Teaching, Responding, &

Communicating

Quality Physical Education

In the regular physical education class. The regular physical education teacher or a specially trained adapted physical education specialist should evaluate the student’s present level of functioning. Suggested areas to be evaluated include: skills leading to physical and motor .tness; fundamental motor skills and patterns; and skills in aquatics, dance and individual and group games and sports (including intramural and lifetime sports).

If the evaluation indicates that the student needs adapted physical education, then the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team is responsible for developing the IEP goals for students in physical education. It is vital that regular physical education teachers take part in the development of the IEP since they will be responsible, often with assistance from the adapted physical education teacher or other support, for implementing the physical education goals. It is important to note that related services, such as physical or occupational therapy, cannot take the place of adapted physical education.

Creating Quality, Inclusive Physical Education & Physical Activity for all Students

O V E R V I E W :

Students with permanent or temporary mental, physical or emotional disabilities, who are unable to have all their educational needs met in a regular physical education class during the school day or to be adequately educated in the public schools are identi.ed as “children with disabilities.” These students need special consideration in the planning and implementation of the physical education program being provided to them. If not, they will not be able to participate safely and / or successfully, thus not gain the physical, social, and psychological bene.ts that a quality physical education program can offer. In many cases regular physical education teachers are not equipped with the knowledge and skills to effectively include children with disabilities into their classes. This document offers some basic information on how the physical education teacher can ensure that services are available to everyone they teach.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This law requires schools to provide assistance to students with special learning needs who do not meet the evaluative criteria for eligibility for special education under the provisions of the IDEA. Students covered under this law are provided a 504 plan, which outlines accommodations and modi.cations he or she needs to participate effectively in the regular curriculum. Covered students are also entitled to adapted equipment, different testing procedures, extra time to complete tasks, and any other changes that “level the playing .eld” in physical education. This is a regular education initiative and does not have special education funding provided to supplement the service.

*Included in this document you will .nd adaptations, resources, and ideas to provide inclusive and successful physical education for all children.

F E D E R A L L A W :

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, (IDEA) Public Law 105-17

The purpose of IDEA is to ensure that children evaluated in accordance with this act and identi.ed as having a disability have made available to them a free and appropriate public education that provides special education and/or related services. Special education is specially designed instruction designed to meet the unique needs of an individual student and includes instruction in physical education. Schools are responsible for determining on at least an annual basis whether a student’s disability adversely affects his/her performance.

Suggestions

For Adapting Activities

There may be speci.c components of any given activity that pose a barrier to participation of students with disabilities. Listed below are selected activities and suggestions on how to make them accessible to students with varying abilities.

Although adaptations needed to participate in physical education activities vary from student to student, many general modi.cations apply to students’ with similar needs. A few suggestions are listed below.

Rules, Prompts, & Clues

• Demonstrate / Modify Activity

• Use peers as partners

• Modify time limits

• Oral Prompt

• Provide more / different space between students

• Eliminate outs / strike-outs

• Allow ball to remain stationary

• Allow batter to sit in chair

• Place student with disability near teacher

Modifications

For Selected Activities

Basketball

• Use various size balls

(size, weight, texture, color)

• Allow traveling

• Allow two-hand dribble

• Disregard three second lane violation

• Use larger / lower goal

• Slow the pace, especially when first learning

• If student uses wheelchair, allow him / her to hold the ball on their lap while pushing the wheelchair

• Use beeper ball, radio under basket for individual with visual impairment

Equipment

• Larger / Lighter Bat

• Scoops for catching

• Use of velcro

• Lower goal / target

• Larger goal / target

• Mark positions on playing feild

• Varying balls or equipment

( size, weight, color, texture)

Bowling

• Simplify / reduce the number of steps

• Use two hands instead of one

• Remain in stationary position

• Use a ramp

• Use a partner

• Give continuous verbal cures

Boundary / Playing Feild

• Decrease distance

• Use well-de.ned boundaries

• Adapt play area (smaller, obstacles removed)

• Simplify patterns

Softball

• Use velcro balls and mitts

• Use larger or smaller bats

• Use a batting tee

• Reduce the base distances

• Use Incrediballs

• Shorten the pitching distance

• If individual is in wheelchair, allow them to push ball off ramp, off lap, or from tee

• Use beeper balls

• Provide a peer to assist

• Players without disabilities play regular depth defense

• Students without disabilities count to ten before tagging out person with disability

Actions

• Change locomotor patterns

• Modify body positions

• Modify grasps

• Reduce number of actions

• Provide frequent rest periods

Time

• Vary the tempo

• Lengthen or shorten the time

• Slow the activity pace

• Provide frequent rest periods

* This information provided by PE Central (http://www.pecentral.org).

