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Exergames are digital interactive games that require physical movements of upper and lower limbs by the users to achieve simulation with the game screen. Their effects regarding the maintenance of fitness levels and the improvement of their overall health, is proven to be positive. Due to attractiveness, they offer an innovative way to increase physical activity levels of individuals with disabilities. Exergaming may provide both entertainment and multiple benefits for the users while their engagement with the games may produce a positive mood state, socialization, improvement of well-being and good outcomes. Digital environment provides the possibility for the users to participate at the games on equal terms, regardless of academic performance and type of disability. Individuals with disabilities are less physically active compared to individuals without disabilities. As a result, their fitness levels appear to be lower compared to general population and that may cause cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity and depression. The main reason for this is the absence of motivation to participate in physical education programs. Therefore, it might be meaningful to increase their physical activity levels using exergames. The purpose of this study was to explore the possible benefits of exergames on individuals with disabilities. To achieve this, an extensive research and record of relevant publications in recent years took place. Results indicate that exergames had positive effects on individuals with disabilities and although they should not replace their participation at exercise programs in real environments, they can be used in combination with exercise programs adapted to their needs. More specifically, results suggest that exergames are useful, attractive, and efficient tools for enhancing physical activity levels and attitudes. Additionally, studies reveal social, emotional, and motor benefits as well as improvements in communication skills contributing positively to the quality of their life.

The pedagogy of theatrical play is a relatively new educational approach within the school system. Aim is to examine teachers’ opinions of theatrical play as a method which can provide opportunities for students with autism to interact with others in a fun and supportive environment. Twelve teachers who are selected by purposive sampling (M = 40.6 years) are teaching students with autism in general primary schools in Northern Greece and participated in semi-structured interviews which lasted 45 minutes. The protocol of interview consisted of 13 open-closed questions. The answers were collected through a recording device. A depth-analysis of teacher’s responses was used to analyse their patterns and relationships. Teachers believe that theatrical play with appropriate curricular decisions and knowledge can hold an essential place in the classroom and supported the hypothesis that it is especially effective in developing and improving the duration and frequency of autistic students’ social interactions. Keywords: Autism, teaching, theatrical play, school, social skills

The present study was set out to investigate the association between teachers’ perception of the quality of their relationships with their students’ and teachers’ professional self-efficacy. Fifty ...

The present study attempted to identify the research trends in Adapted Physical Activity-APA. Documentary analysis was used to evaluate 99 research studies in APAQ from 2006 to 2010. The majority of publications examined psychosocial issues (29.29%), measurement/ assessment/ classification (20.20%), exercise science/ physical activity (14.14%), motor behavior, biomechanics (8.08%) and disability sports (21.21%). Samples of individuals with physical disabilities (17.89%), different disability categories (14.73%) and mental retardation/ intellectual disability (12.63%) were reported more often. For the quantitative vs qualitative distinction, 74 studies were classified as quantitative while 16 studies were qualitative. Validity and reliability reports appeared in 82 studies, while the majority of the sampling methods were purposive (21 studies), recruited (20 studies) and convenience (17 studies). With respect to theories the self-efficacy and self-determination were the most commonly reported. Overall, there is a trend for using theory to examine specific samples more in depth, through qualitative research, and a lower tendency to report analyses with sophisticated statistical software, randomized samples and generalization of findings. Academic scholars and researchers may consider the above conclusions when consulting with their graduate students and planning their future research endeavors in the APA field

Over the last two decades the idea of inclusion of students with special educational needs (SEN) in general schools has become increasingly the focus of Inclusive education in Cyprus. The passage of new laws mandating school inclusion, the new educational physical education curriculum as well as the attention that has been given to physical education teachers' training, are significant changes towards school inclusion. The aim of this study was to identify the attitudes, and predictors of attitudes, of in service Cypriot secondary school physical education teachers towards the inclusion of students with physical disabilities in general physical education (GPE) classes. The Greek translated version of the questionnaire ATIPDPE-GR (Doulkeridou, Evaggelinou & Kudlacek, 2010) originally developed by Kudlacek, Valkova, Sherrill, Myers and French (2002) was used. The instrument was designed based on the "Theory of Planned Behavior" (TPB) by Ajzen (1991). Statistical analysis included one way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Stepwise multiple regression demonstrated the percentage of variability of variance of intention as explained by the Attitude Toward Behavior and Perceived Behavioral Control subscales (R Square = 0,547). The Perceived Behavioral Control had the strongest correlation on intention to include students with physical disabilities in general Physical Education (p < 0.01). The subscale Attitude toward Behavior had the second strongest correlation on intention to include students with physical disabilities in general Physical Education (p < 0.05). In addition, results show no significant difference between females and males towards intention for inclusion.

