INCLUSIVE PHYSICAL EDUCATION: BELIEFS AND ATTITUDES OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHERS TOWARDS THE INCLUSION OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.55851525070715

• Palavras-chave: physical education; beliefs; attitudes; inclusion; teachers; disability, adapted sport

• Keywords: physical education; beliefs; attitudes; inclusion; teachers; disability, adapted sport

• Abstract:

  This study investigated the beliefs and attitudes of Physical Education teachers towards people with disabilities, considering the variability in previous experiences and specific training in the area of inclusion. The sample consisted of 101 teachers (52 women and 49 men), aged between 22 and 66 (M=40.17; SD=10.99). The Portuguese version of the "Attitudes Toward Disabled People Scale" (Verdugo et al., 1995) was used, consisting of 37 items divided into five dimensions. The data was collected through an online questionnaire and analyzed using IBM SPSS 29.0 software. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, Spearman's correlation and multivariate analysis (GLM), with p≤0.05 as the significance level. The results show that specific training and previous experience with students with disabilities are positively associated with more favorable attitudes towards inclusion. In addition, factors such as teachers' age and gender can influence their beliefs and attitudes. This study provides some contributions to the training of Physical Education teachers, coaches and other technicians in the field of Adapted Physical and Sports Activity.