Co-teaching in Physical Education to Support Inclusion of Pupils with Special Educational Needs

Purpose: In Danish public schools, 23.4% of all pupils have special educational needs (SEN), often with autism or ADHD. Physical Education (PE) teachers often feel unqualified to teach this group, and 41% of pupils with SEN are exempt from subjects in school, most frequently from PE. This highlights a need for professional development and new didactic approaches to support inclusive PE that promotes participation among pupils with SEN. Over the past few years, merging special education with general pedagogy, has become more common in Danish schools. While existing research on co-teaching and inclusion shows positive outcomes, it mainly focuses on academic subjects, leaving a gap in knowledge about co-teaching in PE. This study aims to present the experiences of 12 PE teams using co-teaching throughout a school year, identifying both enabling and limiting factors.
Methods: The study is based on 6–8 co-teaching observations per PE team (84 in total), and 12 focus group interviews. Analysis follows Dubois and Gadde’s abductive case study approach, using Sallis et al.’s socio-ecological model (policy, organizational, interpersonal, and individual levels) to identify opportunities and barriers.
The analysis is part of the broader research study “Moving PE – for children with special needs in school and leisure time” which explores inclusion in PE through co-teaching.
Results: The analysis identified three archetypes, each exemplified through a distinct PE team case: the high jumper, the middle-distance runner, and the hurdler. The high jumper used co-teaching consistently and reported mostly positive experiences across all four socio-ecological levels. The hurdler used co-teaching minimally due to significant barriers, especially at the organizational and interpersonal levels. The middle-distance runner showed varied use of co-teaching, with interpersonal relationships being key to its implementation.
Conclusion: Co-teaching was implemented to varying degrees in PE. Support from school leadership, such as creating organizational structures and stable PE teams, was crucial. When co-teaching was used systematically, it contributed to greater participation and inclusion of pupils with SEN in PE. This study contributes pedagogical suggestions to support more inclusive teaching practices in PE.