Anthony J Maher
Biographic Data
| ID | 4598195 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Anthony J Maher |
| GIVEN NAMES | Anthony J |
| FAMILY NAME | Maher |
| SIGNATURE | MAHER A J |
| AFFILIATIONS | Leeds Beckett University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-1628-0962 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 46 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 107 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 46 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2006 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 6 |
Routledge Handbook of Qualitative Methods for Researching Disability in Physical Education
Participatory approaches are a welcome grounding for doing disability research in PE. Despite best intentions however, people that do not best communicate through traditional oral methods (e.g., some individuals with cerebral palsy, autism, D/deaf communities, verbal dyspraxia) are still excluded from research due to a reliance on ‘talk’ to recruit participants, gain informed consent and co-construct data. Embedding work in cripistemologies can d…
‘Here, PE is sick!’: An ethnodrama of pupils’ experiences of physical education in alternative provision schools
A growing number of young people are attending alternative provision schools, with limited research considering how they, from their perspective, experience this and particularly the subject of physical education (PE). The aim of this unique paper is therefore to (i) spotlight the voices of pupils from alternative provision schools and illuminate their experiences of PE and, in doing so (ii) share the realities of conducting research in such sett…
Epistemic injustice in physical education and sport: A critical disability studies perspective
This paper examines epistemic injustice as a valuable epistemological lens for critical disability studies (CDS) researchers examining issues of equity and social justice in physical education (PE) and sport. Drawing on the work of Miranda Fricker, we examine the ways in which knowledge production related to PE and sport for disabled youth may perpetuate injustices through affording excess credibility to those in positions of power who may have n…
Questioning body-normativity dominance in inclusive physical education: A transgressive analysis through bell hooks’ perspectives
Grounded in Critical Disability Studies, this study examines how mechanisms of oppression are recurrently legitimized in relation to Disabled students in Physical Education (PE). Drawing on bell hooks’ perspective, this study explores recurring logics of domination, thereby deepening understandings of how oppression is produced and sustained in PE. Using a post-structuralist approach, we conducted qualitative interviews with nine PE teachers to e…
How a social practice approach could improve government-supported decarbonisation initiatives for small and medium-sized enterprises
The ongoing scramble to reach net-zero has prompted many nations globally to implement targeted support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to decarbonise and enable participation in the just climate transition. Using social practice theory and Maréchal and Holzemer's ‘grips’ framework as conceptual lenses, we consider the role and efficacy of policy interventions in driving the SME net-zero transition. This study examines the available…
Physical education teacher education: Disrupting ableism in gymnastics
Physical education teacher education (PETE) has been identified as fertile ground for preparing teachers for teaching disabled pupils. However, there is an absence of visibly disabled bodies in PETE. Our research explores (1) how disabled bodies navigate the ableism that saturates PETE; and (2) how teacher educators can work with (disabled) prospective teachers to disrupt ableism through a critical perspective. This article generated data through…
Exploring the factors that influence the delivery of physical education in alternative provision schools in England
There is currently no literature that considers the practicalities of delivering physical education (PE) in alternative provision schools, nor the challenges that this might entail. As such, this paper offers a unique contribution to knowledge by highlighting the key factors that influence the delivery of PE within alternative provision schools in England from the perspectives of practitioners (i.e. those tasked with delivering it). Following a F…
We can only grow grass here’: Unsettling the traditionality of grassland narrative
Ruminant livestock farming is predominant in England’s grassland regions, including the south-west of England (SWE). The common farming view that such regions are only good for growing grass amounts to a simplistic ‘traditionality of grasslands’ (TOG) narrative, which may discount the potential of these regions to align food production with diverse, sustainable consumption. We interrogate the assumptions underlying the TOG narrative through the a…
Rigour in interpretive qualitative research in education: Ideas to think with
There has been a proliferation of qualitative approaches to researching education. While this has resulted in the construction of a rich tapestry of knowledge about education, it has also resulted in disparate research ideas, processes and practices, and created tensions relating to what constitutes rigorous qualitative research in education. As such, the aim of this paper was to use a multidisciplinary perspective and draw on concepts and practi…
Culture, power, and ideology: The purpose and value of physical education (PE) in alternative provision schools in England