Communication

Some Rules of Thumb

For students with disabilities, communication can often be a signi.cant barrier to full inclusion in class. Below are some basic strategies to use when communicating with people with certain categories of disability.

Many students with disabilities are not able to read or use handouts or materials that are typically given out. Below is information on a variety of alternate formats that might be used.

Vision

• Orient persons to the room using specifcs like “clock clues”

• Don’t shout

• Give verbal cues when conversing

• Identify yourself and other around you

• Don’t leave without saying you are doing so

Speech

• Give your whole attention to the person

• Allow time for person to .nish speaking

• Ask short questions that require short answers, speak normally

• Speak expressively, use pen / paper if needed

• Don’t pretend to understand when you do not

Mobility

• Don’t move a person’s assistive device without permission

• Speak at their eye level, but do not kneel

• When giving directions, consider distance,

terrain, or other obstacles

Hearing

• Look at the student and speak clearly, slowly,

and expressively, with normal tone

• Get their full attention

• Use pen and paper

• Place yourself near a light source

• Don’t cover your mouth

• Talk directly to the person who is deaf

or hard or hearing, not the interpreter

• If you are writing a message,

do not talk at the same time

Cognitive

• Allow enough time for the individual to learn

and master a new task. Repetition is important

• Give one direction at a time

• Be patient and allow extra time for the person

to put their thoughts together

• Give exact instructions (i.e., “Be back at 12:30”

as opposed to “30 minutes”)

Helpful Hints

About Teaching Materials

Visual Aids / Lecture

• Visual aids should be large with bold fonts using bright, high-contrast color

• Visuals should always be described

• Provide copies or outline of presentations ahead of time

Large Print

• Double spaced, 1 inch margins on all sides

• Use a bold serif 16 font for text, non-bold serif font for headings

• Underline instead of italics

• Print single sided pages

• Use non-glare paper (pale yellow or buff mate)

Audio / Electronic

• Have computer disks available for homework

or other assignments to be put on disks

• Save information as a text .le

• Have audio tapes on hand with tape recorder

• Always orally describe visuals

Web & Other Media Access

• Site features such as alt tags (descriptions that pop up when a mouse rolls over an image), large san-serif fonts (non-decorative fonts like Arial, Veranda, and Tahoma) , clear color contrast, and web software testers such as “Bobby Approved” displayed icons assure better accessibility

• Have written or visual descriptions of audio

information

• Use captions on videos

• Consult resources such as the National Center on Accessible Media (http://www.ncam.org) or Web Accessibility in Mind (http://www.webaim.org) for further information

Selected Resources

On Adapted Physical Education/Activity:

National Center on Physical Activity & Disability, (NCPAD):

Web site: http://www.ncpad.org

Phone: 1-800-900-8086

PE Central

Web site: http://www.pecentral.org

Email: pec@pecentral.org

Phone: 540-953-1043

Address: PE Central P.O. Box 10262 Blacksburg, VA 24062

Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights, (PACER), Web site: http://www.pacer.org

Voice: (952) 838-9000 - TTY: (952) 838-0190

Address: 8161 Normandale Blvd., Minneapolis, Minnesota 55437

The North Carolina Office on Disability and Health, (NCODH)

Web site: http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~ncodh

Email: odhpubs@mail.fpg.unc.edu

Voice / TTY: (919) 843-3531

NC Department of Public Instruction

Exceptional Children and Healthful Living Section

Address: 301 N. Wilmington St., Raleigh, NC 28601

David Mills, Chief, Speech and Language, 919-807-3982

Kymm Ballard, Physical Education, Sports Medicine & Athletics Consultant, 919-807-3858

Physical Education is a component of a Coordinated School Health Program. These compo-nents include: physical education, school nutrition services, comprehensive school health education, school health services, counseling, psychological, and social services, family and community involvement in school health, healthy school environment, and staff wellness.

In complaince with federal law, including the provisions of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, NC Public Schools all state-operated

edu_, age, military

service, disability, or gender, except where exemption is appropriate and allowed by law. Inquiries or complaints should be directed to: Dr. Elsie C.

Leak, Associate Superintendent, Of.ce of Curriculum and School Reform Services, 6307 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-6307;

Telephone (919) 807-3761; Fax (919) 807-3767.

This publication was made possible by the following contributors: