The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that school districts provide eligible students with specially designed instruction that confers a free appropriate public education (FAPE). Depending on the unique needs of a student, FAPE may include physical education services. The IDEA also requires that a student’s individualized education program (IEP) include adapted physical education services, when deemed necessary to meet a student’s needs. In this paper we (a) define and compare physical education and adapted physical education, (b) examine the FAPE of the IDEA requirements regarding physical education and adapted physical education, (c) review a recent policy letter issued by the U.S Department of Education on adapted physical education, (d) highlight several court cases on adapted physical education for students with disabilities, and (e) offer guidance on when to include physical education and adapted physical education in students’ IEPs.
