Relegated to the Sidelines: A Qualitative Inquiry of Gatekeepers' Perspectives and Values of Physical Education for Disabled Children.

Several institutional aspects within the U.S. public school system impede the delivery of adapted physical education (APE) services to disabled children, including a lack of understanding and prioritization of these services by the special education team and a lack of qualified APE professionals to deliver these services. Thus, we conducted a qualitative inquiry grounded in a critical-ableism perspective to explore special education gatekeepers' experiences and perspectives of APE. Gatekeepers included parents, physical educators, and school administrators. Using a reflexive thematic analysis, we developed four interrelated themes: (a) disregard, negative, and charity mindsets toward disability; (b) systemic challenges in valuing and prioritizing APE; (c) presence as inclusion: (un)intentional marginalization in physical education; and (d) physical education for my child was a nightmare. These findings illustrate the complexities around the provision of physical education and APE to disabled children.

Effects of Family-Professional Partnerships in Adapted Physical Education on the Fundamental Motor Skills, Adaptive Behaviors, and Physical Activity Levels of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and on Parent Satisfaction.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore the effect of family-professional partnerships in adapted physical education on the fundamental motor skills, physical activity levels, and adaptive behaviors of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and on parental satisfaction. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial design was used, with pre-and post-intervention evaluations. Participants (n = 40), including children with ASD and their parents, were divided into three groups: (a) a family-school group (FSG-A, n = 14), (b) a school group (SG-B, n = 13), and (c) a control group (CG-C, n = 13). RESULTS: After 12 weeks of intervention, the within-group comparison revealed that the FSG-A performed better than the SG-B and CG-C for all variables. The among-group comparison further revealed that the FSG-A had greater fundamental motor skill scores than the SG-B (p = 0.021) and CG-C (p < 0.001), had greater adaptive behavior and family-professional partnership scores than the SG-B and CG-C (p < 0.001 for all), and had higher physical activity levels than the SG-B (p < 0.05) and CG-C (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study underscores the significance of robust family-professional partnerships in exercise interventions for children with ASD.

Faculty Perspective Regarding Practical Experience of Adapted Physical Education for Undergraduate Students.

Preparing future physical education professionals to teach adapted physical education (APE) is a responsibility of physical education teacher education (PETE) programs. Furthermore, there is limited literature on practicum and/or field experiences as a part of APE courses from the perspective of faculty members. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore faculty views in relation to the practical experiences in undergraduate APE courses. Structured interviews were conducted with faculty members of higher education institutions in the U.S. There were five study participants in this study. Thematic analysis was employed for data analysis. The findings included three subthemes: (a) quality of quantity, (b) need for diversity in practical experiences, and (c) practical experience pertaining to APE courses. Practical experience in APE courses is an integral part of professional preparation for undergraduate students in kinesiology programs. There are no exact criteria for requirements across the states; however, students could maximize their learning by engaging in diverse APE practicum settings. The instructor of APE courses should provide clear guidelines and feedback for students. Instructors of APE courses must also consider the institutional and environmental context prior to planning and implementing practical experiences to provide successful learning experiences for students.

Understanding the Families' Perceptions of Adapted Physical Activity for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder through Metaphors.

The aim of this study was to understand the perceptions, understanding and experiences of the families of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) related to adapted physical activity (APA), and their educators, through their use of metaphors. The research was based on systematic content analysis in the qualitative research model. The data were collected based on metaphors. The participants included 85 families of individuals with ASD attending private institutions operating in Istanbul and Ankara. The metaphors used by the families were examined under two headings: adapted physical activities, and educators. When the metaphors used to describe APA were examined, four themes emerged, education, emotion, support and development, and these themes were divided into the categories of guidance, skill, affection, and care. When the metaphorical perceptions of educators were examined, three themes emerged: education, emotion, and social adaptation. These were further categorized as experience, knowledge, entertainment, independence, happiness, and treatment. The metaphors showed that experiences in APA support increased self-confidence for individuals with autism spectrum disorder and support the social adaptation of individuals who have the opportunity to apply knowledge and experience. This research shows that families have positive perceptions of APA educators and their lessons.

"Everybody Wants to be Included": Experiences with 'Inclusive' Strategies in Physical Education.

