“The health and physical education curriculum promotes important educational values and goals that support the development of character. These include striving to achieve one’s personal best, equity and fair play, respect for diversity, sensitivity and respect for individual requirements and needs, and good health and well-being.”1
To meaningfully plan a quality Physical Education program, educators need to know their students. The purpose of this section is to provide educators and physical activity providers with initial accommodation ideas and guidance on planning and supporting programming and instruction in response to a student’s assessed and/or observed area(s) of strength and/or need.
This section provides educators and physical activity providers with information on where to start when designing an effective physical education program for students with disabilities.
This section will provide you with:
- Information on different types of disabilities with examples of strengths and needs pertaining to physical activity and movement.
- Accommodation ideas and examples for each disability grouping to support educators and students through instruction and assessment as well as environmental strategies to determine and meet curriculum expectations and individual learning goals.
- Suggested community partners and supporting organizations to help connect educators with partners with expertise on each disability grouping.
Disability Groupings: Descriptions, Examples & Accommodations
The content of the Disability Groupings: Descriptions, Examples & Accommodations section has been developed in collaboration with subject matter experts with professional and/or lived experience with the disability groupings identified. Numerous organizations and individuals have contributed to the content of this section, including: Ontario Parasport Collective, Dwarf Athletic Association of Canada, Little People of Ontario, Special Olympics Ontario, Ontario Association of the Deaf, Autism Ontario, PowerHockey Canada, PowerHockey Toronto, and York Region District School Board.
- Students Ambulating Independently or with an Assistive Device
- Students who are Wheelchair Users
- Students who are Blind or Low Vision
- Students with Cognitive Disabilities (Memory, Processing Speed, Attention, Focus, Impulsivity)
- Students with Communication Disabilities
- Students with Sensory Processing/Integration Disabilities
- Students with Motor Coordination Disabilities
The development of this section was inspired by the York Region District School Board’s Understanding Learning Disabilities chart.
1 Ontario Ministry of Education (2019). The Ontario Curriculum, Grade 1-8 Health and Physical Education. P. 8. Retrieved from: https://www.dcp.edu.gov.on.ca/en/curriculum/elementary-health-and-physical-education/context/the-importance-of-the-health-and-physical-education-curriculum