The inclusion of students with severe visual impairments in grades 7 to 12 regular physical education classes
Creators: name: Forster, Erika Mirelle
Publisher: name: University of British Columbia
Year: 2009

description: Numerous researchers have argued that restricted access to Physical Education (PE) classes results in lower fitness levels for students with visual impairments, this is particularly true for students with severe visual impairments (SVI), who often have lower fitness levels than their peers with partial sight and normal sight. This study investigated the extent to which students With SVI are included in regular public school PE classes. The study focuses on grades seven to twelve students with SVI who do not have additional disabilities. The present study also sought to determine the relative importance of the factors identified by Bishop (1986) and Watkinson and Behtz (1986) which promote or prevent full inclusion, in addition, this study examined the strategies commonly employed to facilitate the inclusion of exceptional learners in regular PE classes; namely the development and distribution of adapted PE resource literature, the study will consider the utilization of a manual, "Moving to Inclusion Manual for Students with Visual Impairments", designed to facilitate the inclusion of students with SVI. The study was exploratory and is intended to investigate the following research questions: 1. How do District Resource Teachers- Vision (DRT-VIs) and PE Teachers characterize or categorize the participation of their students with SVI? 2. Which activities or sports are the most difficult for teachers to adapt for students with SVI? 3. In terms of facilitating the inclusion of students with SVI in PE, how important are factors relating to: • the student with a SVI; • the family of a student with SVI; • the school environment; • the community; and • the features of adapted PE resource materials (e.g., manuals)? 4. How helpful are the adapted resource manuals to DRT-VI's and PE teachers? 5. Is the Moving to Inclusion Manual for Students with Visual Impairments (MTI-VI) useful? Why or why not? District Resource teachers- Vision (DRT-VIs) and PE Teachers (from eight Lower Mainland school districts) who have experience teaching students with SVI in PE participated by completing a survey designed to address the aforementioned research questions. The study found that there is a link between (severe) disabilities and restricted levels of participation in PE. The study clearly demonstrates that access to PE programs can be established in inclusive schools. In addition, the study identified areas that require attention and modification in PE programming. For example, limited participation of students with SVI may be connected to variables relating to the student with a SVI, the student's family, school environment, and community, and adapted resource materials. Moreover, particular sports activities may pose unusual challenges to inclusion. Findings call attention to the need for continued investigation into the status of students with (S)VI in PE programs. The results of this study underscore the necessity of developing and sharing teacher expertise and adapted PE resources in order to fully include students with visual impairments in PE programs.