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How a Collaborative Parent-Adapted Physical Education Teacher Relationship Developed: A Retrospective Case Study

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Title: How a Collaborative Parent-Adapted Physical Education Teacher Relationship Developed: A Retrospective Case Study
Language: English
Authors: Adam S. Forbes (ORCID 0000-0002-5022-6679), Martin E. Block
Source: Journal of Teaching in Physical Education. 2025 44(2):223-232.
Availability: Human Kinetics, Inc. 1607 North Market Street, Champaign, IL 61820. Tel: 800-474-4457; Fax: 217-351-1549; e-mail: info@hkusa.com; Web site: http://journals.humankinetics.com/journal/jtpe
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 10
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Tests/Questionnaires
Descriptors: Adapted Physical Education, Physical Education Teachers, Mothers, Parent Teacher Cooperation, Down Syndrome, Students with Disabilities, Mother Attitudes, Teacher Attitudes, Trust (Psychology)
DOI: 10.1123/jtpe.2024-0028
ISSN: 0273-5024
1543-2769
Abstract: Purpose: To explore the relationship between a mother and adapted physical education (APE) teacher. Method: A retrospective, qualitative case study approach was utilized. Semistructured interviews with the mother, child with Down syndrome, and APE teacher were conducted. Results: Four themes were extracted from the data: (a) "[APE] is perfectly normal"--value of APE, (b) "Education is power and key"--the importance of understanding, (c) "Whatever it takes to be a part of Sam's day"--involvement in APE and PA, and (d) "Know your tribe and love them hard"--building strong relationships. Discussion: Findings suggest that parents and APE teachers have influence and contribute to the development of a collaborative relationship. From parents, parental value and importance toward APE were seen as facilitators. And from APE teachers, their communication by sharing visualizations of what occurs at school and their predispositions toward parents, such as competence and respect, were regarded as facilitators.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1468797
Database: ERIC
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  Value: <anid>AN0183920123;0do01apr.25;2025Mar24.06:17;v2.2.500</anid> <title id="AN0183920123-1">How a Collaborative Parent–Adapted Physical Education Teacher Relationship Developed: A Retrospective Case Study </title> <p>Purpose: To explore the relationship between a mother and adapted physical education (APE) teacher. Method: A retrospective, qualitative case study approach was utilized. Semistructured interviews with the mother, child with Down syndrome, and APE teacher were conducted. Results: Four themes were extracted from the data: (a) "[APE] is perfectly normal"—value of APE, (b) "Education is power and key"—the importance of understanding, (c) "Whatever it takes to be a part of Sam's day"—involvement in APE and PA, and (d) "Know your tribe and love them hard"—building strong relationships. Discussion: Findings suggest that parents and APE teachers have influence and contribute to the development of a collaborative relationship. From parents, parental value and importance toward APE were seen as facilitators. And from APE teachers, their communication by sharing visualizations of what occurs at school and their predispositions toward parents, such as competence and respect, were regarded as facilitators.</p> <p>Keywords: value; knowledge; communication; trust</p> <p>Parents of children with disabilities typically understand the importance of physical activity (PA) as it relates to the health benefits of weight management, reduction in health risks, and mental health ([<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref1">2</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref2">3</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref3">10</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref4">14</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref5">26</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib33" id="ref6">33</reflink>]). In addition, they have a desire to learn how to provide PA opportunities so that their children can be physically active throughout their lives ([<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref7">14</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref8">13</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib31" id="ref9">31</reflink>]). However, many parents do not know the connection between adapted physical education (APE) and PA regarding the potential to facilitate their PA support behaviors and PA knowledge ([<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref10">10</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref11">14</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref12">25</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref13">26</reflink>]). Studies have presented potential reasons why parents may not have the opportunities to learn and be involved in their child's APE that includes their lower priority compared with other subjects and limited engagement from APE teachers (e.g., [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref14">14</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref15">26</reflink>]). Others have suggested strategies that teachers can use in developing relationships with parents, such as sending a beginning-of-school-year introduction letter/email or sharing a questionnaire about parent experiences, interests, and goals from APE ([<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref16">15</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref17">19</reflink>]). Although identifying challenges and offering strategies provide opportunities for APE teachers to examine their relationships with parents, both do not underline the ways that parent involvement occurs in APE. Understanding this aspect may help uncover the avenues that both parents and APE teachers take to develop stronger connections in the pursuit of increasing the PA of children with disabilities within and outside of the school setting.</p> <p>Parents of children with disabilities draw on multiple experiences and resources in their interactions with schools and school professionals ([<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref18">4</reflink>]), including teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals, and service providers, such as physical therapists. When parents are active in their children's education, this can positively influence student learning, motivation, attendance, self-concept, and effort ([<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref19">6</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib44" id="ref20">44</reflink>]). This has become an important part of the educational planning of schools, which has been mandated by specific laws, such as the Every Student Succeeds Act ([<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref21">18</reflink>]). Specifically, in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ([<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref22">20</reflink>]), parents of children with disabilities have the right to be involved in their children's education with regard to developing, reviewing, and revising individualized education programs (IEPs) and communicating with school staff about educational placements and other school services. Parents are an important part of a multidisciplinary educational team since they have a deep understanding of their child's needs ([<reflink idref="bib42" id="ref23">42</reflink>]). As such, they can share strategies and information about their child to help teachers develop meaningful connections and learning for their children ([<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref24">2</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref25">3</reflink>]). By both teachers and parents working together, it can be a means for children to have success in and outside of school.