Much has been said and written about the purpose and value of mainstream education generally and physical education (PE) specifically. However, in contrast, little attention has been given to the purpose and value of alternative provision, and none about PE in those education settings. In this article, we draw upon the concepts of culture, power, and ideology to address this shortcoming. To do so, we conducted individual interviews with eight PE …
Physical education in alternative provision schools: A case of spatial (in)justice
Physical education has the potential to achieve the desired outcomes of alternative provision schooling by re‐engaging young people in learning, supporting their social and emotional development and facilitating their reintegration into mainstream schooling. To do so, however, it requires sufficient and appropriate space because, unlike other subjects, its focus on embodied curriculum, embodied pedagogy and embodied learning requires the mind–bod…
Disabled Children and Young People in Sport, Physical Activity and Physical Education
Beyond spatial materiality, towards inter- and intra-subjectivity: Conceptualizing exclusion in education as internalized ableism and psycho-emotional disablement
Of the little written about educational exclusion, much of it considers exclusion as disabled students experiencing less access, opportunities and participation in education when compared to their nondisabled same-aged peers.Our article aims to move beyond these narrow, parochial, and reductive postulates by centering the interand intra-subjectivities of disabled students to conceptualize exclusion as experiences with internalized ableism and psy…
Critical pedagogies for community building: Challenging ableism in higher education physical education in the United States
Enacting critical pedagogies within physical education (PE) contexts have been found to increase critical consciousness and disrupt hegemonic taken-for-granted assumptions about ability and the body. As an under-researched area, the aim of our research was to explore the extent to which a critical pedagogical approach in PE can disrupt normative ableist notions of disability through a disability-specific, critically orientated, tennis class. Six …
Exclusion, inclusion and belonging in mainstream and disability sport: Jack’s story
Concepts of exclusion and inclusion in sport, physical activity and physical education settings are mostly anchored to discussions about access to and opportunities in physical and social spaces from the perspective of non-disabled adult stakeholders. In this article, we use individual interviews and two creative non-fiction accounts to explore the views of an adult with cerebral palsy (CP), named Jack, who reflects on his embodied experiences of…
A Qualitative Investigation of Teachers’ Experiences of Life Skills Development in Physical Education
Recent studies have highlighted physical education (PE) as a setting for life skills development, yet little is known about how teachers can promote the development and transfer of life skills through PE. Therefore, the broad objectives of this study were to explore teacher’s perceptions of what life skills are developed through PE, how these life skills are developed in practice, and whether these life skills transfer to other life domains. A qu…
Whose knowledge matters? Physical education teacher educator views and experiences of visual impairment simulations
While research has explored pre-service teacher views and experiences with disability simulations, none thus far has centered those that decide how and why such simulations are used, namely, teacher educators. Our research explores physical education teacher educator views and experiences of visual impairment simulations, as well as their perspectives toward simulations after reading reflections of visually impaired people themselves about this p…
Universal design for learning in physical education: Overview and critical reflection
Universal design for learning (UDL) has been advocated for by adapted physical education scholars as a panacea to the challenges associated with teaching disabled and nondisabled students together in physical education. So much so that UDL currently occupies a privileged and largely unquestioned position in adapted physical education scholarship and practice, until now. To move scholarship forward, this article draws on published theoretical and …
The physical education experiences of pupils with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: An ableism-critical perspective
There is an ever-growing body of research relating to disabled pupils’ experiences of physical education (PE). However, our research is novel because it draws on an ableism-critical perspective to amplify the voices and centre the PE experiences of pupils with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). We used an online survey to gather quantitative and qualitative data from 100 participants with a diagnosis to explore their perceptions of: (a) the inf…
Assessing the learning of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities in mainstream school physical education
In the UK, one consequence of neoliberalism has been the development of test cultures in schools and standardised assessment strategies used to judge all pupils against within and across curriculum subjects. Few studies to date have explored the influence of this on assessing the learning of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and none have centred physical education (PE). This study used the concept of ableism and semi…
Toward a Conceptual Understanding of Inclusion as Intersubjective Experiences