This study examined how students with orthopedic impairments experienced strategies identified in the literature to support 'inclusion'. An interpretative phenomenological analysis research approach was used, and six students with orthopedic impairments (age 10-14 years) served as participants. Data sources were written prompts, semi-structured, audiotaped interviews, and reflective interview notes. Based on thematic data analysis, four themes were constructed: "It's kind of embarrassing": experiences with support; "I don't want to be different": equipment, activity, and rule modifications; "I like to be a part of the conversation": autonomy and choice in PE; and "I would rather be like the other students": discussing disability. The experiences portrayed through these themes highlighted the differential effects of these explicated strategies, where each strategy contributed to feelings of inclusion, as well as marginalization among participants. As such, the findings indicated that 'inclusive' strategies should not be considered as blanket recommendations; instead, attempts to promote 'inclusion' of students with disabilities should start with a reflexive look at the unique needs of each individual student.

Physical Educators' Perceptions and Experiences of Teaching Students With Mobility Disabilities.

Schools can support physical education (PE) among students with mobility disabilities (SMDs). However, previous research has indicated that people and resources in the school environment have served as facilitators and barriers to engaging SMDs in PE. Thus, the purpose of this pragmatic, qualitative study was to explore physical educators' perceptions and experiences of teaching SMDs to learn how to develop a PE environment supportive of SMDs. Eleven K-8 PE teachers who taught SMDs engaged in semistructured interviews. A thematic analysis revealed three themes describing facilitators and barriers of a supportive PE environment for SMDs: (a) teacher planning, (b) students in the PE environment, and (c) resources and support. These findings provide context to PE environments for SMDs and highlight a need for increased communication and collaboration with students with or without mobility disabilities, training or professional development for PE teachers to develop skills for adapted PE, and financial and personnel support.

"If only balls could talk ": barriers and opportunities to participation for students with blindness and visual impairment in specialized PE.

Purpose: For children with blindness and visual impairment (BVI) of all ages, disability sport and/or regular Physical Activity (PA) are deemed beneficial, promoting physical and mental health as well as increasing wellbeing and life satisfaction. In this regard, Physical Education (PE) serves as a foundation to regular and lifelong participation in PA, mainstream and/or disability sport. Research points towards manifold participation barriers for children with BVI in PE, which so far have mainly been investigated in inclusive settings and from the perspectives of sighted parents, teachers and peers. Consequently, people with BVI frequently consider PE a missed opportunity for lifelong PA. As transitioning from general to special schooling deems the only alternative to continue their education, questions arise in how far and in which ways specialized schools manage to accommodate their needs in PE. To address these gaps in literature, we investigated BVI students' perceived opportunities and barriers to participation in PE within a specialized school setting and their imaginations for possible (digital) improvements and solutions. Materials and methods: Within the framework of Inclusive and Youth Participatory Action Research, we adopted the Mosaic Approach to investigate a sample of 19 students aged 14-20 at lower and upper secondary level in a specialized school in Austria. Data material included audio-recordings of interviews, student-guided school tours, photographs of significant places and objects and field protocols. The analysis was conducted with Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Results and conclusion: Through the analysis, we identified three themes. The data material firstly revealed the complex intricacies of how PE teachers can act as facilitators and gatekeepers to autonomous PA. Secondly, material norms function not only as barriers to participation even in a specialized school setting, but also constitute the basis for social hierarchies between students with various degrees of visual impairment. Thirdly, students imagined manifold digital solutions to enhance participation derived from their perceived barriers. The findings contribute to amplifying BVI individuals' voices and provide revealing insights in how participation in PA is enabled and prohibited for students with BVI which can not only help to improve specialized but also inclusive settings.

Análise da percepção de estagiários de educação física sobre a inclusão na escola: uma revisão integrativa / Análise da percepção de estagiários de educação física sobre a inclusão na escola: uma revisão integrativa / Análisis de la percepción de los pasantes de educación física sobre la inclusión en la escuela: una revisión integrativa

Resumo Este estudo objetivou analisar os estudos científicos acerca da percepção de estagiários de Educação Física sobre a inclusão de alunos com deficiência nas aulas de Educação Física Escolar. Foi realizada uma revisão integrativa com busca nas bases de dados Scopus, Web of Science, SciELO, BVS/Lilacs, PubMed, e ERIC via Portal de Periódicos CAPES. Os descritores utilizados foram: "Estagiário", "Educação Física Adaptada", "Educação Física Inclusiva", "Inclusão Escolar", "Estudante com Deficiência" e "Percepção", em português e inglês. Ao final, foram analisados 11 artigos científicos. Para a análise dos dados foram criadas 3 categorias. A primeira diz respeito à dificuldade encontrada pelos estagiários em conceituar inclusão; a segunda trata do papel do estágio na formação inicial e inclusiva, na qual os estagiários destacam o papel de auxiliares nos processos da educação física escolar e relatam que o estágio agregou valores e saberes sobre a inclusão. Por fim, a terceira categoria relata as dificuldades dos estagiários referentes à inclusão, sendo essas de cunho pedagógico, ligadas diretamente a lacunas na Formação Inicial.