</p> <p>Although parents of children with disabilities can play an active role in their children's education, there are many potential inhibitors that impact their involvement in the special education process. These include home–school communication, the need to understand legal and educational procedures ([<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref26">17</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib41" id="ref27">41</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref28">46</reflink>]), and understanding educational services, such as APE. When exploring the perspective of parents toward APE, some were not aware that these services existed for their children, driving them to learn more about APE ([<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref29">10</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref30">14</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref31">25</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref32">26</reflink>]). Furthermore, parents wanted to understand how APE can support the PA needs of their children with at-home or community PA opportunities ([<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref33">10</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref34">14</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref35">22</reflink>]). However, these opportunities did not exist. Communication was a large factor that was missing, which caused negative impacts on parents' abilities to learn about APE, understand the service, and help their child participate in PA. Additionally, this deterred parents from seeking out APE-specific information or interacting with APE teachers ([<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref36">10</reflink>]). Furthermore, although parents valued APE regarding the benefits of enhancing PA and involvement through community sports ([<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref37">10</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref38">25</reflink>]), some felt that it was not a priority compared with other academic subjects which were given more precedence ([<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref39">10</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref40">22</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref41">25</reflink>]). Given the lack of communication and priority for APE, these were seen as inhibitors of parental involvement.</p> <p>The basis of parent–teacher relationships is communication ([<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref42">9</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib35" id="ref43">35</reflink>]), which was often missing in the experiences of parents toward APE teachers ([<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref44">10</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref45">14</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref46">22</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref47">25</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref48">26</reflink>]). Communication provides a door for parents to understand what occurs in APE for their child and, potentially, how they can become more involved in supporting their child's PA needs. A key component in facilitating communication is a teacher's characteristics that influence parental trust and involvement. Within the special education literature, trust is perceived as an important aspect for parental involvement, which was dependent upon special education teachers' characteristics, such as their level of competence, whether they have the best interests of their children in mind, and whether they keep their word ([<reflink idref="bib41" id="ref49">41</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib40" id="ref50">40</reflink>]). Other characteristics that influence levels of trust are care, honesty, and support ([<reflink idref="bib38" id="ref51">38</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib42" id="ref52">42</reflink>]). This key component was not present among the studies that explored parent perceptions toward APE teachers (e.g., [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref53">10</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref54">22</reflink>]), which prevented parents from engaging with APE or adequately supporting PA for their children with disabilities outside of school.</p> <p>Most of the current literature on parent perceptions of APE has reported on limited opportunities to interact with APE teachers or learn about their child's APE ([<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref55">10</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref56">14</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref57">22</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref58">26</reflink>]). Furthermore, these studies offered recommendations for APE teachers to identify ways to enhance communication with parents to increase opportunities for parent involvement in and outside of school ([<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref59">10</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref60">14</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref61">22</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref62">25</reflink>]). Other researchers have provided numerous strategies that teachers can use in connecting with parents ([<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref63">15</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref64">19</reflink>]). Although understanding the gaps in parent–APE teacher relationships is important, these studies do not offer a deeper exploration into a collaborative, positive relationship and how parents and APE teachers contribute to its development. Understanding these aspects can be a means to provide APE teachers with an alternate perspective on what elements are present that create a positive parent–APE teacher partnership to then enhance the development of parental involvement further within APE. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore and describe the collaborative relationship between one parent of a child with a disability and an APE teacher.</p> <hd id="AN0183920123-2">Method</hd> <p>An interpretive perspective was used to frame the study to understand how and why parents become involved in APE while also developing relationships with APE teachers. This perspective is intended to capture the lived experiences of individuals and the meaning they make out of that experience through the interpretations of researchers ([<reflink idref="bib28" id="ref65">28</reflink>]). Additionally, the study was designed using a retrospective, descriptive case study approach exploring the relationships between a mother and an APE teacher. This approach assisted the researchers in understanding one thing well, a bounded system, which, in this study, was the relationship between a parent and APE teacher that provided the means for the parent's child to participate in PA and APE. As such, the APE teacher's experiences were also explored in relation to how the teacher facilitated the development of a relationship with the mother. Furthermore, the mother's child was explored as part of this case to capture what outcomes from this relationship were provided to the child.</p> <hd id="AN0183920123-3">Participants</hd> <p>To discuss the rest of the study, the authors felt that it is important to disclose initial approaches to the study and the determination of a retrospective, case study approach. The initial purpose of the study was to explore the experiences of parental involvement in APE through a purposeful sample of multiple parents. Initial eligibility criteria were (a) have a child with a disability between the ages of 5 and 21, (b) have a child who is currently receiving APE services, (c) are actively involved within APE and understand the purpose and definition of APE, and (d) have a collaborative relationship with the APE teacher. APE was defined within the U.S. context as "specially designed instruction in physical education (PE) that has been adapted or modified so that it is as appropriate for the person with a disability as it is for a person without a disability" ([<reflink idref="bib30" id="ref66">30</reflink>]). Similar to the recruiting method of Kwon et al. ([<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref67">22</reflink>]), the second author's APE program alumni email list was used to send an email to APE teachers requesting assistance in identifying parents. In the email, APE teachers were asked to first identify parents whom they perceived were involved in APE and who have a collaborative relationship. Then, they were asked to either print out or forward the email with an information sheet and self-checklist to the parents of the children whom they identified. The information sheet was created detailing the intentions of the study, a basic description, and an explanation of commitment requirements. As part of the information sheet, a self-checklist was created for parents to complete so that investigators could determine the inclusion criteria of potential participants. The self-checklist included the following questions: (a) Do you know your child's APE goal? (b) Do you know how many APE service hours your child receives? (c) Do you often contact your child's APE teacher throughout a school year outside of IEP meetings? (d) Is it important to provide PA opportunities for your child? (e) Is your child's APE teacher someone you can depend on and trust? (f) Is your child's APE teacher someone who lets you know what occurs at school for your child? If participants indicated yes to all six questions, they would then send an email to the primary investigator (PI) about their interest in participating in the study.