Aims The present study aimed at the standardization of the motor scales (A – locomotor and D – eye–hand co-ordination) of the Griffiths Test II on Greek preschool-aged children. Participants Nine hundred and thirty children living in Northern Greece were assessed (455 boys and 475 girls), aged from 37 to 72 months (3–6 years old). Results Percentile ranks were determined depending on the developmental quotient and the chronological age of the child. Through the present application of the Griffiths Test to the children in our country, we showed that the average developmental quotients of the two scales were higher than the relevant published quotients of the Griffiths Test II. Discussion Some of the factors that may have contributed to faster motor development are passage of time and the environmental and cultural differences between countries. The findings reinforce the need for standardization of a test before it is applied to the population of a country, and its re-standardization on the population of the country where it was first applied.

The functional classification system for wheelchair basketball is based on an analysis of the players' functional resources through field-testing and game observation. Under this system, players are assigned a score of 1 to 4.5. The aim of this study was to determine if the wheelchair basketball player classification system reflects the existing differences in performance of elite female players. During the World Championship for Wheelchair Basketball in Sydney 1998, eight teams were videotaped for three 40-min games for a total of 120 min per team. Fifty-nine female players (Class I [1 and 1.5 points] n=12; Class II [2 and 2.5 points] n=20; Class III [3 and 3.5 points] n=13; Class IV [4 and 4.5 points] n=14) were retained for a detailed performance analysis by means of the Comprehensive Basketball Grading System (CBGS). Two-way analysis of variance showed high point players to perform better compared with low point players for the majority of variables determining the quality of game performance. A lack of significant differences between two adjacent classes was explained on the basis of the methodological approach, the class-position relationship in this sample, and the performance level of women's wheelchair basketball. We conclude that the performance of elite female wheelchair basketball players is dependent on functional ability.

The player classification system in wheelchair basketball (composed of four classes) is based on an analysis of players’ functional resources through game observation and field-testing. This study examines if the classes are in the correct proportion relative to each other. During the Wheelchair Basketball World Championships in Sydney 1998, 12 teams were videotaped for three 40-min games. Eighty-eight male players were retained for a detailed performance analysis by means of the Comprehensive Basketball Grading System (CBGS). Although a slight underestimation of the functional potential of Class II and III players was noted, it was concluded that the player classification system in wheelchair basketball proportionally represents the functional potential of the players.

This study was designed to examine the underlying structure of the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD) in Ulrich (1985). The TGMD was administered to 644 children who were randomly divided into two groups (calibration group and validation group). The calibration group (n = 324) included 150 boys and 174 girls, and the validation group included 160 boys and 160 girls, ranging from 3 to 10 years. A two-factor model was postulated and supported. According to the model, seven variables measuring children’s ability for moving into space loaded on one factor (locomotor skills), while five variables measuring children’s ability for controlling objects loaded on the other factor (object control skills). In addition, the proposed model was found to be invariant across the two groups. Good cross-generalizability of the TGMD appears to support its validity. Physical educators working with young children may use it with confidence when assessing and planning physical education programs involving locomotor and object control skills.

Disability sport provides a setting in which attributes, practices, and beliefs of spectators can be examined. The Spectator Questionnaire (SQ) was used to collect data on 114 of the spectators attending the 1993 International Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Games (ISMWG). Most spectators (96%) were not athletes in the games, and only 24% were relatives of athletes with disabilities. Spectators were attending the games primarily to encourage athletes in their efforts and to learn more about wheelchair sports. Spectators indicated they would prioritize their time to view wheelchair sports on television. Studying spectators at carefully organized wheelchair sport events may provide useful information that can be used in other settings, such as in the development and implementation of programs to facilitate the inclusion of people with disabilities in mainstreamed environments.

The aim of the present study was to examine the impact of a disability awareness program on attitudes of children without disabilities toward the inclusion of peers with disabilities in a summer camp. Three hundred eighty seven campers without disabilities attending a non-inclusive summer camp participated in the study. Participants were divided into control (n = 190) and experimental group (n = 197). The control group followed the camp’s program, while the experimental group attended a disability awareness program alongside to the camp’s regular program. Participants completed twice the “Children’s Attitude towards Integrated Physical Education – Revised” (CAIPE-R). CAIPE-R consists of two subscales: general and sports-specific. The results of the 2 X 2 repeated measures analysis of variance revealed statistical significant differences on the experimental group, both in general and in sport-specific attitudes subscales. These findings imply that participation in a disability awareness program can have a positive influence on children’s attitudes towards the inclusion of children with disabilities in summer camps.

