A DESCRIPTIVE-ANALYTIC STUDY OF TEACHER-STUDENT INTERACTION IN MAINSTREAMED PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES

ROBERT ADRIEN GAUTHIER, Purdue University

Abstract

This study was designed to determine whether physical education teachers interact differently with handicapped and normal children within mainstreamed physical education classes in elementary schools. Four second-grade classes taught by male physical education specialists were videotaped during five different class sessions. One class contained two handicapped children, two classes contained three handicapped children and one class contained six handicapped children. All handicapped students were identified as learning disabled. Coders trained in the use of the Observational System for Instructional Analysis in Physical Education (Olson, 1979) viewed each videotape once for each handicapped child, once for each of an equal number of normal children matched for sex and randomly selected from the rest of the class, and once for each teacher. Seven dependent variables were calculated for comparison between handicapped and normal children. Data were analyzed using all seven dependent measures as the criteria in a 4 class x 2 group x 4 session multivariate analysis of variance. Univariate analyses of variances were then performed on each of the dependent variables. Results of the multivariate analysis of variance indicated there was no significant overall difference in teacher-student interaction between handicapped and normal children. Significant univariate group effects were reported for two variables. Handicapped students received more positive feedback than normal students. In addition, handicapped students were less likely to receive feedback following a movement response than normal children. This finding was specific to class and session.

Degree

Ph.D.

Subject Area

Physical education

COinS