</p> <p>Initial emails were sent to the alumni list with recruitment information. After a waiting period of 4 weeks, no families responded to the advertisement. Both authors decided to email individual APE teachers or APE professors to assist with recruitment using the initial recruitment method (i.e., email, information sheet, and self-checklist). During another period of 4 weeks, one parent responded to the recruitment email. This parent was contacted over the phone by the PI to further explain the study, commitment requirements, and eligibility. Although she did not initially fit eligibility with her son being out of the age criteria (i.e., 6 years after graduating from high school), it was determined that she was a unique case that constitutes an in-depth analysis that changed the direction of the study. Additionally, to capture the relationship in depth, the APE teacher and her son were included in the study to better understand their perspectives within the collaborative relationship. Consent was received from all participants. Pseudonyms will be used for the mother, son, and APE teacher.</p> <p>Slone is a White mother with a 27-year-old son with Down syndrome. She works at a hair salon that provided her flexibility in supporting her son's education by attending school events, IEP meetings, and volunteering. The focus for her son's education was for him to have the best opportunities to succeed. Slone is married with one child, Sam, who received APE services from kindergarten until he turned 21 within a school district located in the southern region of the United States. He attended public school while receiving APE services in a self-contained setting in K-8 and a modified PE setting 9–12 which included students with and without disabilities. In addition, Sam participated in Special Olympics (SO) swimming and attended practices and state games. Sam's APE teacher was Mike who worked with Sam through his K–12 experience, supporting him in APE. Mike has been an itinerant APE teacher for 23 years in the same county, traveling to multiple schools each school day and teaching a range of students with disabilities including Sam. His responsibilities included supporting students through their IEP and collaborating with general PE teachers. He was the SO coordinator in his region as well as Sam's coach in swimming. Mike was also involved in having SO as a lettered high school sport for which Sam received one for swimming. In elementary and middle school, Mike supported Sam in self-contained APE, collaborating with paraeducators. In high school, he cotaught Sam with a PE teacher in a modified PE class that consisted of students with and without disabilities twice a week.</p> <hd id="AN0183920123-4">Data Collection</hd> <p>Primary data were collected through one-on-one semistructured interviews conducted by the PI. After an extensive literature review, draft interview questions were developed based on survey and interview questions used in previous studies examining parental perspectives or satisfaction toward APE and APE teachers ([<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref68">10</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref69">14</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref70">22</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref71">26</reflink>]) as well as on themes from these studies that focused on knowledge, involvement, and relationships. To ensure content validity, a panel of professionals, including professors of APE, reviewed the questions. Based on their feedback, interview questions were edited to provide clarity. Additionally, a pilot interview was conducted with three parents of children with disabilities to obtain feedback on the clarity, relevance, and quality of the questions. From the pilot interview, questions were modified, and additional questions were added to provide a deeper exploration of this study's purpose. Regarding the interviews with Mike and Sam, questions focused on their relationships with Slone and between each other to better understand this case. For example, Mike's questions included his experiences in developing a relationship with Slone such as when was the first time you interacted with the parent? Sam's questions focused on his experiences participating in APE and PA, such as how does playing sports make you feel? Appendix A provides a complete list of interview questions.</p> <p>After verifying the appropriateness of the interview questions through the panel of professionals and pilot interview, participants were interviewed on separate occasions through Zoom. Slone and Mike were interviewed individually, while Sam was interviewed with Slone so she could provide support in answering questions when needed. Interviews started with broad questions about Sam's APE such as the first time Slone learned about APE services. Thereafter, an interview guide was followed that explored questions related to her experiences of APE knowledge, involvement, and relationships. Two additional interviews with Slone were conducted, lasting about 1 hr and 30 min and 30–45 min. One interview was conducted with Sam and one with Mike, which lasted about 1 hr each.</p> <hd id="AN0183920123-5">Data Analysis</hd> <p>In relation to understanding the collaborative relationship between Slone and Mike, Braun and Clarke's ([<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref72">7</reflink>]) thematic analysis was used to identify themes that seek to describe patterns within the data. It provides flexibility in its use to bring meaning to experiences as it is not tied to any preexisting theoretical framework ([<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref73">7</reflink>]). Through the initial reads of the transcripts, the PI bracketed his experiences on thoughts, additional questions, or initial patterns in relation to the study's purpose. Next, transcripts were individually reread to start preliminary coding through inductive analysis, where data were coded without a preexisting frame to capture feelings, interactions, and meanings of what was shared. Coding for Slone's experiences was also tied to themes of involvement, knowledge, communication, and relationships found in previous research on parent experiences in APE (e.g., [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref74">14</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref75">25</reflink>]). Additionally, Mike's was coded through teacher characteristics, such as competence and respect, as attributes facilitating collaborative relationships found within special education literature (e.g., [<reflink idref="bib41" id="ref76">41</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib40" id="ref77">40</reflink>]). And for Sam, additional coding occurred through his experiences participating in APE and SO. After, codes were compared regarding Mike and Slone's involvement in Sam's education as well as their relationship. Finally, codes were developed into themes to better understand their collaborative relationship and how this influenced Sam's participation in PA. Table 1 provides an example of coding and themes.</p> <p>Table 1 Example of codes and themes</p> <p> <ephtml> <table><colgroup span="1"><col align="left" span="1" /><col align="left" span="1" /><col align="left" span="1" /><col align="left" span="1" /><col align="left" span="1" /></colgroup><thead><tr><th rowspan="1" colspan="1">Theme</th><th align="left" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Code</th><th align="left" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Slone's data</th><th align="left" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Mike's data</th><th align="left" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Sam's data</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td rowspan="1" colspan="1">"Know your tribe and love them hard"—building trusting relationships</td><td rowspan="1" colspan="1">Communication</td><td rowspan="1" colspan="1"><italic>So if there was an issue like if Sam got upset, he [Mike] would always call me. [And say,]"Hey listen just wanna give you a heads up this is what happened [in APE]. It was no big deal. The ball hit him [Sam] in the leg and he just was being dramatic" or whatever.</italic></td><td rowspan="1" colspan="1"><italic>I did communicate [with Slone] whether Sam was doing a good job in something, or I would say, "hey, this is a preferred movement choice for Sam. Maybe this is something that he can be involved with at home or maybe we can see if he's interested in this with another Special Olympic sport," for example.