Including students with physical disabilities in physical education in Singapore: Perspectives of peers without disabilities

Abstract

Perspectives of peers without disabilities are considered a significant determinant of successful integrated physical education. The purpose of this study was to explore students' perspectives of including students with physical disabilities in physical education in Singapore. Primary and secondary school students (n = 219) provided their perspectives related to the inclusion of students with physical disabilities through an online survey platform. The quantitative results showed that 86.3% of the participants expressed a “yes” opinion toward having the perspective that peers with physical disabilities should be included, while 13.7% of them expressed either a “no” or “maybe” opinion related to peers with physical disabilities being included. Further, girls were more likely to respond “yes” than boys, and a larger proportion of secondary school students responded “yes” than primary school students. Content analysis was used to code students’ 277 open-ended perspectives for supporting their expressed opinions. The different perspectives were coded and subsequently grouped into 15 categories for supporting the “yes,” “no,” and “maybe” responses. Equality was the most commonly listed category for supporting a “yes” response. For supporting a “no” response, negative outcomes, such as bullying and injury, were most commonly reported. Finally, dependence and incompatibility were equally listed for justifying a “maybe” response. These findings highlight a variety of perspectives related to peer attitudes and shed light on the value of enhancing students’ perspectives toward the integration of peers with disabilities.