Inclusion has become a global buzzword relating to education policy and practice. Mostly, it is tied to discussions about access and opportunities in education spaces as well as school policies and the curriculum decisions and pedagogical actions of teachers. As part of this critique, we propose defining inclusion as intersubjective experiences associated with feelings of belonging, acceptance, and value that are dynamic, ephemeral, spatial, and …
Learning about ‘inclusive’ pedagogies through a special school placement
Background It is well-established that traditional approaches to initial teacher education do not adequately prepare physical education (PE) teachers for teaching pupils with disabilities. Consequently, pupils with disabilities participate less frequently and in fewer PE activities than their age peers. School-based placements, which form a cornerstone of the professional socialisation phase of teacher education, can help to prepare prospective a…
Co-developing peer interventions in health-related contexts: A case study from exercise referral
Objective: Peer support interventions can be successful in enhancing physical activity (PA) in a variety of health-related contexts. However, the evidence base remains equivocal, and ways to integrate structured peer support within the context of exercise referral schemes (ERSs) remain unexplored. In this regard, few studies consider the prospective acceptability of peer support interventions. Prior qualitative exploration can elicit insight into…
The culture of special schools: Perceptions of the nature, purpose and value of physical education
Educational “inclusion” has led to a debate about the appropriateness of special and mainstream schools. This paper adds to this debate by drawing on the concept of cultural hegemony to analyse the nature, purpose and value of special school physical education (PE). Eighteen individual interviews explored the perceptions of PE teachers, senior leaders and learning support assistants. The findings suggest that common sense cultural norms in specia…
The authenticity of disability simulations through empathetic imaginings: The perspectives of visually impaired people
In this article, we amplify the voices of visually impaired people to explore the authenticity of simulating visual impairment (VI) as a means of developing empathy among sighted student teachers. Participants were nine visually impaired adults who read vignettes narrating simulation experiences of student teachers in a university setting before being interviewed. Interviews were conducted via telephone, and were recorded, transcribed, and analys…
Toward a Conceptual Understanding of Inclusion as Intersubjective Experiences
Inclusion has become a global buzzword relating to education policy and practice. Mostly, it is tied to discussions about access and opportunities in education spaces as well as school policies and the curriculum decisions and pedagogical actions of teachers. As part of this critique, we propose defining inclusion as intersubjective experiences associated with feelings of belonging, acceptance, and value that are dynamic, ephemeral, spatial, and …
Including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities in mainstream secondary physical education: A revisit study
Our research used an innovative methodological approach by revisiting an original study conducted 15 years previously (Morley et al., 2005). A purposive sample of 31 secondary school teachers in the UK were interviewed to explore their perceptions of including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in mainstream secondary physical education (PE). All interviews were transcribed verbatim and texts analysed thematically. F…
Physical education, resources and training: The perspective of special educational needs coordinators working in secondary schools in North-West England
The Code of Practice of the Department for Education (1994) establishes the role of special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) to help facilitate the inclusion of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream schools. SENCOs, thus, should form an integral part of the culture of all departments, including physical education (PE). This paper draws on the concept of hegemony to examine the processes and practices that shape the experi…
A creative non-fiction account of autistic youth integrated physical education experiences
In the United States (US), the drive to integrate, or mainstream, disabled students into the same educational settings as their non-disabled peers has resulted in disparate opportunities and experiences. With that, more autistic youth than ever before are expected to assimilate into systems that are often not considerate of their needs and capabilities. We use a creative non-fiction narrative, crafted from qualitative interview data generated wit…
Disabled children and young people in sport, physical activity and physical education
Much of the albeit limited research relating to disabled children and young people in sport, physical activity and physical education settings is from the perspective of teachers, school leaders, coaches, support assistants and special educational needs coordinators. While this research has undoubtedly contributed to developing a rich tapestry of knowledge about disability and sport, physical activity and physical education, the views and experie…
Disable them all’: Senco and LSA conceptualisations of inclusion in physical education
