explicitly stated a theoretical or conceptual framework. Major findings suggest that low physical activity levels of school-age individuals with visual impairments may be related to perceived participation barriers including the availability of appropriate opportunities rather than visual acuity or educational setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]