ABSTRACT
Inclusion is an outgrowth of the Regular Education Initiative, or the integration model of the 1980s. The term reflects a philosophy in which all children, regardless of abilities or disabilities, are educated within the same environment, an environment where each child’s individual needs are met. Embedded within this philosophy is the understanding that children with disabilities would receive an individually determined, appropriate program with supplementary services and supports to meet their unique needs within the general education environment, such as the general physical education (GPE) setting. While much progress has been made and there has been research that does show children with disabilities can be successfully included in GPE, trends point to some troubling results, especially for students with more severe disabilities. In this chapter, we review the efforts that were made in the United States and other countries towards inclusive physical education while pointing out common barriers and challenges that educators, administrators, and children with or without disabilities faced during the process.
