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Introduction: Research examining how adults with visual impairments experience physical activities is currently limited to specific age ranges (for example, youths or older adults) and geographic locations (such as Europe and North America). In an effort to extend the current literature base, the study presented here focuses on a cohort of young or middle-aged adults with visual impairments who live in Brazil. Thus, the purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the meaning Brazilian adults with visual impairments ascribed to their physical activity experiences. Methods: This study was situated in the qualitative paradigm utilizing a phenomenological design. Three male participants (aged 22 to 47 years) were purposively recruited to participate. The main source of data for this study was a focus group interview using an open-ended, guided approach that was recorded on audiotape. A three-step, line-by-line, thematic analysis, informed by the phenomenological research approach, was utilized to extract meaning from the participants' experiences. Several strategies were employed to reduce subjective bias, establish trustworthiness, and enhance transferability. Results: Two interrelated themes emerged when participants described how they experienced physical activities and the meaning they ascribed to those experiences. The first theme, physical activity--indispensable, describes the importance the participants ascribed to physical activity engagement and the benefits that they garnered from these experiences. The second theme, perceived physical activity impediments, exposed the obstacles participants experienced when trying to engage in physical activities. Discussion: This study's findings expose the meaning that a cohort of Brazilians with visual impairments ascribe to physical activity engagement. The participants explained how engagement in physical activity helped alleviate some social issues they previously experienced, but also noted barriers to engaging in these activities. Implications for practitioners: Programs targeting physical activity promotion for adults with visual impairments should show the reported benefits of engaging in physical activity programs while attempting to manage potential obstacles that would discourage a physically active lifestyle.

Background/Objective: The available information pertaining to the attitudes of Brazilian physical education teachers about teaching students with disabilities is limited in the extant literature base. Rationally, however, scholars argue that determining, analyzing, and theorizing about the attitudes of physical education teachers is important in the preparation and professional development of these teachers. It is therefore important to extend the research base using valid and reliable measures regarding teachers' attitudes about inclusion and teaching students with various disabilities. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the underlying dimensions of the "Physical Educators' Judgments about Inclusion" ("PEJI") scale following translation procedures that converted the existing measure to Portuguese. The PEJI was designed to analyze teachers' attitudes about inclusion and teaching students with various disabilities. Method: Using a descriptive survey research design, data were collected from 147 participants (women = 57.1%, men = 42.9%) on the PEJI survey instrument. Results: Principal component analysis resulted in salient loadings on three dimensions consistent with prior study using the PEJI and explained 57% of the variance for measuring judgments about: "Inclusion versus Exclusion, Acceptance of Students with Disabilities," and "Perceived Training Needs." Conclusions: The overall results confirm validity of the PEJI survey consistent with prior study on this measure. The strong magnitude of values indicates that each of the subscales measures separate dimensions of judgments (attitudes). Implications for future use, we recommend reporting individual scale scores rather than a total PEJI score.

Teachers in physical education (PE) classes continue to face problems promoting effective participation of students with disabilities. To better comprehend these issues, we need to advance discussions on PE programming and curricula, as well as the values about ability and performance that are communicated through these mediums. Difficulties with inclusion in this specific educational context are associated with more than simply a lack of adaptations in activities, but with values embedded in practices associated with disability. The purpose of this study was to analyse the inclusion of students with physical disabilities in PE classes through a cultural analysis of curriculum, disability and PE. Data were collected through semi-structured face-to-face interviews and reflective field notes. Seven students with physical disabilities enrolled in different schools in urban regions of a Brazilian city participated in this study. The interviews were examined through content analysis technique by two researchers, with categorisation into thematic categories. Findings include enacted values of sports practices where performance and ability are prioritised. A lack of participation was associated with curricular choices and values presented by PE teachers. The effectiveness of the inclusion process in PE class is discussed.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the attitudes of physical education teachers about inclusion and teaching students with disabilities in Brazil before and after they participated in a professional development workshop focused on inclusive ideology and strategies. The participants were Brazilian physical education teachers (pretest sample, n = 90, and posttest sample, n = 90, respectively) sampled randomly from a two-day workshop held in Brasília, Brazil. The research method was pretest-posttest group design. The primary data source was the "Physical Educators' Judgments about Inclusion" survey, a three-dimensional attitude survey scale with an accompanying demographic questionnaire. Data were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics. Results indicate the Brazilian physical education teachers: (a) were undecided about inclusion; (b) were accepting of students with disabilities in their classes; and (c) perceived a need for additional professional development training to effectively teach children with disabilities.

The purpose of this study was to analyse Brazilian physical education teachers' beliefs about their experiences teaching students with disabilities. Participants were six physical education teachers from schools located in the city of Brasília, Brazil. The research paradigm was descriptive-qualitative situated in the theory of planned behaviour. The primary data source was a focus group interview. Interview data were analysed with constant comparative method and uncovered four major recurrent themes. The first major theme exposes the teachers' beliefs that their class arrangements were typically integrative, not inclusive. Second, the teachers' practices were distressed with problems and concerns beyond those of a typical physical education programme. Third, the teachers' self-efficacy in teaching students with disabilities depended largely on several salient variables. Lastly, the teachers were mostly intrinsically motivated in teaching students with disabilities. School districts should engage teachers in professional development focused on teaching students with disabilities in physical education.

Participation in dance programs is associated with physical and psychosocial health among individuals with and without disabilities. However, literature centered on the dance participation experiences of youth with visual impairment remains scarce. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of youth with visual impairments in a 3-week capoeira dance program. Fourteen adolescents with visual impairments (eight boys, six girls, aged 13–18 years old) were selected for participation in this qualitative inquiry. Participants engaged in a specially designed capoeira dance program led by trained instructors and volunteers in a metropolitan area in Turkey. The primary sources of data were semi-structured participant interviews completed after the conclusion of the program. Data were analyzed using a six-step thematic approach and recurrent themes were presented as findings. The authors constructed three themes in the data: (a) "capoeira makes me feel like I'm flying": fun and freedom learning capoeira; (b) "I've never had this kind of close relationship with somebody": relationships in capoeira training; and (c) "I'm a blind dancer. I did it, right?": learning capoeira through sound and touch. Together, these findings indicate that dance programs such as capoeira can provide an opportunity for social connection, enjoyment, and physical activity for youth with visual impairments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study presents an experience report about the inclusion of people with disabilities in a road race event in Brazil. The participation of those athletes were structured through the development of a volunteer program, implemented in partnership between the event's organizing committee and a university. Twentythree selected volunteers participated in a training course. The training of volunteers to work on road races represents one possible avenue to better include athletes with disabilities in these events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inclusion is a subjective experience related to sense of belonging and acceptance. In this way, the specific nature of a disability can have particular implications on the obstacles one experiences in physical education. Thus, the main objective of this study was to investigate the experiences of students with visual impairments in physical education classes in Brazil from an individual and subjective perspective. Eight students with visual impairments (five female students and three male students) between 13 and 18 years participated in the study. Interviews, which utilized a semi-structured interview guide, were used to obtain important information from the students. Interview transcripts were analyzed by the content analysis technique. Results revealed two main themes: (1) participation and (2) social interaction. Exclusion from physical education activities was omnipresent among the experiences of students with visual impairments. Physical education teachers did not recognize physical education classes as a place for student with visual impairments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]