Baltimore 2007 AAHPERD: Adapted Physical Activity council sessions promise to be informative and fun.

Look for the following sessions to be presented in Baltimore, Maryland, March 13-17:

Creative Dance and Movement Program for Students with Intellectual Disabilities

Students with cognitive and intellectual disabilities are entitled to and benefit from creative learning opportunities. Dance and movement can be vehicles enabling these children to express their feelings, promote inferential thinking skills, and to recreate sequential events through dance movement. This session, presented by students and professors, will demonstrate modifications of popular dances in an inclusive setting. The presentation will consist of a short DVD show on actual creative dances with children having disabilities, a teaching workshop, and discussion on modifications and teaching considerations. This session will teach physical education teachers how to teach dance to students with intellectual disabilities.

Speakers: Daniel Reid Swartz--Southern Connecticut State University; Jinjin Yang--Southern Connecticut State University; Charles Budz--Southern Connecticut State University; Tim Stella--Southern Connecticut State University; Amy Gilchrist-Southern Connecticut State University; Jeffrey A. Craig-Southern Connecticut State University

Dare to Share!

A number of Eastern District Association of AAHPERD adapted physical educators combine to bring you this full day workshop. There will be a touch of theory, as well as many practical ideas and activities. Topics include ideas for working with people with autism, severely and profoundly impaired adolescents, the Inclusion Cube, adventure activities for folks with disabilities, adapting individual sports, working with emotionally disturbed and behavior problem students, and aligning your adapted physical education teaching with the standards. Please come ready to participate and willing to share your thoughts and ideas.

Speakers: John R. Passarini--Circles of Learning; Michelle Grenier--University of New Hampshire; Diane H. Craft--SUNY-Cortland; Judy Conroy--The Day School, Pittsburgh, PA; Toni Bonnette--Lindenwold Public Schools, NJ; Ellen M. Kowalski--Adelphi University; Stephen C. Goodwin--University of Delaware; Kevin Casebolt--East Stroudsburg University; Dave Lorenzi--Indiana University Pennsylvania; Tim Davis--SUNY-Cortland; Monica Lepore--West Chester University; Lauren Lieberman--SUNY-Brockport; Iva Obrusknikova-University of Delaware; Linda Webbert--Baltimore County Public Schools

International Project for Attitude Change in Adapted Physical Activity

This session is for physical education and recreation professionals who are policy makers, researchers, administrators, and practitioners interested in the impact attitude has on practice. The best opportunity we have to influence socio-educational policy and create social change is to increase our understanding of the mechanisms underlying attitude. The purpose of this session will be to create a group of professionals interested in the International Project for Attitude Change in Adapted Physical Activity (IPAC). Small interest group discussions will be facilitated by session organizers in order to collect, record, and discuss group suggestions on how to create social change.

Panelists: Christoph Lienert--Manhattan College; Samuel R. Hodge--The Ohio State University; Terry L. Rizzo--California State University; Sherry Folsom-Meek--Minnesota State University

Movement, Monkeys, and Friendship: Adaptations that Create Success

AAPAR's 2006 Adapted Physical Education Teacher of the Year, Cindy Combs, will show you hands-on activities to meet all students' needs by integrating character education, animated alphabet, literature, movement, and sign language. Academics are reinforced in new and fun ways. Try out new equipment and see how you can incorporate it into your adapted curriculum.

Presenter: Cindy A. Combs--Newton Public Schools, 2006 National Adapted Physical Education Teacher of the Year

Nobody Left Behind in Elementary Physical Education

This session will provide participants with opportunities to be actively engaged in games and activities fostering inclusion which can be easily incorporated into any elementary physical education program. New innovative adapted equipment will be presented and participants will use the adapted equipment first-hand during elementary physical education demonstration lessons. This session is a must for any physical educator who is interested in providing a unique and exciting program that ensures the success of ALL students.

Speakers: Brad M. Weiner--Prince George's County Public School; Melanie Goettel--James Ryder Randall Elementary School; Scott R. Geist--Oxon Hill Staff Development Center

Teaching Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders in General Physical Education

Inclusion of children with autism spectrum disorders in general physical education can cause physical educators to wonder how they can help their students learn and be successful. This session will provide an overview of the characteristics associated with Asperger syndrome or high-functioning autism. Particular attention will be given to strategies for coping with difficult behaviors and enhancing peer interaction in general physical education. Activities facilitating autism awareness in physical activity settings will also be discussed.

