Adapted Physical Education and Therapeutic Recreation in Schools

Overview & Synopsis

Adapted physical education is a mandated service, whereas therapeutic recreation and traditional recreation are considered related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. In this article, the authors describe the distinctions between the services, recognition of need for referral, methods of assessment, sample Individualized Education Program goals with short-term objectives and/or benchmarks, strategies for the classroom teachers, and interventions and service delivery models typically used by physical education teachers and recreational therapists.