Preparation of adapted physical educators in Appalachia: Preservice Training Model

The delivery of adapted physical education services in Appalachia and other rural areas has lacked comprehensive and appropriate personnel training models. Exceptional children have not received adequate adapted physical education services due to lack of qualified teachers, resources, and extreme poverty conditions. Appalachian State University's Department of Language, Reading, and Exceptionality was awarded a training grant to prepare adapted physical education teachers for Appalachia. Appalachia is the depressed economic and geographically dispersed region encompassing 154 counties in the southeastern part of the country. Exceptional children are un-cerserved and often do not receive appropriate physical education or special education intervention. Specific training and employment problems were identified. Strategies for training teachers to provide services in rural areas are presented which may prove generalizable to other special education training programs.