Speakers: Iva Obrusnikova--University of Delaware; William Brady--Fairfax County Public Schools

Therapeutic Recreation in the Schools and the IDEA: Examples and Insights

This presentation will address how school systems can use therapeutic recreation for children with special education needs according to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). A pilot study will be presented on the perception of the benefits of therapeutic recreation used in a middle school setting in Lexington, KY. This presentation also introduces an effective program giving children with disabilities opportunities to participate in recreational soccer programs. Activities will aid physical educators, coaches, and family members to teach skills, impart knowledge, and affect attitudes so children with disabilities can play!

Speakers: Thomas E. Moran and Elizabeth Nicole Blubaugh--University of Virginia; Michelle D. Gerken--Eastern Kentucky University

Utilizing Technology and Electronic Rubrics for Assessment in Adapted Physical Education and General Physical Education

This session will demonstrate the use of technology in conducting real-time assessment in the adapted physical education and general physical education setting. With the new emphasis on assessing student progress, this is a timely session to demonstrate how easy it is to implement an assessment program. By developing means to quickly assess students in a natural environment, educators can better present an appropriate curriculum. Presenters will demonstrate various assessment tools that have been placed on electronic media to assist the educator. Audience members will become acquainted with methods for developing similar programs and ideas for enhancing their efforts.

Speakers: Robert Weber--University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh; RR Apache--University Of Nevada Las Vegas 

Wheelchair Sport: An Overview

Many adapted and general physical educators are unaware of how to maneuver a wheelchair, as well as plan activities for students who use wheelchairs. This session will teach participants how to maneuver and assemble a wheelchair. See demonstrations on rules and procedures of various wheelchair sports that can be implemented into your curriculum. Game activity modifications will be demonstrated using various sport skills within the physical education curriculum. Included is an overview of current collegiate wheelchair sports programs in the United States with information about history, scholarships, and wheelchair sports offerings for each program.

Speakers: Brent Hardin--University of Alabama; Margaret Stran--University of Alabama; David Lorenzi--Indiana University Pennsylvania; Pamela J. Fontaine--Texas Woman's University; Nancy J. Bridenthrall--Texas Woman's University; and Andrea Woodson--Chicago State University

AAPAR Offers Adapted Aquatics Credentialing at AAHPERD Convention

The American Association for Physical Activity and Recreation (AAPAR), an association of AAHPERD, will offer a three-day workshop at the AAHPERD 2007 National Convention in Baltimore, Maryland, March 10-12, 2007. The workshop provides already certified aquatic instructors with the skills, knowledge, and attitudes to safely and effectively implement quality adapted aquatics programs to individuals with disabilities in a variety of settings. As a part of this credential, the participant will learn quality programming/instruction for individuals with various disabilities in the aquatic setting.

Successful adapted aquatics instructor workshop participants may choose to further their credentials by taking the Master Teacher of adapted aquatics workshop on Tuesday, March 13. This workshop prepares current adapted aquatics instructors to teach the adapted aquatics instructor course.

For more information on either workshop or to schedule a workshop in your community, contact Danielle Browne, 800-213-7193, ext. 432 or [e-mail].

APAC Projects

As discussed at the business meeting in Salt Lake, the following projects are underway. If you would like to contribute to your profession and add your professional voice to the mix, please contact Lauren Lieberman ([e-mail]) regarding any of the following projects. All projects are underway with plenty of work to do!

* Membership Drive

* APA Introduction Video Production

* Creation of an Online APA Resource Manual

* Report on Highly Qualified Position Statement

APAC--AAPAR'S Listserve

Get involved and excited about what you do and what others are doing in the field of physical activity and recreation. Have fun and gain skills, knowledge, and important ideas/information for your professional development. Share ideas and resources.

All APAC members should have received an invitation via e-mail giving you the option to sign up immediately. If you did not receive an e-mail or mistakenly deleted your invitation, email [e-mail] with your request to sign up.

APAC Action offers the Adapted Physical Activity Council (a council of the American Association for Physical Activity and Recreation [AAPAR]--one of six associations of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance [AAHPERD]--an opportunity to disseminate timely information about its programs to both APAC members and PALAESTRA readers. April Tripp, Department of Kinesiology, Towson University, Towson, MD 21204; [e-mail], is the current Department Editor.