There is a propensity for academics and policy makers in Britain to use the terms integration and inclusion synonymously, possibly resulting in diverse interpretations of the inclusion principles laid out in the new National Curriculum. Much of the research available relating to conceptualisations of inclusion in physical education (PE) is from the perspective of teachers. Moreover, PE as a relatively unique learning environment is often neglecte…
Special educational needs in mainstream secondary school physical education: Learning support assistants have their say
Learning support assistants (LSAs) gained more political and academic attention in Britain after Estelle Morris announced that schools of the future would include more trained staff to support learning to higher standards. LSAs, thus, should form an integral part of the culture of all school departments in Britain, including physical education (PE). The paper uses Antonio Gramsci's concept of hegemony to explore the processes and practices that s…
Factors influencing the culture of special school physical education: A Gramscian critique
Physical education (PE) research has largely been preoccupied with mainstream (regular) schools. This article reports on part of a larger research project that centralises special school PE. In particular, Gramsci’s conceptualisations of hegemony, power and ideology are utilised to help shed light on the key factors that shape the culture of special school PE. A number of key themes were constructed from twelve interviews with special school seni…
Me, osteogenesis imperfecta, and my classmates in physical education lessons: A case study of embodied pedagogy in action
Pupils with disabilities have been found to experience a narrower physical education curriculum and participate less frequently than pupils without disabilities. A lack of knowledge, skills, relevant experiences and confidence amongst physical education (PE) teachers has been said to contribute to these differential educational experiences. This article adds to the paucity of research that analyses the PE experiences of pupils with disabilities w…
The impact of a special school placement on self-perceptions of confidence and competence among prospective PE teachers
School-based placements are often used as a way of preparing prospective teachers for the demands of their future role. However, little is known about the impact of such situated learning experiences on prospective physical education (PE) teachers’ confidence and competence. To the best of our knowledge, this article is the first of its kind to explore prospective teachers’ views of, and experiences within, special schools in order to identify th…
We’ve got a few who don’t go to PE’: Learning support assistant and special educational needs coordinator views on inclusion in physical education in England
Britain’s 1981 Education Act stimulated a partial migration of pupils from special to mainstream schools. The onus has since been on teachers to meet the needs and capitalise on the capabilities of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in mainstream school settings. The research analysed learning support assistant (LSA) and special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) views on inclusion in physical education (PE). Individ…
Universal design for learning in physical education: Overview and critical reflection
Universal design for learning (UDL) has been advocated for by adapted physical education scholars as a panacea to the challenges associated with teaching disabled and nondisabled students together in physical education. So much so that UDL currently occupies a privileged and largely unquestioned position in adapted physical education scholarship and practice, until now. To move scholarship forward, this article draws on published theoretical and …
Assessing the learning of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities in mainstream school physical education
In the UK, one consequence of neoliberalism has been the development of test cultures in schools and standardised assessment strategies used to judge all pupils against within and across curriculum subjects. Few studies to date have explored the influence of this on assessing the learning of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and none have centred physical education (PE). This study used the concept of ableism and semi…
Stop fearing blindness! Visually impaired people reflect on the ethics of sighted prospective teachers simulating visual impairment
Disability simulations have developed as a popular professional development tool to help increase knowledge and awareness of disability and facilitate pedagogical learning among prospective and pre-service teachers. The aim of this research is to explore the ethics of sighted people simulating visual impairment from the perspective of visually impaired people. Participants were nine visually impaired adults who read vignettes narrating simulation…
The Self stepping into the shoes of the Other: Understanding and developing self-perceptions of empathy among prospective physical education teachers through a special school placement
Teachers who demonstrate a high degree of empathy are said to have more positive attitudes towards pupils with disabilities. Therefore, this article sought to explore the influence of a special school placement on prospective teachers’ self-perceptions of empathy. Thirty-two final year undergraduate students participated in focus group interviews and were selected because they aspired to be a physical education teacher and had attended a placemen…
Culture, power, and ideology: The purpose and value of physical education (PE) in alternative provision schools in England
