In a world where physical education (PE) is a graduation requirement in many states, not all students can participate fully — many can participate in physical education (PE) with ease. However, disabled students often feel unsafe participating.
The feeling of a lack of safety comes from various reasons. A few reasons why this feeling occurs are: educators fail to make proper accommodations and don’t create an inclusive environment for all. Although this may be the case, there are still many ways for disabled students to participate.
According to the CDC Archives, 52% of schools exempted students with cognitive disabilities. 86% of schools removed students with long-term disabilities from PE.
The history of PE for disabled students
Before the 1950s, many schools excluded disabled students. As a result, disabled individuals were denied the same opportunities as their abled-bodied peers, such as PE. On the rare occasion that schools included them, PE for disabled students often focused on medical corrective gymnastics.
Medical corrective gymnastics is a form of physical therapy that originated in Sweden during the early 19th century. It focuses on correcting posture, improving body alignment, and restoring neuromuscular function.
During the 1950s, World War II veterans had a big impact on PE for disabled students. They not only helped to invent adaptive sports like adaptive basketball, which led to the development of the Paralympic Games, but their activism also led to the development of infrastructures, such as ramps and curb cutouts.
In 1975, the Education for Handicapped Children Act came into place. The act requires all public schools to provide free education to students with disabilities.
Disabled students in PE today
Although many changes have been made, students with disabilities still face significant issues participating in PE.
Ella Ziolkowski is a disabled senior who attends Hillsborough High School and doesn’t participate in PE. “If I were to participate in gym, I wouldn’t feel safe because I could get hurt if a basketball hits me,” said Ziolkowski.
The fact is that activities in PE are not safe for students with disabilities, and educators don’t always find ways to accommodate.
PE helps students’ emotional well-being
Around the world, schools are excluding disabled students from PE. After the Paris Paralympics in 2024, the British National Paralympic Committee set a programme in place.
In a 2024 interview with The Guardian, the executive chief of ParalympicsGB, David Clarke, said, “Play is fundamental to children’s happiness, allowing them to have fun while they develop motor skills, build confidence, and improve physical and mental health. Disabled children deserve the same access to physical education in schools as their non‑disabled counterparts, and structural change is needed to support schools to enable this.”
What can schools do to help include more disabled students?
Educators can make a variety of changes for disabled students, such as changing the rules of a game for students with disabilities. Another great option is to offer options that everyone can participate in, like yoga.
All in all, students should feel safe and seen in PE class, rather than feeling disregarded. Educators must make the proper accommodations for all students — not just for those who can walk!
