A Teacher's Guide to Including Students with Disabilities in General Physical Education

Mel Horton, Ed.D., CAPE, is an Associate Professor in Physical Education, and Assistant Chair in Esteves School of Education, The Sage Colleges in Albany, NY. Her research focuses on physical education teacher education and adapted physical education.

Martin E. Block, Ph.D., Associate Professor with the Kinesiology Program in the Curry School of Education, has been the co-director of the Adapted Physical Education Program at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville since 1992. Previously, he was an adapted physical education specialist for Prince William County Public Schools in Virginia and the Ivymount School, a private school for children with disabilities, in Maryland. Dr. Block has conducted numerous workshops around the country for physical educators, special educators, therapists, and paraprofessionals on how to better include children with disabilities in general physical education, and he has co-authored more than 40 articles on adapted physical education. He also has served as Chair of the Adapted Physical Activity Council and Motor Development Academy for the American Alliance of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance. Dr. Block's current research interests focus on improving in-service training to practicing physical educators as well as studying the perceptions of inclusive physical education by students with and without disabilities, general and adapted physical educators, parents, and administrators.

Dr. Steve Elliott, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor and the Associate Director in the School of Health and Applied Human Sciences at UNC Wilmington. The recipient of the 2012 Chancellors Teaching Award at UNCW, his research agenda is comprised of two major foci: 1) issues surrounding the inclusion of children with special needs into regular physical education classes; and 2) the application of instructional strategies, models, and theories to enhance student learning and assessment.

Phillip Conatser, Ph.D., CAPE, Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Brownsville, 80 Fort Brown, Brownsville, Texas 78520.

For more than 20 years, Dr. Conatser has dedicated his work to the advancement of adapted aquatics through coaching, teaching, publications, presentations, research, and an international web site. His undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral studies have focused on improving the health and wellness of individuals with disabilities. He is the 2006 recipient of the John Williams Jr. International Adapted Aquatics Award.

Ron French, Ed.D., Professor, Department of Kinesiology, Texas Woman’s University (TWU), Post Office Box 425647, Denton, Texas 76204.

Dr. French has spent the last 22 years at TWU and is Professor in the Department of Kinesiology. In 2005, he was recognized by TWU with the Cornaro Award for excellence in teaching, scholarship, and dedication to the University. This is also the most prestigious award TWU bestows upon faculty. He has also been honored as the Adapted Physical Activity Council Scholar. Dr. French is the Director of a U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, training grant supporting the TWU master’s degree program in adapted physical education. He has held this grant for the past 18 years. The current grant is for $1.3 million over a 5-year period.

Iva Obrusnikova, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor with the Department of Behavioral Health and Nutrition at the University of Delaware. Her research focuses on physical activity and social behavior of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders and the inclusion of children and adolescents with disabilities in physical activity settings.

Ana Palla-Kane, Ph.D., is a faculty member in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Maryland. She works with teachers' training in the area of adapted physical activity and the development of strategies to have adapted physical activity programs accessible to individuals with disabilities. She has studied the impact of diversity in the delivery of quality physical education, and physical education teachers' perceptions and attitudes towards teaching students with disabilities. She is interested in studying pregnancy in women with disabilities, especially aspects of prenatal care related to accessibility and participation in physical activity prior to and during pregnancy.

Lisa Silliman-French, Ph.D., CAPE, Assistant Professor, Texas Woman’s University, Post Office Box 425647, Denton, Texas 76204

Dr. Silliman-French has taught adapted physical education (APE) for 17 years in the public schools in Texas and is an assistant professor at Texas Woman’s University. She has authored chapters in two different APE texts: this book and Adapted Physical Activity, Recreation, and Sport: Crossdisciplinary and Lifespan, Sixth Edition (Sherrill, McGraw-Hill, 2004). She is the Texas State Adapted Physical Activity Committee Chair for the Texas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (TAHPERD), and received the TAPHERD Scholar award in December 2005. She was also the recipient of the International Federation of Adapted Physical Activity Elly D. Friedmann Young Professional Award in 2003. She enjoys traveling and protecting the environment and animals.

Amanda D. Stewart Stanec, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, St. Francis Xavier University, Department of Education, Post Office Box 5000, Antagonish, Nova Scotia, Canada B26 2W5

Dr. Stewart Stanec is Assistant Professor of Physical Education at St. Francis Xavier University and a recent graduate of The University of Virginia. Recently, Dr. Stewart Stanec was elected to represent Nova Scotia on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. A lover of the outdoors, she models an active lifestyle through triathlons, snowboarding, kayaking, running, and hiking with her husband, Jim.