Abstract This study aimed to analyze the scientific literature regarding the perception of Physical Education trainees about the inclusion of students with disabilities in School Physical Education classes. An integrative review was carried out with searches in the following databases: Scopus, Web of Science, SciELO, BVS/Lilacs, PubMed, and ERIC via CAPES Portal. We used the descriptors: "Trainee", "Adapted Physical Education", "Inclusive Physical Education", "School Inclusion", "Student with Disabilities" and "Perception", in Portuguese and English. 11 scientific articles were analyzed. For data analysis, 3 categories were created. The first category concerns the difficulty encountered by trainees in conceptualizing inclusion; the second category deals with the role of the internship in the inclusive initial teacher training, in which the interns highlight the function as assistants in the school physical education processes and report that the internship added values and knowledge about inclusion; finally, the third category reports the interns' difficulties regarding inclusion, these being of a pedagogical nature, directly linked to gaps in initial training.

Resumen Este estudio tuvo como objetivo analizar la literatura científica sobre la percepción de los alumnos de Educación Física sobre la inclusión de estudiantes con discapacidad en las clases de Educación Física Escolar. Se realizó una revisión integradora con búsquedas en las siguientes bases de datos: Scopus, Web of Science, SciELO, BVS/Lilacs, PubMed y ERIC a través del Portal CAPES. Utilizamos los descriptores: "Aprendiz", "Educación Física Adaptada", "Educación Física Inclusiva", "Inclusión Escolar", "Estudiante con Discapacidad" y "Percepción", en portugués e inglés. Se analizaron 11 artículos científicos. Para el análisis de datos se crearon 3 categorías. La primera categoría se refiere a la dificultad que encuentran los alumnos para conceptualizar la inclusión; la segunda categoría trata sobre el papel de la pasantía en la formación inicial docente inclusiva, en la que los pasantes destacan la función como asistentes en los procesos de educación física escolar y relatan que la pasantía agregó valores y conocimientos sobre inclusión; finalmente, la tercera categoría relata las dificultades de los pasantes en cuanto a la inclusión, siendo estas de carácter pedagógico, directamente vinculadas a los vacíos en la formación inicial.

The Impact of a Rater Training Program on the TGMD-3 Scoring Accuracy of Pre-Service Adapted Physical Education Teachers.

This study aimed to examine the impact of a TGMD-3 rater training program on pre-service adapted physical education (APE) teachers' ability to score fundamental motor skills for children with developmental disabilities (DD). The training program consisted of a description of the TGMD-3 instrument and DD, as well as content focused on skill performance and correct scoring through systematic analysis of 13 FMS via the instrument. Three experts established the standard score through the TGMD-3 performance evaluation of a child with DD. Thirty-nine pre-service APE teachers in the experimental group and 30 pre-service teachers in the control group completed the pre- and post-test process in this study. There were significant impacts on the pre-service teachers' ability to score the locomotor, ball skill subtests, and total skill scores (p < 0.05) compared to the control group. Specifically, the results of the three locomotor skills (running, horizontal jump, & slide) and three ball skills (two-hand strike, dribble, & kick) significantly improved in scoring accuracy. The results of this study can evidence that a TGMD-3 rater training program for pre-service APE teachers enhances the scoring accuracy of FMS among children with DD.

"They're Either Going to Find Ways to Include You or They're Just Kind of Not": Experiences of Students With Orthopedic Impairments in Integrated Physical Education.

This study explored the experiences of students with orthopedic impairments in integrated physical education (PE) classes. An interpretative phenomenological analysis research approach was used, and six students with orthopedic impairments (age = 10-14 years) served as participants. Data sources were semistructured, audiotaped interviews and reflective interview notes. Based on data analysis, three themes were developed-"Without it, they probably would like, just treat me normal," visibility, disclosure, and expectations; "I sit out," limited participation and a lack of modifications/accommodations; and "PE doesn't feel great," social interactions and perception of self. The experiences portrayed throughout these themes highlight the marginalization and lack of access that the participants encountered in their integrated PE classes. The findings indicated that PE professionals working with students with orthopedic impairments may benefit from reflecting on personal biases and their instructional practices in an effort to improve the quality of PE experiences for these students.