</italic></td><td rowspan="1" colspan="1"><italic>Not applicable</italic></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="1" colspan="1">"Whatever it takes to be a part of Sam's day"—involvement in APE and PA</td><td rowspan="1" colspan="1">Involvement in Special Olympics</td><td rowspan="1" colspan="1"><italic>Our [Special Olympics] teams go to [state competitions at a university] and spend the weekend. So of course we [Slone, Sam, and family] go. We go when we stay in a hotel and Harold stays in the hotel with us</italic>....<italic>Friday night, there's a big dance. So we go to the dance. Super super fun. [The next day of competitions] We get up. We have breakfast and then we're there before the event starts that he's going to participate in. We stay all day. I'm crazy. I scream my lungs out. Cheering for everybody and it's super super super fun.</italic></td><td rowspan="1" colspan="1"><italic>When Sam was involved with Special Olympics and competing for example, as a swimmer, she [Slone] would go to the State Games. She would participate in the opening ceremonies at our state competitions, and she was always at practices. She's very, very active.</italic></td><td rowspan="1" colspan="1"><italic>Saw lots of my friends.</italic><italic>Carry the torch [during Special Olympics opening ceremony]</italic><italic>Talking to friends.</italic></td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <p> <emph>Note.</emph> APE = adapted physical education; PA = physical activity.</p> <hd id="AN0183920123-6">Trustworthiness</hd> <p>In qualitative research, trustworthiness refers to how well a study's design, data collection, data analysis, interpretation, and presentation are executed. It is to portray to the reader that the methods were followed faithfully ([<reflink idref="bib28" id="ref78">28</reflink>]). Member checking was used to reflect on participants' understanding of the researchers' interpretation of the data, which occurred through additional interviews and reflecting on initial findings. As Smith and McGannon ([<reflink idref="bib37" id="ref79">37</reflink>]) recommended, the reframing of member checks is an opportunity to help participants think about complementary or contradictory findings which can lead to additional data and insight. Slone and Mike were provided with a summary of their experiences and were prompted to reflect on how they felt it aligned or did not regarding their relationship. While reflecting on the findings, Slone felt that they described her experiences, while Mike provided feedback related to the presentation of direct quotes to portray his professionalism, which was edited by the PI. In addition, Slone was given Sam's summary of findings to reflect on, for which she mentioned he did not have questions. Peer debriefing was also conducted throughout the process seeking guidance from other professionals about case study research and discussing themes and interpretations with the second author to reflect on the interpretations of the data.</p> <p>The authors' ontological and epistemological views are through a constructivist paradigm with an understanding that knowledge is produced between the interactions of the participants and researchers—participants through how they make meaning out of their lived experiences and researchers through interpreting those experiences ([<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref80">24</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref81">39</reflink>]). Furthermore, this approach captures the premise that the authors are part of the research in the way of interpreting data and choosing research designs. As such, the authors acknowledge their positions on how this research may have been affected by their own experiences and biases. Positionality offers the opportunity for researchers to think about their relation to the study, being open to identifying biases that may influence interpretations of the data ([<reflink idref="bib28" id="ref82">28</reflink>]). In connection with this research study, the first author was a previous APE teacher supporting children with disabilities. Throughout his time, he connected with a few parents, but for the majority, it was mainly focused on interactions during IEP meetings. Although he understood the importance of developing relationships with parents, it did not happen as frequently as he had hoped. As such, his research focus is on parental experiences in APE and intends to further explore this line of research.</p> <hd id="AN0183920123-7">Findings</hd> <p>Themes were extracted from the data which focused on Slone's understanding, her involvement, and her relationship with Sam's APE teacher. With both Slone and Mike working together, they provided the means for Sam to have opportunities to participate in PA and SO. Themes that were drawn from the data were "[APE] is perfectly normal"—value of APE, "Education is power and key"—the importance of understanding, "Whatever it takes to be a part of Sam's day"—involvement in APE and PA, and "Know your tribe and love them hard"—building strong relationships. Mike and Sam's perspectives toward Slone's experiences are intertwined within these themes to better understand the factors that facilitated her knowledge, involvement, and relationship in APE.</p> <hd id="AN0183920123-8">"[APE] Is Perfectly Normal"—Value of APE</hd> <p>Slone believed that APE was "even more important than the academics" for Sam, understanding the value of PA throughout his life. APE was an essential part of Sam's day that provided many benefits throughout K–12. Slone shared that APE helped Sam with strengthening his physical self, building his self-esteem, developing his social skills, and expressing himself in a structured and safe setting. She believed that "adaptive PE [was] perfectly normal for Sam [which was] far more normal than GPE [general PE]." Slone felt that APE provided a fun environment that focused on creating success within various modified activities based on the individual ability levels of Sam and his peers. Furthermore, she understood that APE does provide services not only to children with Down syndrome or autism but also to any child that may have challenges in participating in a general physical education setting wherein they may require more support. While discussing further, Slone mentioned,</p> <p>... there's so many variables that make adaptive PE so important because there are children who are physically perfectly capable of going into a gym and doing a regular PE class but yet, mentally, they may not be able to handle the gym... may not be able to handle just the noise... may not be able to act on their ability level... they may need some modifications.</p> <p>Additionally, APE "[got Sam] out of his comfort zone" and taught him different aspects that he could not get in the classroom. One of these aspects was social interaction with his peers. Slone shared that the classroom setting often includes children working on individual, IEP-based activities wherein they are not always working in group activities. But APE provided Sam the chance to interact with others, learn social appropriateness, and work together. Sam also expressed similar outcomes from APE, where he "saw lots of [his] friends," he could "[talk] to friends" and play activities, such as noodle tag to chase and "beat [his friends] up." Not only did APE focus on PA, but also Slone believed that it was much more. She shared,</p> <p>It's a place that they get to express a little bit more of their true personality. It's OK to be a little bit loud. It's OK to be silly. It's OK to be giggling.... A place where you can almost just like unwind but in a structured, safe setting.</p> <hd id="AN0183920123-9">"Education Is Key and Power"—The Importance of Understanding</hd> <p>Slone firmly believed that if a parent wants to advocate for their child, they need to educate themselves to better understand their rights and their child's rights in special education. While Sam was still young, Slone took it upon herself to research special education laws, join national and local organizations, and read information from social media. For example, the National Down Syndrome Society provided her with laymen summaries of laws that impact children with disabilities not just at the school level but also in all aspects of life. Gaining these types of knowledge was important to her, as Sam did not have the capabilities to fully advocate for himself. Slone felt that it was her responsibility to provide the best opportunities for Sam and that advocating was the main avenue. She shared that "... knowledge is wealth and, in a situation where you have to advocate for your child and you are your child's spokesperson and you are their lifeline, you have to research for yourself."