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Engaging the Community through Adaptive Physical Education: Connecting Pre-service Teachers with Children with Disabilities and their Families through CAPES (Children's Adaptive Physical Educ Society) |
Sunday, May 24, 2015 |
4:00 PM–4:50 PM |
210AB (CC) |
Area: EDC/PRA; Domain: Service Delivery |
Chair: Natalie Allen-Williams (Weber State University) |
Discussant: William L. Heward (The Ohio State University) |
Abstract: Children's Adaptive Physical Education Society! (CAPES!) is a community-based teaching and learning experience designed to enhance the efficacy and pedagogy of pre-service teachers in the interaction, teaching, and lesson development of individuals with disabilities between the ages of 5 and 12 years. This symposium will focus on two separate components of CAPES: a) the impact of CAPES on pre-service teachers and b) the impact of weekly parent training on the interaction between parents and their child with a disability. The first presentation will focus on the self-perceived skills and attitudes of pre-service teachers it relates to teaching students with disabilities. The second presentation will focus on the weekly parent training and its impact of the families who participated in CAPES. The Parental Education and Support Program was designed around parent interests and needs and delivered via weekly training sessions. Parent satisfaction with the training program was assessed upon completion of the 10-week program. |
Keyword(s): adaptive PE, community engagement, parent training, pre-service teachers |
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Self-Perception of Pre-Service Teachers toward their 'Will and Skill' in Working with Students with Disabilities |
NATALIE ALLEN-WILLIAMS (Weber State University), James Zagrodnik (Weber State University) |
Abstract: This presentation will focus on the pre-post questionnaire scores of pre-service teachers and their self-perceived ‘will and skill’ of working with students with disabilities in the classroom. Sorensen, Tarpley and Warnick (2005) reported that teachers perceive themselves as having low levels of ability in teaching students with disabilities. Conversely, Dormody and colleagues reported that teachers that had more formal coursework felt it less challenging to include students with disabilities in their classrooms (2006). CAPES! is designed to provide pre-service elementary, special and physical education teachers with weekly interaction with individuals with disabilities in a more formal approach that may address the concerns reported by Tarpley and colleagues (2005).
Surveys questions were designed around subcategories in understanding, confidence, willingness and skills in working with students with disabilities. Additionally, surveys included questions related education satisfaction. Preliminary dependent t-test data indicate that pre-service teacher perceptions significantly (p< .05) increase following weekly interactions with students with disabilities and their families. |
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Evaluating Parent Satisfaction for the Parental Education and Support Program of CAPES! |
PATRICK LEYTHAM (Weber State University), Summer Ferreri (Michigan State University) |
Abstract: Encouragement, support, and information about and inspiration from other families has long been considered an important aspect of raising a child with a disability (Gartner, Lipsky, & Turnbull, 1991). The need for parent training and support was identified by the families who were participating in CAPES! Each week while their child with a disability is engaged with pre-service teachers, a parent training and support class provides opportunities to receive encouragement, support, and information about working with their children with disabilities. Some of the topics covered include the IEP process, special education law, addressing challenging behaviors and post-school transitions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the satisfaction of the parents regarding the training they received. A modified 20-item parent satisfaction questionnaire was used to determine parental approval of the content delivered, the teaching tools used, and their level of confidence in working with their children. Descriptive statistics will be used to report the findings. |
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