Inclusive practices for students with disabilities in physical education classes: A literature review

Abstract

The aim of this literature review was to identify effective inclusion practices for students with disabilities in international school physical education. The PRISMA methodology was employed, which, through the research question, enabled the identification of emerging categories based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 45 articles met the selection criteria. Based on their empirical results, a classification was made into two main dimensions related to inclusive practices, both inside and outside the physical education classroom. Additionally, each dimension identified various categories to identify key effective inclusion practices in school physical education. The identification and categorization of these inclusive practices allow for an analysis of the various inclusive strategies reported in the literature, highlighting the main areas of interest in recent years, namely: emotional support in the physical education class, organization of the space or location where the physical education class is conducted, pedagogical support during the class, the educational project of the school, public policies related to the inclusion of students with disabilities focused on school physical education, and the initial training of physical education teachers. Future research should focus efforts on involving parents, guardians, and/or caregivers of students with disabilities, as well as on distinguishing the individual characteristics of each type of disability within the diversity of students in the school stage.