While sharing some characteristics with their general physical education colleagues, adapted physical educators also face unique challenges related to their role. For example, both general and adapted physical education teachers encounter stress stemming from the marginalized nature of their discipline but may navigate such experiences…

Service-learning (SL) has become popular as part of the formal curriculum and as cocurricular experiences for college students. Some SL programs serve individuals with disabilities, but their influence on college volunteers is not well understood. The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences and perspectives of preprofessional…

While much is known about the lived experiences of physical education teachers and individuals preparing for careers in physical education, there is a dearth of research on how adapted physical educators are socialized into and through their careers. While physical educators and adapted physical educators have similar goals, such as a general…

During an educational climate that is marked by teacher attrition and shortages, relationship-building among teachers is more critical than ever. The workplace relationships between adapted and general physical education teachers has been problematized and may negatively affect the education of their students with disabilities. Grounded in role…

While movement toward the education of students with disabilities in integrated physical education has now become common internationally, it is not without concerns. Notably, scholars have questioned whether instruction in integrated physical education settings provides inclusive experiences for students with disabilities. The purpose of this…

While much has been learned about the socialization of physical education teachers through occupational socialization theory, less is known about the socialization of adapted physical educators. The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences leading individuals to enrol in a graduate-level adapted physical education teacher education…

Adapted physical activity-based service-learning programs that pair kinesiology and physical education preservice professionals alongside people with impairments are common across college and university settings. It is critical, however, that these programs be developed in a way that meets the needs and educational interests of both university and…

Since 1975, the implementation of the Least Restrictive Environment, a federal mandate of Public Law 94-142, has been historically challenging for physical educators and adapted physical educators. Confusion and misinterpretation of the law's intent, as well as competing ideologies, have perpetuated failed Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)…

Inclusive education has become a global area of study, yet research has highlighted challenges with inclusive practices among teachers in integrated physical education contexts. The purpose of this study was to examine physical education and adapted physical education teachers' perspectives on how they attempt inclusive practice in integrated…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the workplace experiences of physical education and adapted physical education teachers while also considering biological sex. Role socialization theory was used as a guiding lens. Method: Participants included 653 teachers (women = 382) who taught physical education (n = 420) or adapted physical…

The current practice of the least restrictive environment (LRE) policy in physical education (PE) settings is not well understood. The purpose of this study was to explore how PE and adapted physical education (APE) teachers make placement decisions and what factors impact those practices. Qualitative data were collected via survey and follow-up…

Graduate programs in adapted physical education (APE) prepare individuals to work with students with disabilities in the physical education setting. However, these APE graduate programs vary widely throughout the country, and there has never been a systematic effort to identify and analyze these programs. Therefore, the purpose of this…

Public Law 94-142, The Education for All Handicapped Children Act (now The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), requires all children with disabilities to be educated in the least restrictive environment (LRE). The LRE requirement means that students with disabilities, to the maximum extent possible, should be educated in the general…

This article explores one approach to meeting the unique needs of students with disabilities using a systematic approach to decision-making called the achievement-based curriculum.

Nearly 30% of U.S. schools have students with severe disabilities who participate in a self-contained adapted physical education (SAPE) setting, separate from their typically developing classmates. It is imperative that physical education teachers become familiar with pedagogical strategies for planning and teaching SAPE. The purpose of this…