Adapted Physical Education Collaborative Consulting: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

The purpose of this review was to analyze English language articles that addressed collaborative consulting in adapted physical education (APE). A systematic process was used to search the literature in six different databases. First, article quality was analyzed. Subsequently, thematic categorization of data was performed. Eleven articles published between 1995 and 2015 that satisfied the criteria for inclusion in the study were selected. The results were organized into seven thematic categories: the concept and definition of consultation, the role of the APE consultant, the planning and documentation of APE consulting, the stages of APE consulting, general physical education and APE teachers’ perceptions regarding consulting, major challenges of APE consulting, and collaborative work training for physical education teachers. In conclusion, although research remains scarce, all of the selected articles reinforce the relevance of collaborative consulting for including students with disabilities in general physical education settings. Further investigation, particularly through empirical studies, must be encouraged.