Therefore, the purposes of this study were to investigate the perceptions of students working one-on-one with a student with a severe disability in a self-contained environment. Specifically, the purposes of this study were to determine: (1) students pre-and-post level of excitement and confidence of working with students with disabilities, (2) the most beneficial aspects of the experience and 3) the impact on future opportunities of working with students with disabilities.
Method: Participants were 27 (21 Male, 6 Female) university students enrolled in a class titled “Exceptional Learners in Physical Education”. Participants assisted a student from a school for students with disabilities for 1-hour for a total of 10 days. Participants were expected to help with daily tasks, as well as teach skills related to physical education. Data were collected through the completion of a pre-and-post survey to assess student’s perceptions of participating in a field experience devoted to assisting students with a severe disability. In addition, the researcher maintained field notes to provide further analysis of the experience.
Analysis/Results: A one way ANOVA was used to analyze the Likert-scale data that were gathered from the participants, while qualitative data were analyzed by reading and re-reading the information to determine themes and patterns. There was a significant difference with student confidence (F=31.09, p < .001) and their level of excitement (F=27.56, p < .001) for working with students with severe disabilities from the beginning to the end of the field experience.
Qualitative results indicated that students: (a) lack of experience impacted their level of excitement for working with students with severe disabilities prior to the beginning of the field experience, (b) believed the greatest benefit was working one-on-one with the students, and (c) have a greater appreciation for life and are more prepared for future opportunities due to the knowledge gained through the experience.
Conclusions: These results indicate that opportunities to work with students with severe disabilities can enhance the learning experience for physical education students. The uniqueness of working with students one-on-one can enrich awareness and thus provide greater potential for teaching students with disabilities in the future.