</p> <p>Mike also felt that she came prepared for school engagement and understood her rights as well as Sam's. When it came to issues related to APE, he felt that Slone understood what she was advocating for. Before bringing up issues with IEP team members, Mike shared that he felt Slone was continually involved in deepening her knowledge of special education to better present a concern if it ever came up. Mike mentioned, "she knows where to find the information. If something is not being done right... she's going to do some of her own research and visit certain websites." For example, Slone shared an experience with a school administrator regarding the scheduling of APE classes. She was informed that the number of students receiving APE services did not constitute APE classes being placed on the main schedule. Since Slone understood Sam's IEP, which stated that he would be receiving APE services in a self-contained setting, she had a meeting with the administrator to advocate for Sam. In conclusion of this experience, she stood her ground, understood her and Sam's rights, and advocated for APE classes to occur that school year. Slone needed to know her rights "to be able to press an issue," such as this one, and saw that educating herself was the best way to do that.</p> <p>Other aspects that increased her knowledge of APE included participating in school events, observing APE classes, and learning from the mistakes of other special education parents. Through her experiences interacting with Mike and attending APE classes, Slone felt that she started learning that "[in] adaptive PE, they're going to work on this. This is really important. So you just start seeing ways to strengthen your child's needs." In conversing with Mike, his first interactions with Slone were specific to IEP meetings for Sam. Mike observed how supportive Slone was with the classroom teachers, where "she was always there for [them] to buy supplies [or] for helping [them] decorate their room [for events]." Mike knew she was always willing to support not only Sam but also his peers in class. Over the years, this same involvement transferred into APE where Slone had opportunities to learn about APE where Mike mentioned it "helped [her] understand what [he does] as an adapted PE teacher."</p> <p>Regarding learning from mistakes, Slone owns a hair salon where she has conversed or overheard conversations about parents with children with disabilities, administrators, and teachers. Over the years, she learned from "their mistakes" and had "insight into the school system side of things." It was not only special education specific but also all aspects of school. From these conversations, she understood what barriers she may face in school for Sam and what ways she could intervene or advocate. Although the conversations in her hair salon were never about Sam or herself, they provided her with an opportunity to learn from their mistakes and understand the school system. When sharing one conversation she had at her hair salon with the mother of a child with Down syndrome, she concluded that</p> <p>[she] and I do not see things the same way. Now we can have a great conversation... but I learned so much from her just handling things differently than I would have.... So there were just things that I saw that she did, that I felt like she should have [done more].</p> <hd id="AN0183920123-10">"Whatever It Takes to Be a Part of Sam's Day"—Involvement in APE and PA</hd> <p>Throughout Sam's schooling, Slone was involved in all aspects of his school day from IEP meetings, meeting with teachers, visits to school, volunteering at school events, and advocating when something was needed. She believed that Sam's goal in school was for him to be happy, and she made sure that all school staff were there to fulfill this goal. Slone felt that being a part of the school setting was important because "the more time you can spend at your child's school, the more you know." Since her employment allowed her scheduling flexibility, she was able to be involved at Sam's school and "wasn't going to miss a party." Slone attended Sam's classes including APE to "learn more about Sam's schedule, what they're doing, what happened." Her intention was not to "spy on [the teachers or]... disrupt whatever they were doing... or rat anybody out." She simply wanted a better picture of Sam's day to support him at home. Slone mentioned:</p> <p>I've been to adaptive PE multiple times. I would be there [at school], and I'd be like [to Sam], 'Oh, I'm gonna go to PE with you....' Because of that, you just really gain knowledge about what their day consists of... how they interact [within different settings].</p> <p>It was important for Slone to communicate with teachers at school so she could prompt conversations with Sam about his day. If Slone knew what Sam's day consisted of, she could ask the right questions and give Sam the opportunity to talk about his day. For activities that occurred in APE, Slone could ask Sam, "Hey, did you love riding the turtle today?" or "Did y'all noodle fight?" Then, they could have a conversation about Sam's time in APE. Slone mentioned that she "micromanaged his day," which allowed her to "[prompt] good conversation after school" that helped him work on his speech, such as vocabulary and articulation. In APE, she gave permission to Mike to send text messages of pictures or videos of activities that Sam participated in and enjoyed. Through these avenues of engaging with teachers, Slone was able to understand what occurs at school to conversate with Sam.</p> <p>Mike noted that most of Slone's involvement was within SO, where she "was always around if Sam was doing [sports]." For example, she would attend practices, state games, competitions, and ceremonies for SO whenever they occurred. In knowing Slone's passion for children with disabilities, he came to rely on her for support within SO events, such as fundraisers. He felt "she would always help out" whenever he needed assistance. For example, Mike shared a past summer fundraiser where he needed help selling tickets. He felt comfortable in calling Slone to ask for help where she was always willing to support him. In addition, Mike could not remember a time where she would say, "No, I'm sorry Mike. I can't help you out."</p> <p>Slone believed it was important for Sam to be involved in PA outside of school. At the same time, she wanted Sam to have the same opportunities as typical children do but within an environment that considered his strengths and needs. SO was a program that Mike and his colleague developed, which Slone thought was a "phenomenal program." Sam was involved in swimming and bowling, where he attended local and state games. Slone supported Sam in attending practices and events, speaking at fundraising events for SO, and cheering Sam during events. During one competition, Slone shared, "We stay all day [at a SO competition]. I'm crazy. I scream my lungs out. Cheering for everybody and it's super super super fun." Similar to teachers relying on Slone for support at school, Slone felt that Mike relied on her to advocate for SO. For example, Slone shared the same story where Mike needed to sell tickets for a fundraising event for SO. He contacted her who was more than willing to help. "When [Mike] called me, he knew that I would get those seven door prizes. [This] took that off his plate [to focus on other things]."</p> <p>Through Slone and Mike's collaboration and support for SO, Sam was afforded the opportunity to have positive experiences that were surrounded by his connections with coaches and friends. In remembering his time in those activities, Sam mentioned his friends with and without disabilities that he participated with in different events, such as the SO Friends Club at his high school. For example, during a Halloween-themed haunted house activity, which was organized by the Friends Club, Sam was asked who were there at the event. Sam quickly started naming the peers and teachers who were there. Both at school and within SO, Sam had a lot of friends, so he could "talk [to] everybody." During state SO competitions, Sam enjoyed hanging out with friends and talking with them. During pizza parties, Sam "[got] to see all [his] friends." Slone shared that Sam made the closest friends within SO. Of all the opportunities given, when asked if his mom was a pretty cool person, he said, "Yeah, she is. She's a great mother."