Modified Class for Adapted Physical Education

http://www.brighthub.com/education/special/arti cles/49396.aspx

Conditions such as muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy often impair a child's ability to participate in required exercises, movements or sports activities found in the traditional gym class.

Rather than excluding children with special needs from gym class, public schools now offer adaptive fitness programs.

Modified gym classes, which provide students with special needs the opportunity to keep their bodies healthy, involve certain adjustments to the standard gym curriculum.

With assistance from supportive physical education instructors, these students enjoy exercising along with their peers.

An adaptive gym class is made available to students with delays in the gross motor areas such as endurance, coordination, movement, and muscle strength.

Children with special needs who are eligible to receive adaptive services during gym period will have detailed accommodations and goals written into an Individual Education Plan, or IEP.

Depending on the severity of the disability and the modifications that a school is able to offer, a child may either participate in a small modified gym class with other special needs students or in a large mainstream gym class along with his or her peers.

Teacher aides and/or paraeducators can offer additional support for students who receive adaptive services.

Four Areas of Modification

Adaptations to the curriculum of a physical education class are made in four areas:
instruction

rules
equipment

environment

INSTRUCTIONS

Teachers may modify instructions by modeling what the student is expected to do.

Instructions may be printed out in large print and hung up for the student to see during the time of the lesson. Oral prompts can be given. Student may have a peer partner that assists.

Rules can be "relaxed" to allow the student to achieve the desired goal.

If for instance, the students are to kick a ball into a net from 10 feet away, a student with special needs may need to get closer to be able to kick or throw the ball into the net. Time requirements and "outs" may be eliminated.

EQUIPMENT
Modifications to equipment may mean that bats or paddles have Velcro strapping, so that a child with gross motor difficulties may hold it easily.

Other adaptations may include lowering a basketball net, using larger or smaller balls or utilizing a tee to hold a ball. Students might use scoops for catching balls instead of their hands. Targets could be made larger and placed closer to the students.

ENVIRONMENT
The environment in which students participate in gym or physical education must be safe, secure and welcoming. Padding, hand holds, and adaptive equipment should be readily available.

The playing field must be clearly defined.

The use of taped or painted areas makes it easier for the student to see boundaries.

MODIFYING SPORTS

Physical education instructors have many options available when adjusting curriculum to fit students with special needs. For instance, most sports may be adjusted as follows:

Pitching distance is decreased to accommodate the needs of the student trying to hit a baseball or softball Students are allowed extra time to move between bases Students are allowed to use a batting tee to push or hit the ball

Students are allowed to walk or run in a smaller area of play for basketball or soccer Children in wheelchairs may hold the ball in their laps during periods of movement

The nets for tennis or volleyball may be lowered to accommodate a child in a wheelchair or with limited gross motor skills Sports equipment such as larger and softer balls, lightweight racquets and clubs, and Velcro baseballs and catching mitts may be utilized

Modifying Exercise/Movement

Much of the curriculum in gym class focuses on movement or exercise. Modifications may be made for students according to their special needs.

For instance, a student with a visual impairment would have a para, who would work one-onone with them to demonstrate what the physical education teacher was asking the class to do.

On the other hand, a child with limited movement might need the para to gently move their arms or legs.

NOTE: A para or teacher's aide should never attempt to modify an exercise, unless they have been trained to do this form of modification.

Everyone Wins

In well-organized adaptive physical education classes, all students grow and develop needed skills.

The most important consideration is to create a place that is not filled with the stress of being best, but rather, creating a space for achieving goals that everyone enjoys and at which everyone succeeds.

The emphasis on being number one is taken away. Students are not in class to compete with each other; rather, they are there to learn about themselves and each other.

They are there to enjoy moving their bodies to the best of their ability. They are there to succeed.

Adaptive physical educations classes allow students with physical disabilities to share sports and learn sportsmanship along with their peers. This is a win/win process.

Differentiating Instruction for Students with Disabilities

http://www.pecentral.org/adapted/adaptedactivitie s.html

Quality adapted physical education involves the physical educator differentiating instruction to meet the needs, interests, and abilities of each individual student.

That differentiation might involve the teacher adapting/ modifying the content, process, environment, and/or student assessment.

Below we have provided numerous ways that some sports and activities can be modified and/or changed to meet the needs of each student.

The goal is to have students participate in activities where all students can learn and be successful.

General Adaptation Suggestions

Equipment
Larger/lighter bat Use of velcro Larger goal/target

Mark positions on playing field

Lower goal/target Scoops for catching Vary balls (size, weight, color, texture)

Rules Prompts, Cues

Demonstrate/model activity Partner assisted Disregard time limits

Oral prompt
More space between students Eliminate outs/strike-outs

Allow ball to remain stationary

Allow batter to sit in chair Place student with disability near teacher

Boundary/Playing Field:
Decrease distance Use well-defined boundaries Simplify patterns Adapt playing area (smaller, obstacles removed)

Actions
Change locomotor patterns Modify grasps Modify body positions Reduce number of actions Use different body parts

Time
Vary the tempo Slow the activity pace Lengthen the time Shorten the time Provide frequent rest periods

EXAMPLES OF MODIFICATIONS AND ADAPTATIONS IN GAMES

Bowling
Simplify/reduce the number of steps Use two hands instead of one Remain in stationary position Use a ramp Use a partner Give continuous verbal cues

Basketball
Use various size balls (size, weight,
texture, color) Allow travelling Allow two hand dribble Disregard three second lane violation Use larger/lower goal

Basketball (continued)
Slow the pace, especially when first learning If student uses wheelchair, allow him to hold ball

on his lap while pushing wheelchair Use beeper ball, radio under basket for individual with visual impairment

Golf
Use a club with a larger head Use shorter/lighter club Use colored/larger balls Practice without a ball Use tee for all shots Shorten distance to hole

Soccer
Use walking instead of running Have well defined boundaries Reduce playing area Play six-a-side soccer

Soccer (continued)
If student uses a wheelchair, allow him to hold ball on

his lap while pushing the wheelchair Use a def lated ball, nerf ball, beeper ball, brightly colored ball Use a target that makes noise when hit

Softball
Use velcro balls and mitts Use larger or smaller bats Use a batting tee Reduce the base distances Use Incrediballs

Shorten the pitching distance

Softball (continued) off ramp, off lap, or from tee Use beeper balls Provide a peer to assist Players without disabilities play regular depth defense Students without disabilities count to ten before tagging out person with disability
If individual is in wheelchair, allow them to push ball

Volleyball
Use larger, lighter, softer, bright colored balls Allow players to catch ball instead of volleying Allow student to self toss and set ball

Volleyball (continued)
Lower the net Reduce the playing court Stand closer to net on serve Allow ball to bounce first Hold ball and have student hit it

Tennis
Use larger, lighter balls
Use shorter, lighter racquets Use larger head racquets Slow down the ball Lower the net or do not use a net

Tennis (continued)
Use brightly colored balls
Hit ball off tee Allow a drop serve Stand closer to net on serve Do not use service court Use a peer for assistance

THANK YOU
Eleanor Ann Tan Lye Neo Jabatan Pendidikan Jasmani & Kesihatan IPG Kampus Ilmu Khas Kuala Lumpur