Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who teaches adapted physical education? 
2. What qualifications must a physical educator have in order to work as an APE in the state of Connecticut? 
3. What responsibilities should an Adapted Physical Education Specialist assume? 
4. What skills does an Adapted Physical Educator need? 
5. What if a school district does not have an adapted physical educator on staff to provide the service determined necessary by the Planning and Placement Team (PPT)? 
6. What is the basis for physical education services for students with unique learning needs? 
7. What if a student has a disabling injury, illness or condition that interferes with learning in physical education, but does not meet the criteria for a learning disability and an Individual Education Program? 
8. What’s the difference between the IDEA and Section 504? 
9. How is APE delivered? 
10. What does LRE mean, and how does this apply to physical education? 
11. What are the least restrictive environment (LRE) options in physical education that the Planning and Placement Team should address? 
12. What are the reporting and documentation requirements for IEPs? 
13. What are secondary school reform and student support systems as they apply to adapted physical education? 
14. What is meant by “Transitions through Developmental Stages?” 
15. What is adapted physical education? 
16. What is inclusion and should all students with disabilities be included in PE? 
17. To comply with LRE, must students with unique learning needs always be included in the regular PE setting? 
18. What types of activities are required in adapted physical education? 
19. How can regular physical education activities be adapted to include students with disabilities? 
20. Is it acceptable to place a student in general PE and occasionally have the student go to APE to work on particular skills? 
21. What is community-based programming? 
22. How is need for APE determined? 
23. Who should receive adapted physical education services? 
24. Who decides what educational services a student with a disability receives? 
25. Can therapy (e.g., physical therapy), therapeutic recreation or athletics be substituted for physical education? 
26. How do you refer a student for adapted physical education services? 
27. How would the general physical education teacher and/or parents of students with disabilities recommend APE? 
28. What is an Assessment? 
29. Who performs an APE assessment? 
30. What are some assessment instruments that are specifically for use in adapted physical education? 
31. How can I get training to administer assessments? 
32. What is an Ecological Approach to Assessment? 
33. What is an ecological inventory? 
34. Is documentation required for students with special needs? 
35. What is an Individualized Education Program (IEP)? 
36. How frequently should a student receive adapted physical education services? 
37. What if a student’s IEP does not include physical education goals and the PPT thinks they are warranted based on the student’s needs and disability? 
38. Is extended school year (ESY) provided in the APE area? 
39. Can APE be a stand-alone service on an IEP? 
40. What is an IPEP, and is it legally required? 
41. What are the caseload, or workload, limits for adapted physical education teachers?