Adapted PE
Category: Adapted Physical Education Programming

What is the criteria for placing a child in an adapted physical education program? Should a regular education student be placed into an adapted program? If a special education child is receiving adapted physical education services, should they also be in the regular education classroom as well?

First of all, criteria for a child to be provided an adapted physical education program varies from state to state. Some states will have set criteria by which eligibility is determined. For example, in a couple states it is 1.5 standard deviations below the mean on a formal motor assessment. In others, there is no set criteria and it is primarily an IEP team decision. All decisions for services, like adapted physical education, are made by the IEP team, however, if there are eligibility criteria, it is closer to how eligibility is determined for special education services and thus is much clearer.

Secondly, only those children who are in need of a specially designed program like adapted physical education should be receiving this service.

Third, if a child in regular education is demonstrating a need in the area of movement he/she can be referred for testing but this child cannot be automatically placed in an adapted physical education class. The teacher may also want to check to see if this child also has difficulty in other areas of school.

Last, the environment in which a child receives adapted physical education services can be placed on a continuum from most (segregated class or facility) to least restrictive (regular education class). However, the decision comes from the IEP team. This decision is based on what is considered the most appropriate for the child and meeting their level of need. For example, the majority of children with disabilities can be included in a regular physical education class and do not need adapted physical education.

For those children that need adapted physical education services, some can also have those services and also participate in regular physical education class. The adapted physical education services are to provide extra work in areas of need that cannot be addressed in the regular class, but participation in the regular class for those students is also appropriate and they can be successful there. For others, the regular education class is not an appropriate setting for them and an adapted physical education class is their primary class environment

Last modified date: 9/12/2010

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