Scheduled for Research Consortium Free Communication: Teaching Adapted Physical Education, Thursday, March 15, 2007, 4:15 PM - 5:15 PM, Convention Center: 327


Selected Attributes Related to Teaching a Student Labeled Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Hosung So, California State University at San Bernardino, San Bernardino, CA, Terry L. Rizzo, California State University, Redlands, CA and April Tripp, Towson University, Towson, MD

This study assessed the relationship between measures of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TpB) (Ajzen, 2000) and attributes (i.e., gender, age, courses in adapted physical education and special education, experience and the perceived quality of the experience teaching individuals with disabilities, friends with disabling conditions and perceived teaching competence with individuals with disabilities) of preservice teachers' (PT). The TpB measures were behavioral beliefs (Ab), normative beliefs (SNb), control beliefs (PBCb), attitude (ATB), subjective norm (SN), perceived behavioral control (PBC), and intention (I) toward teaching a student labeled ADHD. Participants were 155 PTs (71 females and 84 males; average age=24.69, SD=5.49), purposely selected from six comprehensive universities in California. Participants were randomly assigned into two groups. Group I (n=79) read a vignette with a label (ADHD). Group II (n=76) read a vignette with a label ADHD and watched a 7-minute video of a 9-year-old girl playing soccer. Each group completed Physical Educators' Intention Toward Teaching Individuals with Disabilities II Preservice Survey (PEITID-II-PS). The PEITID-II-PS has 35 items using a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree). The PEITID-II-PS (Tripp, So, & Rizzo, in preparation) produced reliable and valid scores when used to assess measures of TpB for PTs. Tests for group homogeneity were conducted using one-way ANOVAs, revealing no differences on age, prior coursework and teaching in APE and special education. Results also showed no group differences on Ab, SNb, PBCb, ATB, SN, PBC, and I, allowing Logistic regression to determine which attributes are predictors of measures of the PEITID-II-PS (i.e., Ab, SNb, PBCb, ATB, SN, PBC, and I). Results from the regression analyses showed PTs' coursework in special education classes reliably (-2 Log Likelihood=137.19, Goodness-of-fit=130.01) predicted Intention toward teaching a student labeled ADHD from those who do not have special education coursework Χ2(1)=4.47, p< .05. Wald statistics also indicated coursework in special education significantly predicts intention toward teaching a student labeled ADHD (Β=-.246, Wald=6.03, eB=.78, p<.01). Results also indicated that having friends with a disability reliably predicts PBC (-2 Log Likelihood=193.15, Goodness-of-fit=190.04, Β=.145, Wald=8.57, eB=1.16, p<.01). The results indicate that more knowledge and information coupled with personal experiences relate favorably with teaching individuals with ADHD. The results suggest that undergraduate PETE programs should infuse information about teaching individuals with disabilities throughout the curriculum and link that content with personal teaching experiences. Clearly, the infusion curricular approach will better prepare PT for teaching in public schools.
Keyword(s): adapted physical activity, physical education PK-12, professional preparation

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