Construction of adapted physical education curriculum for children with intellectual disabilities using ICF / 中国康复理论与实践

ObjectiveIn implementation of International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) and reference to the Ministry of Education's Physical Education and Health Curriculum Standards for Compulsory Education (2022 Edition), a functioning-oriented adapted physical education curriculum system was developed for the development of children's core qualities in physical education and sport of children with intellectual disabilities. MethodsInternational Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) and ICF were used to systematically analyze the motor function, activity and participation of children with intellectual disabilities. Based on the ICF bio-psycho-social model of functioning, disability and health and the Ministry of Education's Physical Education and Health Curriculum Standards for Compulsory Education (2022 Edition), and with reference to the American Adapted Physical Education National Standards (3rd Edition) (APENS-3), a functioning-oriented adapted physical education curriculum system was constructed, which was suitable for the development of motor functioning and motor competence of children with intellectual disabilities. ResultsChildren with intellectual disabilities might experience slow development of basic movements, poor fitness level, low motor competence, and insufficient motor motivation. The goals of adapted physical education curriculum were mainly to promote the development of children's core quality in physical education and sport, i.e., motor competence, health behaviors, and physical moral attributes, and to master motor skills and develop motor competence, including motor competence development goals, movement development goals, physical activity participation goals, health goals, adaptation and empowerment goals. The content of adapted physical education curriculum included physical fitness activities, motor skill activities and sport related activities. The implementation process of adapted physical education program covered materials development, and adapted physical education program teaching advices. The education program was evaluated in terms of the development of motor competence, motor development, participation in physical activities, the development of healthy behaviors, and the adaptation to the natural and social environment, using a holistic and multidimensional evaluation approach to comprehensively evaluate the motor development and the mastery of building of children's core qualities in physical education and sport. Accessible environments and assistive technology should also be considerated in the development of adapted physical education programs. ConclusionBased on the bio-psycho-social health model of ICF, the Ministry of Education's Physical Education and Health Curriculum Standards for Compulsory Education (2022 Edition), and APENS-3, the theoretical framework for the development of adapted physical education curriculum for children with intellectual disabilities was developed, and a functioning-oriented adapted physical education curriculum system was established, which emphasized the development of children's core qualities in physical education and sport, i.e., motor ability, healthy behavior, and physical moral values.

Physical Education Teachers' Self-Efficacy toward Including Students with Autism in Saudi Arabia.

The inclusion of students with autism in physical education (PE) curricula has become a global trend. Although the self-efficacy of PE teachers has been identified as a major factor supporting the successful implementation of inclusive PE, limited research exists on this area in non-Western societies, especially Saudi Arabia. To address this paucity, the present study aimed (1) to determine the level of self-efficacy among PE teachers in Saudi Arabia toward including students with autism in PE classes via investigating specific independent variables; and (2) to identify the predictors of Saudi PE teachers' self-efficacy toward including students with autism. A total of 214 Saudi PE teachers (male n = 188; female n = 26; mean age = 41.07 years) participated in this study. Self-efficacy level toward including students with autism was measured using the Arabic version of the Physical Educators' Self-Efficacy Towards Including Students with Disabilities-Autism (PESEISD-A) instrument. Statistical analysis revealed that PE teachers had a moderate level (M = 4.51, SD = 2.04) of self-efficacy toward including students with autism in PE classes. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that age and feelings of preparedness of the teachers were significant predictors (ß = -0.297; p = 0.012; ß = 0.178; p = 0.012, respectively) of their self-efficacy toward including students with autism in PE classes. The findings highlight the need for continued efforts to improve Saudi PE teachers' level of self-efficacy and preparedness towards successfully including students with autism.

Hybrid Program Based on Virtual and Real Games Increases Fundamental Movement Skills in Children With Intellectual Disability: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of two pedagogical strategies in adapted physical education (hybrid virtual/real vs. conventional) on fundamental movement skills (FMS) in children with intellectual disability age 7-10 years. Children with intellectual disability (N = 24) were randomly assigned to either the hybrid (experimental group) or the conventional (control group) group and were evaluated across 10 weeks. The hybrid program was based on virtual and real game situations, while the conventional program was based on adapted sports. FMS were evaluated using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 at pre- and postprogram for both groups. Both programs significantly improve locomotor skills, with significantly better improvement in the experimental group. However, a significant improvement was observed only among the experimental group for object-control skills and gross motor quotient. Based on these results, a hybrid program may be considered for FMS improvement.

