The inclusion of students with special educational needs in physical education according to the opinion of its protagonists: a qualitative study in Spain

The views, opinions and experiences of students with special educational needs (SEN) in physical education classes (PE) must be considered when inclusion in PE is understood as subjective experience of sense of belonging. For this, the goal of this qualitative study was to determine the perceptions and experiences of students with SEN and educational professionals, in order to define the necessary changes to achieve effective inclusion of those students in physical education. Qualitative methodology was used, and two discussion groups were held with sixteen participating students (average age 13 years old), and semi-structured interviews were conducted with five educational professionals (average age 35 years old). The results, generated using thematic analysis, were organised based on the question: What is needed to promote inclusion in PE classes? The emerging themes of the analysis were PE as a curricular area, teacher-student interaction and interaction between students. This study concluded that students felt included by their peers, although educational professionals had different opinions. The changes necessary to promote inclusion during PE classes, according to all the participants of the study, should be the use of new methodologies, understanding and individualised attention to students.