</p> <hd id="AN0183920123-11">"Know Your Tribe and Love Them Hard"—Building Trusting Relationships</hd> <p>Throughout Sam's K–12 schooling, Slone and Mike had a positive and trusting relationship that provided Sam with opportunities in PA. This was due to both having a passion for providing opportunities for all children with disabilities through PA, which Slone felt "immediately gave [them] a connection." She further mentioned, "[This county] has been so blessed with Mike and [his colleague] as their adaptive PE teacher because not only they love their job [and] they love their students, but they're advocates for them. That's a big difference." Mike felt that Slone valued him as a teacher, advocate, and coach for all students with disabilities. He related, "I think once Slone knew that I was truly a teacher that was interested in Sam's health, physical fitness, social emotional learning.... I think she really came to appreciate me as an educator." He continued by sharing, "she considers me a true advocate I believe. And that's why she always has been supportive of me...."</p> <p>Not only did Slone appreciate the knowledge that Mike had of children with disabilities and PA but she also took the extra steps in "learning [their personalities], learning how to make them function the best they can possibly be, building their self-esteem, knowing their triggers and how to prevent those [triggers]." She felt he was a "talented" and "phenomenal" APE teacher with a "passion for special needs students." Mike also focused on keeping Sam active into adulthood with programs such as SO. For example, Slone shared that Mike pushed the agenda of having SO accepted as an interscholastic sport in high school where athletes letter "so these kids [could be] recognized as [participating in] their sport because it is a sport." Sam received a letterman's jacket for participating in SO swimming, which Sam presented to the PI during the interview. Furthermore, Slone felt that Mike was "extremely confident in [his] field" and took the time to understand Sam's IEP regarding accommodations, goals, and protocols. If Slone wanted to observe Sam in APE, she felt Mike "wasn't intimidated at all if I wanted to come in because he knew 100% what he was doing." She felt comfortable in asking Mike questions about information she researched, such as special education laws or parental rights. Slone mentioned, "If I would read something and I would be confused, I might call Mike and be like, 'Ok, I'm reading this, and this says this.... What does that mean for Sam? Or what's this law gonna change?"</p> <p>Over the years, they developed a strong relationship surrounded by trust. Mike mentioned that they "had a good line of communication" and "got to a place... where there was no problem with her sending a text and I would text her back with responses... if I felt like I couldn't express it well enough via phone text, I would just call her." Slone added that "[Mike] trusted me, and I trusted him. If I confided in him, it never went any further, and vice versa." The relationship reached a point where Mike shared that they "[understood] how to communicate with [each other]." They did not "beat around the bush," and Mike felt Slone was "forward and frank... if [anything] was bothering her, she would always speak her mind." For Slone, she had "developed a deep sense of trust" and "honesty" with Mike "[which were] huge driving point[s] for [their] parent–teacher relationship; personal relationship; friendship." She could share her feelings about different things in private wherein Mike did not share with others or break their trust. For example, if there were any issues at school regarding APE, Slone mentioned that "Mike was going to pick up the phone and call me." She appreciated how open and honest Mike was and he did not "hide anything" from her.</p> <hd id="AN0183920123-12">Discussion</hd> <p>The purpose of this study was to explore and describe a collaborative relationship between a parent and an APE teacher using a retrospective, case study approach. Through semistructured interviews, themes were drawn from the data, which focused on Slone's value, knowledge, involvement, and relationship within APE. The perspectives of Mike and Sam were also explored in relation to Slone's. Knowledge and value of APE as well as developing a line of communication with Mike were important factors for Slone to provide the best opportunities for Sam. From there, Sam was afforded PA opportunities in and out of school, which gave him chances to be with and make friends.</p> <p>One of the goals of APE for students with disabilities is to not only develop access to the PE curriculum but also teach them how to be physically active throughout their lives, which includes community recreation, sports, or leisure. Parents of these children have been described as gatekeepers to PA ([<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref83">27</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib45" id="ref84">45</reflink>]) since studies have indicated a correlation between parents and children's PA. For instance, Pitchford et al. ([<reflink idref="bib34" id="ref85">34</reflink>]) examined the relationships between parental beliefs about the importance of PA and the PA levels of their children with disabilities. They found that parents with stronger beliefs reported higher PA levels of their children. This suggests that parents may have an impactful influence on the PA opportunities their children receive. In relation to this study, Slone valued PA as she felt it would be an important part of Sam's health throughout his life, aligning with similar findings in a number of studies that explored parent perceptions toward PA ([<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref86">2</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref87">3</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref88">10</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref89">14</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref90">26</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib33" id="ref91">33</reflink>]). Not only were the benefits of PA an influence on Slone's involvement but also her own values for APE and the potential it could provide for Sam. Valuing and prioritizing PA and APE were seen as ways that contributed to Slone's involvement, which opened the gate for Sam. In a similar study, parents in An and Goodwin ([<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref92">2</reflink>]) saw that PE was an important subject that could help their children with spina bifida feel connected to their peers at school along with obtaining the associated health benefits. From their values, some parents took action to help PE teachers and the school learn about their children's disability by demonstrating sports, identifying specialized equipment, volunteering for specific PE activities, and sharing information about local community programs. These parents as well as Slone embraced PE or APE, saw it as a priority for their children, and were involved in providing them with PA and supporting teachers. This study adds to the findings of Kwon et al. ([<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref93">22</reflink>]) and Lane et al. ([<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref94">25</reflink>]), hinting that parental value and importance of APE can influence their involvement and their relationship with APE teachers.</p> <p>Parents of children with disabilities are often unaware of what APE is or what it provides for their children ([<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref95">14</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref96">25</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref97">26</reflink>]). However, some parents like Slone may hold a good understanding of APE and what it provides (e.g., [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref98">10</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref99">22</reflink>]). Slone's experience provides a glimpse into how knowledge development may occur for parents to learn about APE. One way that facilitated her knowledge of APE was conversations that occurred at her place of work. Although these were through informal interactions, more formal settings, such as support groups, may offer parents the chance to have conversations surrounding special education topics, such as IEPs, placement decisions, or financial aid in purchasing adapted equipment. It is a place where they can share advice or provide emotional support ([<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref100">1</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref101">29</reflink>]). In addition, guests with expertise in APE can be invited to speak on various education topics ([<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref102">29</reflink>]). Parents would be able to share their experiences and help each other understand and, in some cases, advocate for their children.