Mainstreaming and Physical Education
Federal educational law in general and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of 1997 mandate that disabled students with physical, learning, or emotional disorders be placed in the least restrictive physical education environment to provide the best opportunity for learning (Jansma & Decker, 1992; Yun, Shapiro, & Kennedy, 2000). Mainstreaming, also known as inclusion, seeks nothing less than the full or most extensive possible integration of special education students into all types of regular education classrooms. For many such students, however, inclusion in mainstream physical education classes is difficult due to limited resources and the lack of an adaptive physical education curriculum.
Yun, et al (2000) commented that children with disabilities are becoming a part of the general physical education class in the United States public school system. As a result, physical educators face new challenges, including assessing such students and adapting activities to meet their individual needs. Under the IDEA, all students with disabilities, regardless of the nature of the disability, must have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) in which annual goals, benchmarks, short-term objectives, and placement decisions along with evaluation criteria are clearly delineated (Rizzo & Lavay, 2000).
In determining inclusive placement, the principle of the "least restrictive environment" (LRE) is applied in order to ensure that the disabled or special needs student will be as thoroughly integrated into regular or mainstream classes as is consistent with the student's individual needs, abilities, and educational goals. In physical education, placement of a disabled student is based on an assessment of the student's motor, cognitive, social ability, and present level of educational performance (Rizzo & Lavay, 2000).
Beyer (1994) believes that the goals of inclusio...