Many researchers have confirmed that students with disabilities engage in significantly less physical activity than their nondisabled peers in physical education class. One of the elements that influences student participation in physical education class is attitude and there is a gap in the literature with respect to investigating the attitudes of students with learning disabilities, emotional/behavioral disabilities, or attention difficulties. There is limited research on how teachers perceive and assist students to participate in physical education. This dissertation is looking specifically at enjoyment and useful attitudes of physical activity in physical education class for students with learning disabilities.

Many researchers have confirmed that students with disabilities engage in significantly less physical activity than their nondisabled peers in physical education class. One of the elements that influences student participation in physical education class is attitude and there is a gap in the literature with respect to investigating the attitudes of students with learning disabilities, emotional/behavioral disabilities, or attention difficulties. There is limited research on how teachers perceive and assist students to participate in physical education. This dissertation is looking specifically at enjoyment and useful attitudes of physical activity in physical education class for students with learning disabilities.

Abstract: The inclusion of students with various disabilities in general physical education has become increasingly common in schools. Within the context of physical education, inclusion has been defined as a philosophical perspective that advocates the placement of all students with varied abilities and disabilities (mild to severe) into classes with peers in their neighborhood schools (Block, 2000; Hodge, Murata, Kozub, and Sherrill, in-review). However, there is limited research concerning the attitudes of students with and without disabilities towards each other relative to inclusion in physical education. The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes and behaviors of 6th grade students with and without disabilities relative to being educated in an inclusionary physical education program. Participants were students with disabilities (_n = 2) and students without disabilities (_n = 16) from a rural middle school in Midwestern Ohio. Contact theory's structured contact variables (Allport, 1954; Sherrill, Heikinaro-Johansson, Slininger, 1994) served as the theoretical frame for this study. Data collection and triangulation involved both quantitative and qualitative methods. Overall, findings suggest that students with and without disabilities exhibited positive attitudes and behaviors towards one another within an inclusionary physical education program. More specifically, responses to the Children's Attitudes Toward Integrated Physical Education (Block, 1995) attitudinal instrument revealed that students without disabilities held positive attitudes toward including peers with disabilities (i.e., mental retardation and physical disability). In support of this finding, the Analysis of Inclusion Practices in Physical Education (Hodge et al., 2000) behavioral observation instrument showed that when interactions did occur, students with and without disabilities mostly interacted in appropriate ways. In addition, responses to The Inventory (Webb, 2000) attitudinal scale indicated that students with disabilities (i.e., a girl with mental retardation and a boy with a physical disability) held favorable attitudes towards their peers without disabilities. Again, this finding was supported by themes that emerged from semi-structured interviews suggesting that positive relationships and interactions did occur between students with and without disabilities, and their teachers. Overall findings in this study lend support to contact theory's structural contact variables (Sherrill et al., 1994). Importantly, this study allowed us to gain additional insight regarding the attitudes and behaviors of students with and without disabilities toward one another in an inclusive physical education program.

This handbook represents the first comprehensive and evidence-based review of theory, research, and practice in the field of adapted physical education (APE). Exploring philosophical and foundational aspects of APE, the book outlines the main conceptual frameworks informing research and teaching in this area, and presents important material that will help shape best practice and future research. Written by world-leading researchers, the book introduces the key themes in APE, such as historical perspectives on disability, disability and the law, language, and measurement. It examines the most significant theoretical frameworks for understanding APE, from embodiment and social cognitive theory to occupational socialization, and surveys current debates and practical issues in APE, such as teacher training, the use of technology, and physical inactivity and health. Acknowledging the importance of the voices of children, parents and peers, the book also explores research methods and paradigms in APE, with each chapter including directions for further research. Offering an unprecedented wealth of material, the Routledge Handbook of Adapted Physical Education is an essential reference for advanced students, researchers and scholars working in APE, and useful reading for anybody with an interest in disability, physical education, sports coaching, movement science or youth sport.

This handbook provides foundational, conceptual, and practical knowledge and understanding of inclusive education and special needs education. It highlights the need for preparing special educators and teachers for inclusive classrooms to effectively cater to the needs of students with diverse needs in various low-, middle-, and high-income countries globally. It demonstrates various evidence-based and practice-based strategies required to create classrooms inclusive of diverse learners. While tracing the historical trajectory of the foundational underpinnings, philosophical bases, and crucial issues associated with inclusive education, this book presents a future roadmap and pathways through case instances and in-depth discussions to share with educators how they can strengthen their bases and make learning more inclusive in their context. It also provides an overview of the different models of assessment and their applications in the analysis of children in inclusive classroom settings. Comprehensive, accessible, and nuanced, this handbook will be of immense interest and benefit to teachers, educators, special educators, students, scholars, and researchers in the areas of social inclusion, education, special needs education, educational psychology, technology for inclusion, disability studies, among other related disciplines. It will be extremely beneficial for academicians, teacher educators, special educators, and those interested in professional teacher training courses.