</p> <p>Technology has improved the possibilities for connecting parent–teacher communication ([<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref103">32</reflink>]). Emails, newsletters, pictures, videos, websites, social media, and applications are ways that offer parents digital access to their children's progress in school. Utilizing visual means in communication may provide parents with a better understanding of what occurs at school for their children ([<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref104">16</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref105">21</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib43" id="ref106">43</reflink>]). Kawa'a ([<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref107">21</reflink>]) found that photos included in regular email communication help parents visualize how their child spends their day at school and their overall progress throughout the year. They felt appreciative of teachers taking the time to communicate through both text and photos, which created a sense of connection and trust with them in addition to facilitating their reciprocity in communication and engagement in the classroom. In another study, Toner ([<reflink idref="bib43" id="ref108">43</reflink>]) found that Seesaw, a digital portfolio application focused on students sharing their progress, helps parents feel more informed about their children's learning by providing examples of their children's work. Regarding Slone's experience, she visually saw APE through pictures and videos that Mike would send of Sam's progress in APE, which included activities that Sam participated in and ones Mike felt would be beneficial for at-home. She further extended this by observing APE classes at school and attending SO practices and games. The visualization of APE provided the means for Slone to understand what APE services provided to Sam, which in turn increased her understanding, value, and involvement. Presenting visual, digital communication with parents may provide more connections to APE and increase the value of the service. However, an important note for APE teachers is to receive parental consent in sharing pictures or videos of their students in APE while also being conscious of excluding other students who may not have parental consent to be recorded.</p> <p>When examining the special education literature regarding parental involvement and engagement, it often depends on the amount of trust parents have in professionals to support their children with disabilities ([<reflink idref="bib41" id="ref109">41</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib40" id="ref110">40</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref111">46</reflink>]). Trust is seen as either positive or negative depending on the teacher's characteristics, such as their level of competence, whether they are perceived to have the best interests of their children in mind, and whether they keep their word ([<reflink idref="bib41" id="ref112">41</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib40" id="ref113">40</reflink>]). Regarding Slone and Mike's relationship, it revolved around trust, support, and communication, which afforded Sam the opportunities for PA. When closely exploring their relationship, Mike's characteristics were a major factor that influenced their relationship, wherein Slone felt he was an advocate for her and Sam. Mike's competence in teaching children with disabilities, his openness to providing Slone opportunities for involvement in APE and SO, his abilities to listen to Slone's concerns and questions, and following through with his words and actions influenced Slone's trust in him. These elements captured their relationship toward providing Sam with opportunities to participate in SO and learn skills in APE. One parent in Chaapel et al. ([<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref114">10</reflink>]) shared a similar experience to Slone's, where the parent felt that the APE teacher went "above and beyond" (p. 192) with their communication and in sharing accessible materials for at-home practice.</p> <p>The literature on parent–teacher relationships stated that it relies on both parents and teachers working collaboratively to support student learning and success ([<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref115">5</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref116">11</reflink>]). This study adds to the literature where Mike and Slone aligned to provide Sam with opportunities in PA. The specific avenues that can influence parent–APE teacher partnerships observed in this study were knowledge and value of APE and developing lines of communication and trust. Slone was active in supporting Mike's goals in SO, understanding Sam's APE services, and becoming an advocate for Mike when APE services were not in compliance with Sam's IEP. Mike was also active in providing opportunities for Slone's involvement in SO and being open to her questions and concerns. Findings from this study suggest that developing collaborative parent–APE relationships occurs when both stakeholders are involved. APE teachers develop it through trust with parents in how they display their competence within the field, respect in listening to parental feedback, extending opportunities for parent involvement, and fulfilling the goals of teaching children with disabilities. In addition, parents develop it by valuing PA and APE, perceiving it as a priority for their children, and supporting the efforts of APE teachers.</p> <hd id="AN0183920123-13">Future Research and Limitations</hd> <p>Much of the literature on APE has explored the perspectives of parents. However, another important perspective that has not been examined thoroughly is APE teachers themselves. Mike was proactive in sharing updates on how Sam was doing in APE and supporting Slone in her understanding of this service. But the specifics as to why he took the time to develop this relationship were not examined. Future research could look at APE teachers' beliefs toward parental involvement and the potential challenges or successes in developing relationships.</p> <p>Several limitations are present within the current study. One was that data collection occurred mainly through interviews of Slone, Mike, and Sam. This may have provided only a glimpse into Slone's overall involvement in APE. For example, Slone shared some experiences with school administrators. Their perspectives would have provided more in-depth information to better understand her involvement, as the administrators may have provided information regarding her advocacy and knowledge of APE services during those interactions. Additionally, one perspective toward how parents may come to be involved in APE may not be similar to other parents' experiences. APE involvement may have developed through different means or from differing experiences, such as past PA and/or PE experiences ([<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref117">23</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref118">36</reflink>]). Another limitation was that participants' experiences were retrospective in nature due to Sam being 6 years out of a public school setting. Their experiences may have been influenced by the constraints of time whether aspects may or may not have been as accurate. During recruitment, the self-checklist regarding parents' eligibility may have influenced the limited number of participants and provided challenges in confirming inclusion in the study. Lastly and more importantly, a theoretical perspective was not used as a frame for the study that would have provided a more critical lens to understanding this collaborative relationship ([<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref119">12</reflink>]). The justification for deciding not to use a specific theoretical frame was for the purpose of describing and exploring a nuanced relationship that has not yet been looked at within the APE literature. One possible theory that may be used for future research is relational trust theory ([<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref120">8</reflink>]) that captures the elements that go into developing levels of trust among different relationships, which are respect, competence, personal regard for others, and integrity. These elements were present based on Mike's characteristics that may further provide a means for future research in using this theory.</p> <hd id="AN0183920123-14">Conclusion</hd> <p>APE teachers and parents working together can provide a means toward positive changes in the lives of children with disabilities pursuing PA. Without both working together, children may not have those opportunities. Knowledge, personal values, trust, and communication provided Slone the opportunity to be involved in Sam's APE programming and PA. Although not all parents will have similar experiences as Slone's, this study offered insights into the ways that APE teachers can provide accessible information to parents about these services. Furthermore, parents are an important part of the relationship in how they value and understand APE.