A Pilot Study of a Parent-Mediated, Web-Based Motor Skill Intervention for Children With Down Syndrome: Project SKIP.

To inform the development of scalable and sustainable fundamental motor skill interventions for children with Down syndrome, this study examined the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of Project Skill Intervention Implemented by Parents (Project SKIP), a web-based, parent-mediated intervention intended to improve ball skills among children with Down syndrome. Twenty-four families enrolled in the study (including 13 boys and 11 girls; Mage = 4.92). Fourteen children were assigned to an experimental group and participated in the 6-week intervention, and 10 children served as the inactive comparison group. The Test of Gross Motor Development-3 was administered preintervention and postintervention. In addition, parents of children in the experimental group completed a postintervention survey to assess their perceptions of Project SKIP. Following the intervention, there was a significant improvement in ball skills (p = .023, d = 0.86) for children in the experimental group, whereas the comparison group did not show significant improvement. Moreover, parents perceived Project SKIP to be feasible and effective; all parents reported being satisfied with their overall experience in the program, and 11 parents indicated that their child's fundamental motor skills were positively influenced by the intervention. Engagement was high, with the majority of parents (n = 8, 57%) interacting with Project SKIP content three to four times a week.

Motivação profissional na Educação Física adaptada / Professional motivation in adapted school Physical Education / La motivación profesional en el área de Educación Física adaptada

A formação profissional em Educação Física Escolar Adaptada tem sido assunto debatido de maneira significativa. Assim, novas possibilidades de temas têm sido pensadas, como a motivação profissional. Este estudo tem como objetivo compreender aspectos motivacionais em Professores de Educação Física Escolar Adaptada, sob uma abordagem quali-quantitativa. Foram entrevistados, em 2019, oito professores da rede pública de ensino, com idade média de 44 anos (±11), que concluíram a graduação há 20 anos (±12) e que trabalhavam com crianças com deficiência nas aulas de Educação Física. Os resultados mostraram que, mesmo com a conclusão de cursos de graduação e especialização, a maioria está insatisfeita com sua formação, por conta da carência de oportunidades. Porém, a maioria, ainda está motivada para melhorar sua prática com cursos e capacitações. Assim, fica claro a importância de ampliar possibilidades acadêmicas e de formação para novas abordagens metodológicas na área das atividades físicas escolares adaptadas.

Professional qualification in Adapted Physical Education has been significantly discussed nowadays. Thus, it is important new possibilities for this discussion, such as professional motivation. Therefore, this study aimed to understand motivational aspects of teachers of Adapted Physical Education, under a qualitative and quantitative approach. For this research, we interviewed eight public school teachers, with an average age of 44 years (± 11), who completed their graduation 20 years ago (± 12) and who worked with children with disabilities in Physical Education classes. The results showed that, even with the completion of undergraduate and specialization courses, most are dissatisfied with their education, due to the lack of opportunities. However, most of them are motivated to improve their practice with capacitation courses. With these data, we highlighted the importance of expanding academic and training possibilities for new methodological approaches in the area of ​​adapted school physical activities.

La formación Profesional em Educación Física Especial, há sido um tema muy discutido. Por lo tanto, es que surgen nuevas temáticas para su estúdio, por ejemplo la motivación professional. Este proyecto tiene como objetivo entender aspectos motivacionales de los Profesores en Educación Física especial, en perspectiva cuali-cuantitativa. De acuerdo con los resultados encuentrados con ocho Profesores de escuela de enseñanza pública en 2019, en promedio de edad 44 años y 11 meses y atienden a alumnos especiales en las clases. Los resultados demuestran que al igual que tienes han realizados estúdios avanzados, existe coincidencia pues se sienten insatisfechos con su formación, debido a la falta de oportunidades. La gran mayoría, estan motivados por actualizarse por medio de cursos y capacitaciones. Queda claro que es necesario ampliar las posibilidades académicas de formación para el abordaje de las nuevas metodologías en el área de las actividades físicas con alumnos especiales.

Exploring Future Research in Adapted Physical Education.

