Abstract:

The theme of practicing sport for people with disabilities goes far beyond the simplification of a healthy lifestyle, but refers to complex aspects of a pedagogical, educational, social, and cultural nature that combine to outline the education and training system of future professionals in this field.

This is demonstrated by the growing interest that the question has aroused in recent decades, with the issuing of supranational regulatory provisions that recall the right of all minors, without distinction, to an education capable of harmoniously involving every dimension that constitutes human being, including the education of the body; and this is highlighted by the numerous reviews of international studies which underline the essential nature of mainstreaming in physical education and sports practices.

In the light of these considerations, Physical Education and Sports Science contribute, on an equal footing with other disciplines, to promoting individual growth and enhancement in the processes of social and cultural inclusion. Consequently, it is necessary to recall the assumption of a procedural habitus capable of identifying the most suitable teaching and methodological strategies to promote processes of inclusion with the adoption of a physical and sporting practice that is "for everyone" and "of each".

For this purpose, the research examined the scientific, disciplinary, and professional orientations inherent to Adapted Physical Education (APE), illustrated to future professionals within the course of General and Special Pedagogy, for the degree course in Activity Sciences Sports and motor skills of the University of Palermo.

In this direction, it was intended to test how the use of US-based APE methodologies would allow the improvement of the coping strategies of future Physical Education professionals. In particular, the five cognitive and behavioural aspects developed by future inclusive motor education professionals were examined at the end of a specific training course, regarding the coping styles developed through the use of APE methodology.

Keywords:

Adapted Physical Education, inclusion, physical education, coping, professional development.