Enhancing inclusive physical activity for students with disabilities: Patterns and opportunities

Abstract

Physical activities and sports (PAS) participation primarily aim to contribute to enhancing the basic motor skills of students and their physical competencies to directly promote the behavioral, cognitive, and social skills of students to help enhance their future physical activity patterns. Regular physical activity participation among children with disabilities greatly fosters independence, coping abilities, competitiveness, and teamwork. Although active physical activities are beneficial, children with disabilities’ participation in physical activities has been reported to be little as a result of students’ disabilities and their lack of opportunities for participation. However, literature is yet to report on the types of PAS regularly participated in by students with disabilities, how frequently they engage in such activities, and how long a time they spend during their participation. This current study employed an explanatory sequential mixed method design that helped in the collection of both quantitative data (questionnaire) and qualitative data (interviews) from 194 (comprising 68.0% male and 32.0% female) students with disabilities and three teachers on types of PAS students with disabilities mostly participate in, how frequent and how long a time they spend during PAS participation. The findings of this study revealed students very often participate in physical activities in different activities for a long period as long as activities are made available, and opportunities provided. It is, therefore, recommended that not only should disability-friendly physical activities and sporting events be organized frequently and encouraged among students in special schools, but stakeholders should make opportunities available to students to participate.