The purpose of this study was to examine specific aspects of the reliability and validity of age band 1 of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children--Second Edition (MABC-2) (Henderson, Sugden, & Barnett, 2007) in Greek preschool children. One hundred and eighty-three children participated in the study; the children ranged in age from 36 to 64 months old (M = 50 months, SD = 9 months). Test-retest reliability of the MABC-2 was evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Cronbach's alpha for the items of each motor domain was estimated to determine internal consistency. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine the factorial validity of the MABC-2 test. Correlation coefficients among individual item scores and the total score were also calculated to further examine validity. The ICC for all test items was good, except for the drawing trail task, which was moderate. Cronbach's alpha coefficient values were .51, .70 and .66 for manual dexterity, aiming and catching, and balance, respectively. In the confirmatory factor analysis, goodness-of-fit indices suggested a satisfactory fit of the data to the model. The correlation coefficients between each test item and the total score were moderate. The results suggest that the MABC-2 can be a reliable and valid tool for the assessment of movement difficulties among 3-5-year-old children.

The authors investigated the timing responses of upper extremities to light and sound stimuli of 24 ambulatory, household-only ambulatory, and nonambulatory children with spina bifida. Using a Lafayette reaction and movement timer, each subject performed four timing tasks: (a) simple reaction time, (b) choice reaction time, (c) simple movement time, and (d) choice movement time. A 2 × 3 × 4 analysis of variance with repeated measures indicated that the ambulatory spina bifida children performed all timing tasks faster and more accurately than the household-only ambulatory and nonambulatory children. In addition, the household-only ambulatory group performed the timing tasks faster and more accurately than the nonambulatory group. Therefore, different perceptual-motor processing abilities are inferred for children with spina bifida who ambulate with different ability. For maximum benefit, an individualized educational approach should be used to improve psychomotor abilities of spina bifida children who have differing levels of ambulation.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of the “Paralympic School Day” (PSD) program on the attitudes of 5th and 6th grade Greek students without disabilities and the effect of gender differences on the inclusion of children with disabilities in physical education classes. The 178 children were divided into two groups, (an experimental n = 86 and a control group n = 92). The experimental group received a day program, PSD, aimed at creating awareness and understanding of people with disabilities. All children answered twice the CAIPE-R, Children’s Attitudes toward Integrated Physical Education – Revised Questionnaire (Block, 1995), modified. The questionnaire posited two attitude subscales: general and sport-specific. A 2X2 repeated measures analysis of variance was used to examine the differences in pre and post tests between the two groups and genders. Results indicated significant differences on the experimental group, only in general attitudes and not in the case of sport-specific related questions. In addition no gender differences were shown (p

This study examined the effect of neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT) and differences in its intensity on gross motor function of children with cerebral palsy (CP). Participants were 34 children (12 females, 22 males; mean age 7y 3mo [SD 3y 6mo], age range 3 to 14y) with mild to moderate spasticity and hemiplegia (n=10), diplegia (n=12), and tetraplegia (n=12). Gross Motor Function Classification System levels were: I (n=10), II (n=10), and III (n=14). The paired sample, which was obtained by ratio stratification and matching by sex, age, and distribution of impairment from a total of 114 children with CP, was assigned randomly to two groups: group A underwent NDT twice a week and group B five times a week for 16 weeks. The outcome measure used was the Gross Motor Function Measure, which assessed the performance of the children before and after intervention. The paired-sample t-test revealed that gross motor function of children from both groups improved significantly after intervention (p

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Self-testing activities on the development of fundamental movement skills in first-grade children in Greece. Two groups of children were tested. The Control group ( n = 23 children) received the regular 12-wk. physical education school program and the Experimental group ( n = 22 children) received a 12-wk. skill-oriented program with an increasing allotment of self-testing activities. The Test of Gross Motor Development was used to assess fundamental movement skills, while the content areas of physical education courses were estimated with an assessment protocol, based on the interval recording system called the Academic Learning Time-Physical Education. A 2 × 2 repeated measures analysis of variance with group as the between factor and testing time (pretest vs posttest) as the repeated-measures factor was performed to assess differences between the two groups. A significant interaction of group with testing time was found for the Test of Gross Motor Development total score, with the Experimental group scoring higher then the Control group. A significant main effect was also found for test but not for group. This study provides evidence supporting the notion that a balanced allotment of the self-testing and game activities beyond the usual curriculum increases the fundamental motor-skill development of children. Also, it stresses the necessity for content and performance standards for the fundamental motor skills in educational programs. Finally, it seems that the Test of Gross Motor Development is a useful tool for the assessment of children's fundamental movement skills.

The purpose of this quasi experimental study was to examine the effect of a fine motor intervention program on the graphomotor skills of 64 kindergarten and early elementary school Greek students (33 boys, 31 girls). The participants were assigned to experimental (EG) and control groups (CG). Graphomotor skills were assessed with the visual motor control items of Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency – Long Form (BOTMP-LF). The intervention program lasted two months, twice per week. Analysis indicated significant multivariate and univariate interaction effects for each graphomotor skill. Early elementary educators and kindergarten teachers should consider fine motor intervention programs to improve the graphomotor skills of all students.