With an increase in the presence of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the general physical education (GPE) classroom, understanding the current state of GPE teachers' beliefs and behaviors for including these students is warranted. The current study aimed to examine the beliefs and self-reported behaviors of GPE teachers' inclusion of students with ASD. In addition, the study examined potential factors affecting their inclusion behaviors. Using a national stratified random sample, participants were 142 current GPE teachers who submitted surveys anonymously online. Results from a regression analysis indicate that teachers' experience, graduate coursework in adapted physical education (APE), and perceptions of strength in undergraduate training in APE significantly predicted their self-reported behavior for including students with ASD. Although the participant response rate is considerably low, this study provides some support toward the importance of teacher education programs for inclusion training.
There are increasing demands on the education system to meet the needs of students with autism spectrum disorder and the requests of their parents. Teacherparent partnerships may be one avenue to improve services, however teachers often feel unprepared and lack strategies and skills to effectively engage parents. This multilayered article presents a story from a teacher who is a parent of a student with ASD. It is followed by a discussion of the state of teacher preparation programs and barriers that impede successful partnerships. Suggestions for improving partnerships are included.
Physical Education for Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Comprehensive Approach, edited by Michelle Grenier, brings together practitioners and researchers from the adapted and general physical education field to provide a relevant and much-needed resource. With an increase in the number of school-age children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), coupled with the fact that a majority spend more than half of their school day in the general classroom, physical educators can be certain that these students will also be in the gymnasium. Designed as a how-to primer, the book describes best practices from physical education, special education, and ASD, offering adapted and general physical education teachers a number of options to consider when deciding how to work with their students, along with useful programming ideas.The book is divided into two parts with the first discussing the development of instruction for students with ASD and the second providing games and activities for individuals and groups. Each chapter in the first section begins with a case study, giving the reader a real-world example of the challenges a physical educator may be faced with when working with a student with ASD, along with the possible solutions. The case studies are then referenced within the chapter to help the reader connect theory to practice.Chapter 1 explores understanding students with ASD and offers explanation of the clinical definition and common characteristics along with introductory discussion on perspectives of disability and inclusion. The book itself adopts a social model perspective as opposed to the traditional medical model of disabilities to address best practices and overcoming barriers. It is argued that from this perspective, the person is valued in relationship to his or her functional ability rather than medical diagnosis. In this manner, the responsibility for participation is shifted from the person to the person within the context, which becomes very important in the physical education context. The author of this chapter does a nice job presenting the social model with practical examples and implications.The second chapter provides a unique perspective, outlining some of the challenges that parents and siblings of children with ASD are faced with. The authors discuss stress and various coping mechanisms that may be observed, along with ways in which general and adapted physical educators may offer support. The chapter advocates for a "family-friendly" educator who partners with the family by identifying activities that everyone in the family enjoys as proactive coping strategies to decrease stress.
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