</p> <p>Forbes is now at the Department of Health, Physical Education, & Exercise Science, Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA, USA.</p> <p>Forbes (asf2ve@virginia.edu) is corresponding author, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5022-6679</p> <hd id="AN0183920123-15">Appendix A</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0183920123-16">Interview Questions—Mother (Slone)</hd> <p></p> <ulist> <item> • When was the first time you heard about APE services?</item> <p></p> <item> • What do you know about APE services for your child?</item> <p></p> <item> • How important are APE services for your child?</item> <p></p> <item> • What does involvement in your child's education mean to you?</item> <p></p> <item> • What aspects are you involved in your child's education?</item> <p></p> <item> • How would you describe your involvement in your child's APE service?</item> <p></p> <item> • How would you describe your role or responsibilities when it comes to supporting your child in APE?</item> <p></p> <item> • What can you tell me about your child's APE teacher?</item> <p></p> <item> • What are your experiences in working with your child's APE teacher?</item> <p></p> <item> • How important is it to interact with your child's APE teacher?</item> <p></p> <item> • What expectations do you have of your child's APE teacher when it comes to working with your child?</item> <p></p> <item> • What expectations do you have of your child's APE teacher when it comes to developing a collaborative relationship with you?</item> <p></p> <item> • How does your child's APE teacher develop a relationship with you?</item> <p></p> <item> • If there is one thing you would like your child's APE teacher to know about you, what would it be?</item> <p></p> <item> • Has your knowledge, experiences, and relationships in APE changed your approach or thoughts about physical activity for your child and/or within your family?</item> </ulist> <hd id="AN0183920123-17">Interview Questions—Son (Sam)</hd> <p></p> <ulist> <item> • What do you enjoy about physical activity?</item> <p></p> <item> • Did you enjoy going to school?</item> <p></p> <item> • What do you remember about your APE teacher?</item> <p></p> <item> • Did you like your APE teacher?</item> <p></p> <item> • How did the APE teacher make you feel?</item> <p></p> <item> • Do you remember Special Olympics?</item> <p></p> <item> • How does playing sports make you feel?</item> <p></p> <item> • Do you like playing sports?</item> <p></p> <item> • What is your favorite sport to play?</item> <p></p> <item> • Did the APE teacher help you in playing sports?</item> <p></p> <item> • Did you learn how to play sports with the APE teacher?</item> <p></p> <item> • Did the parent help you in school?</item> <p></p> <item> • How does the parent make you feel?</item> <p></p> <item> • Did you have a lot of friends?</item> </ulist> <hd id="AN0183920123-18">Interview Questions—APE Teacher (Mike)</hd> <p></p> <ulist> <item> • When was the first time you interacted with the parent?</item> <p></p> <item> • What can you tell me about the parent?</item> <p></p> <item> • What are your experiences working with the parent?</item> <p></p> <item> • How important was it to collaborate with the parent?</item> <p></p> <item> • What expectations do you have of the parent?</item> <p></p> <item> • How important is communication with the parent?</item> <p></p> <item> • How did you develop a relationship with the parent?</item> <p></p> <item> • What did the parent do to develop the relationship?</item> <p></p> <item> • How would you describe the parent's involvement in APE?</item> <p></p> <item> • What was the parent's view of APE?</item> <p></p> <item> • What do you see is the parent's level of knowledge about APE?</item> <p></p> <item> • How would you describe the parent's level of knowledge towards APE?</item> <p></p> <item> • What was the parent's involvement like in Special Olympics?</item> <p></p> <item> • What was the son's involvement like in Special Olympics?</item> </ulist> <ref id="AN0183920123-19"> <title> REFERENCES </title> <blist> <bibl id="bib1" idref="ref100" type="bt">1</bibl> <bibtext> Ainbinder, J.G., Blanchard, L.W., Singer, G.H., Sullivan, M.E., Powers, L.K., Marquis, J.G., & Santelli, B. 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  Data: How a Collaborative Parent-Adapted Physical Education Teacher Relationship Developed: A Retrospective Case Study
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Adam+S%2E+Forbes%22">Adam S. Forbes</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5022-6679">0000-0002-5022-6679</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Martin+E%2E+Block%22">Martin E. Block</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Teaching+in+Physical+Education%22"><i>Journal of Teaching in Physical Education</i></searchLink>. 2025 44(2):223-232.
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  Data: Human Kinetics, Inc. 1607 North Market Street, Champaign, IL 61820. Tel: 800-474-4457; Fax: 217-351-1549; e-mail: info@hkusa.com; Web site: http://journals.humankinetics.com/journal/jtpe
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research<br />Tests/Questionnaires
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adapted+Physical+Education%22">Adapted Physical Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Physical+Education+Teachers%22">Physical Education Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mothers%22">Mothers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parent+Teacher+Cooperation%22">Parent Teacher Cooperation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Down+Syndrome%22">Down Syndrome</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Students+with+Disabilities%22">Students with Disabilities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mother+Attitudes%22">Mother Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Attitudes%22">Teacher Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Trust+%28Psychology%29%22">Trust (Psychology)</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1123/jtpe.2024-0028
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  Data: 0273-5024<br />1543-2769
– Name: Abstract
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  Data: Purpose: To explore the relationship between a mother and adapted physical education (APE) teacher. Method: A retrospective, qualitative case study approach was utilized. Semistructured interviews with the mother, child with Down syndrome, and APE teacher were conducted. Results: Four themes were extracted from the data: (a) "[APE] is perfectly normal"--value of APE, (b) "Education is power and key"--the importance of understanding, (c) "Whatever it takes to be a part of Sam's day"--involvement in APE and PA, and (d) "Know your tribe and love them hard"--building strong relationships. Discussion: Findings suggest that parents and APE teachers have influence and contribute to the development of a collaborative relationship. From parents, parental value and importance toward APE were seen as facilitators. And from APE teachers, their communication by sharing visualizations of what occurs at school and their predispositions toward parents, such as competence and respect, were regarded as facilitators.
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  Data: 2025
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        PageCount: 10
        StartPage: 223
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      – SubjectFull: Adapted Physical Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Physical Education Teachers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mothers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Parent Teacher Cooperation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Down Syndrome
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Students with Disabilities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mother Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Trust (Psychology)
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    Titles:
      – TitleFull: How a Collaborative Parent-Adapted Physical Education Teacher Relationship Developed: A Retrospective Case Study
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              Value: 44
            – Type: issue
              Value: 2
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal of Teaching in Physical Education
              Type: main
ResultId 1