Using an Infusion Model to Prepare Inclusion-Ready Physical Educators.

In the United States, there are estimates that over 90% of students with disabilities are taught in general physical education (GPE) classes (CDC, 2022; GAO, 2010). Yet, data indicate that for several reasons, physical educators feel unprepared to teach inclusive classes that accommodate the needs of students with disabilities (Block, 2016; Haegele et al., 2020; GAO, 2010; Hutzler et al., 2019; Kwon, 2018; Leake et al., 2023; Lirgg et al., 2017). If students with disabilities are to have successful and enjoyable learning experiences in GPE, Physical Education Teacher Preparation (PETE) programs should transform their programs to prepare teachers to accommodate these students successfully. This paper describes how a university PETE program implements an infusion program model to prepare future teachers to teach inclusive GPE classes by including specialized adapted physical education (APE) credential coursework into traditional PETE courses. Also included is a brief discussion about the evolution of infusion, the courses associated with the PETE infusion model, and issues related to the transformative model are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]