Quality physical education can play a critical role in helping students become more active, physically literate, and develop the skills and interests to remain physically active throughout their lives. The healthy, physically active student is more likely to be academically motivated, alert, and successful in school. Unfortunately, findings from multiple studies interviewing students with disabilities suggest that students with disabilities are often less active and feel more socially separated from the class compared to their classmates without disabilities in general physical education. Clearly, more research is needed to identify best practices or strategies for creating a positive learning environment in physical education for all students. This paper examines future research considerations based on what we currently know about the physical education experiences and concerns of students with disabilities as well as concerns voiced by general physical educators. Considerations include: (1) What evidence do we have and what evidence do we need to show students with 3 disabilities are receiving appropriate physical education whether included or in a separate setting? (2) What evidence do we have and what evidence do we need to show that physical educators are properly trained and qualified to provide physical education to students with disabilities? (3) What evidence do we have and what evidence do we need to show that particular curricular and teaching models are effective when including students with disabilities in general physical education and when working in small groups or one-on-one? (4) What evidence do we have and what evidence do we need to show that students with disabilities are socially part of the class and not simply physically present.

Adapted Physical Educators' Perspectives of Educational Research.

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.

Impact of School-Based Fitness Testing Awards on Physical Activity Guidelines for Children With Disabilities: NHANES 2013-2016.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to determine the association between school-based fitness testing awards and meeting physical activity guidelines among children with disabilities. DESIGN: Cross-sectional secondary data analysis using NHANES 2013-2016. SETTING: Data from NHANES 2013-2016 were used. SAMPLE: 3915 children without disabilities and 647 children with disabilities between ages of 5 to 15 years. MEASURES: Self-reported from children or proxy response from guardians in above parameters. ANALYSIS: Chi-square test and multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: There is no significant different between children with and without disabilities in receiving school-based fitness testing awards (×2 = 4.14, p = .05). According to both crude and adjusted model, children with disabilities are more likely to received school-based fitness testing awards than children without disabilities (OR = 1.44, 95% C.I. [.98, 2.12]; OR = 1.27, 95% C.I. [.85, 1.89]). Also, for children with disabilities, children who did not received school-based fitness testing awards are more likely to meet PA guidelines than children who received school-based fitness testing awards according to both crude and adjusted models (OR = 1.71, 95% C.I. [.66, 4.47]; OR = 1.37, 95% C.I. [.59, 3.16]). CONCLUSION: Receiving school-based fitness testing could potentially increase self-efficacy in engaging in physical activity among children with disabilities. However, there is a need to determine if the current approach of utilizing awards are sufficient enough to promote physical activity among children with disabilities.

Adapted Physical Education: The Perspective of Asian Parents.

The purpose of this study was to examine the expectations from Adapted Physical Education services from the perspective of Asian parents (n = 8) who have children with disabilities. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews, completed in the participants' preferred language. The data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's recipe for thematic analysis. Four themes emerged: (a) "overcoming" the disability in APE, (b) different perspectives on the importance of APE between mothers and fathers, (c) parents' concern over children being "disrespectful," and (d) communication issues. Since the culture in the United States is ethnically and socially more diversified, the significance and relevance of the results for effective, culturally sensitive APE provision is discussed. An increased understanding and involvement of Asian parents in terms of their children's APE program will result in more culturally sensitive, effective, and relevant APE experiences.

Effectiveness of surf therapy for children with disabilities.

BACKGROUND: Few researchers have examined the effects of surf programs on children with disabilities. Due to previous research findings, surfing is being used, as the focus of physical activity intervention due to its numerous health and therapeutic benefits. OBJECTIVE/HYPOTHESIS: The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of an eight-week surfing intervention on various physical fitness measures in 71 children with disabilities such as autism spectrum disorder, down syndrome, global developmental delays, and cerebral palsy. The study also sought to compare the differences in overall fitness levels between the surf therapy group and an unstructured pool playgroup. Researchers predicted significant differences in the surf therapy group. METHODS: The assessment procedure consisted of pre and post physical fitness measures selected from the Brockport Physical Fitness Test in two groups: surfing (n = 71) and an unstructured aquatic program (n = 20). RESULTS: The results demonstrated significant improvements in core strength (p = 0.00), upper body strength (p = 0.00), flexibility (p = 0.01) and cardiorespiratory endurance (p = 0.00) in the surfing group. However, there were no significant differences in overall fitness levels between the surfing and unstructured pool playgroups. Body composition measurements on the surfing group demonstrated a significant reduction in total body fat % (p = 0.016) and fat free mass (p = 0.008) and a significant improvement in bone mineral density (p = 0.004) pre to post surf therapy. CONCLUSIONS: This research demonstrated the effectiveness and physiological benefits of surf therapy for children with selected disabilities.