Scheduled for Assessment of Attitudes Toward Individuals With Disabilities, Friday, April 15, 2005, 8:45 AM - 10:00 AM, Convention Center: E270


Physical Educators' Concerns About Integrating Children With Disabilities: A Cross-Cultural View

Christoph Lienert, Manhattan College, Riverdale, NY

The rationale for studying teachers' attitudes toward teaching students with disabilities in general physical education is the assumption that attitudes play a critical role in predicting teaching behaviors and educational outcomes for those students. Given the multitude of variables that can affect teachers working in inclusive physical education settings, the study of attitudes needs to be complemented by alternative approaches and social-cultural comparisons in order to expand our understanding of teachers’ perspectives and their teaching behaviors. There is not one true, absolute interpretation of attitude, but rather many possible interpretations with equal validity. One concept related to attitudes is teachers’ concerns about inclusion. The purpose of the investigation to be presented was to (a) identify the concerns of physical education teachers about including students with disabilities in general physical education classes, (b) explore personal and contextual variables affecting these concerns and how teachers cope with them, and (c) compare these concerns and variables across two cultures with different educational systems and different approaches toward inclusive education.
Keyword(s): adapted physical activity, assessment, measurement/evaluation

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