Disabled students have PE barriers, GAO says(1)

By Alfredo Santana

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that students with disabilities face serious disadvantages in comparison to regular students in the opportunities to practice physical education activities (PE), and district sports, because among other reasons, teachers are little prepared to train and handle disabled students, and state and local budget constrains.

In addition, disabled students face off training academic programs that often are exclusive of students with special abilities.

The report, titled “More Information and Guidance Could Improve Opportunities in Physical Education and Athletics,” indicates schools “provide student with and without disabilities similar opportunities to participate in PE, but face challenges when serving students with disabilities.”

GAO reported that several state, district and school officials cited unprepared teachers and budget constrains as the main obstacles students with disabilities face in general PE classes.

“For example, they said general PE teachers need more training opportunities on working specifically with students with disabilities, yet resources for training are not always available,” GAO says.

The study indicates that GAO found students with disabilities participate in athletics at varying rates, “but at consistently lower rates than students without disabilities. Several factors, such as a student’s disability type, or outreach to students, may affect participation.

Some schools or districts GAO interviewed provided opportunities by partnering with community programs or offering athletics designed specifically for students with disabilities, such as wheelchair basketball.

“Some schools or districts GAO interviewed provided opportunities by partnering with community programs or offering athletics designed specifically for students with disabilities, such as wheelchair basketball,” the report found.

It also says that “education has provided little information or guidance on PE or extracurricular athletics for students with disabilities.” Some states and districts representatives said more guidance would be useful. Education has not provided much information or guidance because it has targeted its limited resources on other areas, such as monitoring priorities specified in federal law, GAO stated.

Certain federal laws indicate that children with disabilities must be offered opportunities to be part of PE activities and extracurricular athletics equal to those of other children. The Individuals with Disabilites Education Act (IDEA) mandates that states receiving federal grants under the act ensure eligible students with disabilities receive appropriate public education, defined as certain special education and related services.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits districts and schools that receive federal funds from discriminating against “otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities.” These students include those with cognitive or emotional disabilities and those with visual, hearing, or orthopedic impairments.

The study was conducted between June 2009 and June 2010.