Adapted Physical Education (APE)
 Ann Hughes,
New Hanover Schools
 Barbara Meleney,
Durham Public Schools
Special Education: Common Core Curriculum
Adapted PE : Healthful Living/PE Curriculum
North Carolina State Board Policy requires physical education
for all students, as a part of the Healthful Living Curriculum.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA),
requires Adapted Physical Education for those students with
disabilities who require specially designed instructions in order
to receive Physical Education.
North Carolina Adapted Physical Education Advisory Council
(N-CAPE-AC) and Laurie Ray (NC DPI APE liaison) can assist
with questions
AdaptED Physical Education…
IS Special Education
• What are the areas of need for this student?
• Does s/he qualify under one of the fourteen educational
categories for special education?
• Does s/he require APE as specially designed instruction
for the Healthful Living/PE curriculum?
• For any students that demonstrate a need, APE is
required by IDEA, it is not a local option or decision
• APE is NOT a related service. It is Special Education
with identified need in the area of instruction for physical
education
Eligibility for Special Education and
Related Services: Three Prongs
1. The student is a ‘student with a disability’
that meets the criteria under one of the fourteen
eligibility categories under IDEA.
2. The disability adversely affects educational
(academic and/or functional) performance at
school.
3. The performance deficits related to the disability
are such that the student requires specially
designed instruction in order to ensure access to
the general curriculum.
APE INSTRUCTION: GUIDING QUESTIONS
•Can this student participate in PE with non-disabled
peers?
•Can PE instruction be differentiated so s/he can
participate?
 Provide written instructions in advance
 Deliberate small group assignment
 Small ratio (teachers : students) or small groups
 Modify tasks or skills
APE INSTRUCTION: GUIDING QUESTIONS, con’d
• What are this student’s strengths in PE?
• What are this student’s needs in PE?
• In order for this student to participate in and learn
the PE curriculum, do we have to design PE
instruction just for him/her?
• What does the general education physical
educator report about this student’s participation,
abilities and needs in PE class?
Special Education
& Need for APE
Instruction
• EC students must be provided physical education
• Whether a student receives APE is an IEP team decision,
driven by data
• Input is needed from the general education PE teacher as a
part of the evaluation or re-evaluation process regarding APE
• If a need for APE is determined, a Present Level of Academic
and Functional Performance and student Goals are developed
by the IEP team with input from someone knowledgeable
about the PE curriculum
If APE services are being considered…
• The IEP team, including someone with
firsthand knowledge about the child’s abilities,
should review existing data to determine any
need for additional data to meet all areas of
student need, including APE
• If data are needed, “Other” should be checked
on the DEC 2 and “Adapted Physical
Education Evaluation” should be written in
HEALTHFUL LIVING CURRICULUM
• General physical educators and adapted physical
educators in NC follow the state Healthful Living
Curriculum and use the new Essential Standards and the
National Association for Sport and Physical Education
(NASPE) Standards
• PE and APE must be taught by a teacher with current PE
licensure
• All students must access physical
education in his/her least restrictive
environment
Continuum of Possibilities
for APE services
Regular
PE class
Regular
PE class with
Additional Staff
Regular
PE class with
Accomodations/
Modifications
Separate
PE class with
Additional Staff
Separate
PE class
Home,
Residential
Home or
Hospital
Separate
Public
School
Documenting APE Services on the IEP
“Does this student require Adapted Physical Education?”
(on DEC/4)...Checking yes means:
1. An evaluation has provided the IEP team with sufficient data to
determine whether the student requires APE
2. The IEP team has determined the student requires adapted physical
education
3. The student’s present level of academic and functional performance
has been developed
4. There are goals developed by the IEP team including someone
knowledgeable in the PE curriculum
5. The IEP indicates how student progress on the goal will be reported
APE Goals/Objectives/Outcomes
• Written by someone with knowledge of the PE curriculum
• Functional (What do we want to see the student doing?)
• Measurable
– Behavior, conditions, criteria
• Student-centered
• Meaningful; minimal important change
• Realistic; attainable within time frame
• Age & developmentally appropriate
• Clear - no jargon
Areas to Consider for APE GOALS:
Fitness, Motor Skills, Participation
• To develop and improve cardio- endurance
• To develop eye-hand; eye-foot coordination
• To increase time on task in Physical
Education
• To develop functional competence in
locomotor and object control skills
• To improve social interaction with peers
Who Can Provide APE:
• All teachers licensed in physical education
are qualified to provide adapted physical
education—this does not mean they feel
prepared to do so!!
• Best practice is to employ a physical
educator with CAPE certification for your
APE program to plan and implement
Who Provides Adapted PE Service?
• Adapted PE Specialist
– PE Teacher with
specialized training in:
• Assessment and evaluation
• Developing an
individualized PE program
for students with disabilities
• Knowledge and
understanding of a variety
of physical and cognitive
disabilities
• General PE Teacher
– PE Teacher with
training in:
• Motor skills and physical
development
• Fitness skills
• Games and sports
• Lifetime activities
• Limited training in
working with students
with disabilities
No APE Specialist???
Providing Adapted PE when your county does not
have an APE Specialist can be challenging.
 Encourage PE staff to update knowledge of disabilities
and teaching strategies
 Collaborate with other service providers (NC State
Adapted PE Council, OT, PT, EC Teachers, Parents,
Administrators)
 Explore and use community resources (colleges,
universities, recreation programs, sports programs for
the disabled).
Providing APE
• Without a APE specialist, APE services still
must be delivered…
• Collaboration between general education PE
teachers and related service providers
(especially PTs and/or OTs) can be very
effective
• Contact Laurie Ray or North Carolina Adapted
Physical Education Advisory Council
Monitoring Progress and
Documenting APE Services
• Each session must be documented
– What was done?
– How did the student respond?
• Student progress towards the goal(s) must be provided:
– By someone knowledgeable about the PE curriculum
– By someone present in the APE/PE class on a
consistent basis
– On schedule with report cards
Exiting APE
Exiting APE requires the IEP team to review the
student’s existing data to determine if additional
data is needed to make a decision regarding the
need for Special Education in the area of APE. The
re-evaluation process (DEC 7) must be completed.

Evaluations may or may not be required to make
this decision but the re-evaluation process is
mandated to exit Special Education/APE.
Exiting APE if it was the sole
special education service…
• Requires a review of the student’s special education
program (re-evaluation process/ DEC 7)
• Requires the IEP team to determine if it has sufficient
(formal and/or informal) data or if additional data is
needed
Potential types of data:
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


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standardized assessment
observations of student
objective measures
parent input
summary of student performance in physical education
Thank you for your kind attention!
Contact information:
N-CAPE-AC=please see map
Laurie Ray, APE Liaison for NC DPI
919)636-1827
laurie_ray@med.unc.edu
http://ec.ncpublicschools.gov/instructionalresources/adapted-physical-education