1. How to give the best
physical education
experience to ALL your
students
Adapted physical education is an
individualized programdesigned
to meet the unique needs of
individuals. This concept is
simple enough, but it can be
hard to know where to start. The
purpose of this brochure is to
provide a little more information
and help you as a physical
education teacher know how to
provide the best experience for
your students.
What is Adapted PE and why
do we need it? Adapted Physical
Education
Whatever you do work
at it with all your
heart, as working for
the Lord, not for men.
Colossians 3:23
Additional Resources
www.pecentral.org
www.apens.org
www.teach-nology.com
www.heartlandaea.org
www.paralympic.org
www.adaptedsports.org
2. Inclusion means educating students
with disabilities in a regular
educational setting. Although not law,
the movement toward inclusion is
encouraged.
Laws Important to APE
Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act (IDEA) demands
- A right to a free and appropriate
education
- That physical education be made
available to children with disabilities
- Programs be conducted within the
Least Restrictive Environment
- Nondiscriminatory testing and
objective criteria for placement
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
provides that
-programs receiving federal funding may
not discriminate against those with
disabilities based on their disability status
The Inclusion Movement
Including all of your students starts with
learning how to adapt your activities to
their needs. There are four different ways
to modify activities for students with
disabilities:
1. Equipment- examples of this are a
beeping ball, brightly colored balls,
larger bases, and other things like this
2. Rules- examples are being able to hit
off of a tee, increasing the amount of
strikes, being able to run with a partner.
3. Environment- examples include
shorter distances between bases, a
smaller field, or partner activities.
4. Instruction- examples are physical
assistance, hand signals, verbal cues,
or demonstration.
Implications for PE and Sports
These types of modifications can be
used in regular PE activities such as
relays or rotations. They are also
commonly used in specific sports such
as wheelchair basketball or goalball. For
additional information on these sports
visit: www.adaptedsports.org.
Adapting Activities and
Sports Common Disabilities
During your time as a PE
teacher, you will see children
with some of the same
disabilities. It is important to
know how to handle these
common disabilities
specifically. Below are a few
of the more common
disabilities and some things to
keep in mind when working
with them.
Brain Damage (Cerebral Palsy,
Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury) – for
these students you need a safe and
secure environment and you need to
be sure to have input from a
physician.
Autism Spectrum- when teaching
focus on developing effective
communication strategies, using
strengths of the learner, and
maintaining a positive learning
environment
Down’s Syndrome- students will
require medical clearance before
participating in physical activity and
activities will need to be carefully
planned and monitored.
It is important to educate children in the Least Restrictive Envronment possible. This means getting as close to Inclusion as
possible.
