Facilitating Social Inclusion
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Discuss ways in which general physical
educators can remove barriers to social
acceptance and interactions
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Discuss ways general physical
educators can foster more interactions
between students with and without
disabilities.
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Importance of Social Inclusion
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Students with disabilities never should
be placed in general physical education
solely for social development (NASPE,
1995).
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Yet, one of the greatest benefits of
inclusion is the opportunity for social
acceptance and interactions between
students with and without disabilities.
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What Social Factors
Inclusion Promotes
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Learning how to interact with peers
Playing cooperatively
Taking turns
Dealing with anger
Following directions
Listening quietly, staying on task
Generally behaving appropriately.
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Children with Autism or
Behavior Disorders

For some children (e.g., some children
with autism or behavior problems),
social development can be as important
as motor and cognitive development in
physical education, and in such cases
social goals should be addressed in the
child’s IEP (including IEP for physical
education).
4
Benefits of Social Interactions to
Peers without Disabilities
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Learn that classmates who seem
different from them on the outside might
share similar interests, pleasures,
problems, and concerns.
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Opportunity for true acceptance,
appreciation, and even friendships
between peers with and without
disabilities becomes possible
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Problems Facilitating
Social Inclusion
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Simply placing a child with a disability
into general physical education does not
ensure appropriate and meaningful
social interactions and acceptance.

Such interactions and acceptance have
to be carefully planned and facilitated.
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Problems Facilitating
Social Inclusion (continued)
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Furthermore, physical educators and
teacher assistants often unwittingly
create barriers to social interactions and
acceptance.
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Examples
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Listening to Children with
Disabilities in Physical Education
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“I (participated in PE) once, but I was
just a line judge”
I just sat there and cheered on did all
that.”
I just sit and watch them and clap and
stuff.”
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Listening to Children (cont.)
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“My teacher that I had then, didn’t have
nothing for me to do. I’d sit up on the stage
from when I first got there until the end of
class every day.”
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“I felt different, like uh, there was something
wrong with me at first, but then I realized that
it was just the way some people are and that
was how I was to I had to live with it.”
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Listening to Children (cont.)
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“My freshman year I had to take one
year of PE in order to graduate and I
pretty much showed up the first day,
and the instructor told me to leave
because I was a liability. So I sat in the
library for an hour every day, like having
a study hall, and I got an A in PE.”
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Listening to Children (cont.)
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When asked if he liked physical
education:
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“Well, not that much because, about every
time I get embarrassed. Because I can’t walk
well, I can’t run well, I can’t do volleyball that
well, I can’t do any kind of sport well and this
here PE class I always get embarrassed.”
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Problems Facilitating
Social Inclusion (continued)
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Placing children with disabilities into
GPE done poorly can lead to feelings
such as:
 “why is HE in my class,”
 “why is SHE making all those weird noises,”
 “why does HE get to run around and not follow
directions,”
 “why does SHE have to be on my team,” and
 “HE will ruin the game for everyone.
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Things a GPE Teacher can do to
Facilitate Social Inclusion
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Have a positive attitude
Be the teacher for all students in your
general education classes
Model appropriate behavior
Include the child in as many activities
possible
Reinforce positive interactions
Be knowledgeable about the child
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Preparing Peers for Social
Interactions and Acceptance
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Circle of friends
Guest speakers with disabilities
Role playing
Discuss the concept of rules and “handicapping”
Lead a discussion on disabilities
Talk about famous people who have disabilities
Discuss the specific child who will be included
Explain how to interact with specific children
Provide on-going information and encouragement
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Why do kids tease kids?
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Common Problems Effecting
Social Inclusion
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Teacher assistant trying “too hard.”
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Peers do not know what to do
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Activity inappropriate for child with
disabilities
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Peers assigned as tutors, not friends
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Barriers to Social Inclusion
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Attitudes of Peers Without Disabilities
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Attitudes of General Physical Educators
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Attitudes of Paraprofessionals
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Attitudes of Administrators
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Preparing GPE Teachers
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Invite guest lecturers who have disabilities
Visit special education classes and get to
know the students better
Watch videotapes on athletes w/ disabilities
Participate in role playing activities
Brainstorm with team members about
modifications for specific units
Visit schools that successfully include
students with disabilities in GPE
Team teach with APE teacher before trying
inclusion yourself.
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Preparing Paraprofessionals
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Provide information regarding their role
Provide information regarding your
philosophy and your general goals
Provide resources and key personnel who
they can go to if they need help
Provide detailed description of student
Present specific information regarding
safety/emergency procedures
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Preparing Paraprofessionals
(continued)
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Provide specific information regarding what
typically happens in physical education
Provide general suggestions for modifying
activities
Provide several alternative activities when
general program activities are deemed
inappropriate
Provide several suggestions for facilitating
interactions with peers without disabilities
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What Administrators Can Do
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Try and understand what we do
Providing release time
Providing flexible scheduling
Providing access to training
Providing necessary personnel
Providing necessary equipment
Being supportive of program
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