Much has been said and written about the purpose and value of mainstream education generally and physical education (PE) specifically. However, in contrast, little attention has been given to the purpose and value of alternative provision, and none about PE in those education settings. In this article, we draw upon the concepts of culture, power, and ideology to address this shortcoming. To do so, we conducted individual interviews with eight PE …
Physical education in alternative provision schools: A case of spatial (in)justice
Physical education has the potential to achieve the desired outcomes of alternative provision schooling by re‐engaging young people in learning, supporting their social and emotional development and facilitating their reintegration into mainstream schooling. To do so, however, it requires sufficient and appropriate space because, unlike other subjects, its focus on embodied curriculum, embodied pedagogy and embodied learning requires the mind–bod…
Beyond spatial materiality, towards inter- and intra-subjectivity: Conceptualizing exclusion in education as internalized ableism and psycho-emotional disablement
Of the little written about educational exclusion, much of it considers exclusion as disabled students experiencing less access, opportunities and participation in education when compared to their nondisabled same-aged peers.Our article aims to move beyond these narrow, parochial, and reductive postulates by centering the interand intra-subjectivities of disabled students to conceptualize exclusion as experiences with internalized ableism and psy…
The physical education experiences of pupils with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: An ableism-critical perspective
There is an ever-growing body of research relating to disabled pupils’ experiences of physical education (PE). However, our research is novel because it draws on an ableism-critical perspective to amplify the voices and centre the PE experiences of pupils with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). We used an online survey to gather quantitative and qualitative data from 100 participants with a diagnosis to explore their perceptions of: (a) the inf…
It’s better than going into it blind’: Reflections by people with visual impairments regarding the use of simulation for pedagogical purposes
Disability simulations have been advocated as a tool to facilitate pedagogical learning among prospective physical education (PE) teachers. However, much of the research currently available neglect the views of people with disabilities about the development and use of such simulations. To address this omission, this study used vignettes and telephone interviews to elicit the views of nine people with visual impairments (VI) regarding the value (o…
Patterns of sports sponsorship by gambling, alcohol and food companies: An Internet survey
This study found that the sponsorship of popular sports for young people is dominated by "unhealthy" sponsorship (ie, predominantly gambling, alcohol and unhealthy food) relative to "healthy" sponsorship. Governments may need to consider regulations that limit unhealthy sponsorship and/or adopt alternative funding mechanisms for supporting popular sports
National smokefree law in New Zealand improves air quality inside bars, pubs and restaurants
There was very high compliance with the new national smokefree law and this was also reflected by the relatively good indoor air quality in hospitality settings (compared to the "outdoor" smoking areas and the comparable settings in countries that permit indoor smoking). Nevertheless, adopting enhanced regulations (as used in various US and Canadian jurisdictions) may be needed to address hazardous air quality in relatively enclosed "outdoor" smo…
Political priority in the global fight against non–communicable diseases
BACKGROUND: The prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) - such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and chronic respiratory diseases - is surging globally. Yet despite the availability of cost-effective interventions, NCDs receive less than 3% of annual development assistance for health to low and middle income countries. The top donors in global health - including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the US Government, and the W…
Physical education, resources and training: The perspective of special educational needs coordinators working in secondary schools in North-West England
The Code of Practice of the Department for Education (1994) establishes the role of special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) to help facilitate the inclusion of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream schools. SENCOs, thus, should form an integral part of the culture of all departments, including physical education (PE). This paper draws on the concept of hegemony to examine the processes and practices that shape the experi…
Special educational needs in mainstream secondary school physical education: Learning support assistants have their say
Learning support assistants (LSAs) gained more political and academic attention in Britain after Estelle Morris announced that schools of the future would include more trained staff to support learning to higher standards. LSAs, thus, should form an integral part of the culture of all school departments in Britain, including physical education (PE). The paper uses Antonio Gramsci's concept of hegemony to explore the processes and practices that s…
Disable them all’: Senco and LSA conceptualisations of inclusion in physical education
