ERIC Number: EJ890572
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0827-3383
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Available Date: N/A
Elementary Physical Education Teachers' Attitudes towards the Inclusion of Children with Special Needs: A Qualitative Investigation
Combs, Sue; Elliott, Steven; Whipple, Kerry
International Journal of Special Education, v25 n1 p114-125 2010
Laws and legislation have resulted in children with special needs being placed in general physical education (GPE) classes with general physical educators. The purpose of this study was twofold; (a) to identify two practicing teachers with positive attitudes towards inclusion of students with mild to moderate disabilities and two teachers with negative attitudes towards inclusion of students with disabilities using Rizzo's (1993) Physical Education Attitudes Toward Individuals with Disabilities survey (PEATID), and (b) to investigate, through in-depth interviews, how their attitudes were formed and how it affected their teaching. Teachers with positive attitudes; (a) identified multiple focus areas and objectives in their teaching, (b) developed written lesson plans that incorporated several different teaching styles, (c) had received training in modifying and adapting physical education for students with disabilities, and (d) desired their students to be successful in their classes. The findings have implications for the field of physical education teacher education (PETE). PETE programs should develop programs of study that include adapted physical education classes. Additionally pre-service teachers should be taught how to plan, modify, and deliver developmentally appropriate activities for children with and without special needs.
Descriptors: Preservice Teacher Education, Adapted Physical Education, Teaching Styles, Inclusive Schools, Negative Attitudes, Disabilities, Physical Education Teachers, Special Needs Students, Teacher Attitudes, Attitudes toward Disabilities, Lesson Plans, Developmentally Appropriate Practices, Measures (Individuals), Qualitative Research
International Journal of Special Education. 2889 Highbury Street, Vancouver, BC V6R 3T7, Canada. Web site: http://www.internationaljournalofspecialeducation.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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Author Affiliations: N/A