There is a propensity for academics and policy makers in Britain to use the terms integration and inclusion synonymously, possibly resulting in diverse interpretations of the inclusion principles laid out in the new National Curriculum. Much of the research available relating to conceptualisations of inclusion in physical education (PE) is from the perspective of teachers. Moreover, PE as a relatively unique learning environment is often neglecte…
We’ve got a few who don’t go to PE’: Learning support assistant and special educational needs coordinator views on inclusion in physical education in England
Britain’s 1981 Education Act stimulated a partial migration of pupils from special to mainstream schools. The onus has since been on teachers to meet the needs and capitalise on the capabilities of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in mainstream school settings. The research analysed learning support assistant (LSA) and special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) views on inclusion in physical education (PE). Individ…
Me, osteogenesis imperfecta, and my classmates in physical education lessons: A case study of embodied pedagogy in action
Pupils with disabilities have been found to experience a narrower physical education curriculum and participate less frequently than pupils without disabilities. A lack of knowledge, skills, relevant experiences and confidence amongst physical education (PE) teachers has been said to contribute to these differential educational experiences. This article adds to the paucity of research that analyses the PE experiences of pupils with disabilities w…
The impact of a special school placement on self-perceptions of confidence and competence among prospective PE teachers
School-based placements are often used as a way of preparing prospective teachers for the demands of their future role. However, little is known about the impact of such situated learning experiences on prospective physical education (PE) teachers’ confidence and competence. To the best of our knowledge, this article is the first of its kind to explore prospective teachers’ views of, and experiences within, special schools in order to identify th…
Teaching Physical Education to Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
Teaching Physical Education to Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities provides a thorough overview of the challenges and opportunities for inclusion in PE lessons. Combining a theoretical framework with practical strategies for teachers, the title covers a diverse range of issues which teachers need to address to provide high quality learning experiences for children with SEND. This second edition is grounded in up-to-date resea…
Teaching non-normative bodies: Simulating visual impairments as embodied pedagogy in action
In an attempt to better prepare prospective PE teachers for teaching pupils with disabilities, our research takes up the call of Sparkes, A., Martos-Garcia, D., & Maher, A. (2019). Me, Imperfect Osteogenesis and my classmates in physical education lessons: A case study of embodied pedagogy in action. Sport, Education and Society, 24(4), 338–348 [for an accumulation of ‘case studies involving teacher educators attempting to put embodied pedagogy i…
The Self stepping into the shoes of the Other: Understanding and developing self-perceptions of empathy among prospective physical education teachers through a special school placement
Teachers who demonstrate a high degree of empathy are said to have more positive attitudes towards pupils with disabilities. Therefore, this article sought to explore the influence of a special school placement on prospective teachers’ self-perceptions of empathy. Thirty-two final year undergraduate students participated in focus group interviews and were selected because they aspired to be a physical education teacher and had attended a placemen…
Including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities in mainstream secondary physical education: A revisit study
Our research used an innovative methodological approach by revisiting an original study conducted 15 years previously (Morley et al., 2005). A purposive sample of 31 secondary school teachers in the UK were interviewed to explore their perceptions of including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in mainstream secondary physical education (PE). All interviews were transcribed verbatim and texts analysed thematically. F…
Factors influencing the culture of special school physical education: A Gramscian critique
Physical education (PE) research has largely been preoccupied with mainstream (regular) schools. This article reports on part of a larger research project that centralises special school PE. In particular, Gramsci’s conceptualisations of hegemony, power and ideology are utilised to help shed light on the key factors that shape the culture of special school PE. A number of key themes were constructed from twelve interviews with special school seni…
Disrupting phonocentricism for teaching Deaf pupils: Prospective physical education teachers’ learning about visual pedagogies and non-verbal communication
Background: When compared to their hearing peers, Deaf pupils are likely to experience fewer activities and participate less often in physical education (PE), be less physically active, lag in motor skill development, and are more likely to be overweight or obese. While the reasons for these differences are nuanced and complex, established phonocentric pedagogical practices and (mis)communication between Deaf pupils and hearing PE teachers have b…
Multi-Stakeholder Retrospective Acceptability of a Peer Support Intervention for Exercise Referral
Perceived social support opportunities are central to successful exercise referral scheme (ERS) client experiences. However, there remains a lack of guidance on how ERSs can embed social support opportunities within their provision. This study presents retrospective acceptability findings from a 12-week social-identity-informed peer support intervention to enhance perceived social support among clients of an English ERS. Five peer volunteers were…
Disabled children and young people in sport, physical activity and physical education
Much of the albeit limited research relating to disabled children and young people in sport, physical activity and physical education settings is from the perspective of teachers, school leaders, coaches, support assistants and special educational needs coordinators. While this research has undoubtedly contributed to developing a rich tapestry of knowledge about disability and sport, physical activity and physical education, the views and experie…
It’s better than going into it blind’: Reflections by people with visual impairments regarding the use of simulation for pedagogical purposes
Disability simulations have been advocated as a tool to facilitate pedagogical learning among prospective physical education (PE) teachers. However, much of the research currently available neglect the views of people with disabilities about the development and use of such simulations. To address this omission, this study used vignettes and telephone interviews to elicit the views of nine people with visual impairments (VI) regarding the value (o…
A creative non-fiction account of autistic youth integrated physical education experiences
In the United States (US), the drive to integrate, or mainstream, disabled students into the same educational settings as their non-disabled peers has resulted in disparate opportunities and experiences. With that, more autistic youth than ever before are expected to assimilate into systems that are often not considerate of their needs and capabilities. We use a creative non-fiction narrative, crafted from qualitative interview data generated wit…
Learning about ‘inclusive’ pedagogies through a special school placement
Background It is well-established that traditional approaches to initial teacher education do not adequately prepare physical education (PE) teachers for teaching pupils with disabilities. Consequently, pupils with disabilities participate less frequently and in fewer PE activities than their age peers. School-based placements, which form a cornerstone of the professional socialisation phase of teacher education, can help to prepare prospective a…
Co-developing peer interventions in health-related contexts: A case study from exercise referral
Objective: Peer support interventions can be successful in enhancing physical activity (PA) in a variety of health-related contexts. However, the evidence base remains equivocal, and ways to integrate structured peer support within the context of exercise referral schemes (ERSs) remain unexplored. In this regard, few studies consider the prospective acceptability of peer support interventions. Prior qualitative exploration can elicit insight into…
The culture of special schools: Perceptions of the nature, purpose and value of physical education
Educational “inclusion” has led to a debate about the appropriateness of special and mainstream schools. This paper adds to this debate by drawing on the concept of cultural hegemony to analyse the nature, purpose and value of special school physical education (PE). Eighteen individual interviews explored the perceptions of PE teachers, senior leaders and learning support assistants. The findings suggest that common sense cultural norms in specia…
The authenticity of disability simulations through empathetic imaginings: The perspectives of visually impaired people
In this article, we amplify the voices of visually impaired people to explore the authenticity of simulating visual impairment (VI) as a means of developing empathy among sighted student teachers. Participants were nine visually impaired adults who read vignettes narrating simulation experiences of student teachers in a university setting before being interviewed. Interviews were conducted via telephone, and were recorded, transcribed, and analys…
Teaching Disabled Children in Physical Education: (Dis)connections between Research and Practice
This book examines the role that research plays in pedagogical practices when teaching disabled children and young people in physical education classes. It scrutinises the practices that are commonly used by teachers and coaches, and advocated by academics, and explores the evidence base that supports them. This book covers disability broadly, including a focus on autism, learning difficulties, and visual impairment. It offers guidance to practit…
Stop fearing blindness! Visually impaired people reflect on the ethics of sighted prospective teachers simulating visual impairment
Disability simulations have developed as a popular professional development tool to help increase knowledge and awareness of disability and facilitate pedagogical learning among prospective and pre-service teachers. The aim of this research is to explore the ethics of sighted people simulating visual impairment from the perspective of visually impaired people. Participants were nine visually impaired adults who read vignettes narrating simulation…
Inclusion and Disability in Education and Sport (36 works) · Psychology (36 works) · Pedagogy (33 works) · Sociology (26 works) · Physical education (21 works) · Medicine (20 works) · Mathematics education (19 works) · Physical Education and Pedagogy (19 works) · Disability Rights and Representation (18 works) · Political science (16 works)