The Power of Inclusion: Enhancing Student Belonging and Interaction in Physical Education by Lori Cummings A proposal submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF EDUCATION with an emphasis in SPORT COACHING AND LEADERSHIP WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY Ogden, Utah March 2026 Approved Ryan Zimmerman, Ph.D. Chad Smith, Ph.D. Mandy Kirkham, Ph.D. 1 Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................2 Literature Review........................................................................................................................4 Defining Inclusion...................................................................................................................4 The Benefits of Inclusion ........................................................................................................5 Why Inclusion is Hard.............................................................................................................6 Physical Education is a Great Place to Start .............................................................................6 Changing the Look of Physical Education ...............................................................................8 Methods ......................................................................................................................................9 Study Design ...........................................................................................................................9 Participants .............................................................................................................................9 Testing Instruments ............................................................................................................... 10 Procedures............................................................................................................................. 11 Data Analysis ........................................................................................................................ 11 Results .................................................................................................................................. 11 Question 1: Involvement.................................................................................................... 12 Question 1: Confidence ..................................................................................................... 13 Question 2: Support ........................................................................................................... 13 Question 2: Participation ................................................................................................... 14 Question 3: Attitude Shift .................................................................................................. 15 Discussion ............................................................................................................................. 16 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 18 Limitations and Future Research ........................................................................................... 18 Resources .................................................................................................................................. 20 APPENDIX A ........................................................................................................................... 26 Figure 1................................................................................................................................. 26 APPENDIX B ........................................................................................................................... 29 Interview Guide..................................................................................................................... 29 2 Introduction Inclusion is a frequently discussed topic in the education world, with efforts aimed at increasing the participation of students with and without disabilities in general education classes together. One way the state of Utah is promoting inclusion at the high school level is through the introduction and implementation of Unified Sports classes (Special Olympics Utah, 2023). Social inclusion through sports is recognized internationally as a way for people with disabilities to widen their social networks (Accardo et al., 2023). Students with disabilities who participate in sports show an increase in self-confidence and self-esteem (Rodriquez et al., 2022). Not only do students grow emotionally when participating in team sports, but they also benefit physically and socially (Clement et al., 2023). This makes a unified sports class a good option for high schools to begin their inclusion efforts. For an inclusion program to succeed, it requires teachers who have professional knowledge of inclusive education, the skills to meet the diverse needs of their students, and a positive attitude towards inclusion (Donath et al., 2023). However, such programs are uncommon. Instead, teachers often face less than ideal conditions, which can give them a negative view of inclusion. Some general education teachers feel they are left on their own to figure out how to implement inclusion practices (Crispel et al., 2019). Others are unprepared and lack the necessary skills to teach students with disabilities (Iacono et al., 2020). A lack of proper planning and support for staff and students during the implementation process frustrates many secondary teachers (Boyle et al., 2013). These challenges hinder the development of programs that bring all students together in the classroom and cast a negative light on the inclusion experience. 3 Providing students with disabilities the opportunity to be among their general education peers has been a goal for many schools since the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was signed into law (U.S. Department of Education, 2024). More countries are starting to adopt inclusion laws that require school systems to adapt to the diverse student populations they serve (Donath et al., 2023). Although these efforts are underway, physical presence in the classroom does not automatically lead to social acceptance (Siperstein et al., 2019). Opportunities that allow students with disabilities to interact and build friendships with general education peers and participate in school activities are two key factors to the success of an inclusion program (Carter et al., 2016). When students with disabilities are in close proximity to same-aged general education peers, they can model social and communication skills (Carter et al., 2016). This modeling helps students with disabilities acquire new skills that extend far beyond the classroom. Physical education classes are an excellent starting point for schools to launch their inclusion programs. These classes not only teach specific skills and knowledge but also promote engagement among students with and without disabilities (Lee et al., 2022). Across Utah, efforts are underway to help schools improve their inclusion initiatives. Unified Sports classes are starting to be offered at the high school level. However, without a clear curriculum for these classes, teachers often find it difficult to know where to begin when developing an effective program for their students. SHAPE Utah, the Utah State Board of Education, and Special Olympics Utah have collaborated to provide teachers with a curriculum designed to ease the transition to inclusive education, reducing stress and providing greater support. This curriculum aligns with state standards, includes lesson outlines for various sports, and features a chapter on unified partner training. A sample of sessions 1 and 2 of the basketball unit offered in the Unified Sports Curriculum can be found in Appendix A, Figure 1. 4 A qualitative methods study explored high school teachers’ perceptions of the social benefits of inclusion for students with disabilities following the implementation of an inclusive curriculum during the 2025-2026 school year. The current study served as a pilot study to investigate the following research questions: (a) How do high school teachers perceive the social benefits of inclusion for students with disabilities?; (b) What factors influence teachers’ perceptions of inclusion’s impact on social development?; and (c) How do teachers’ experiences with inclusion shape their attitudes toward inclusion in the classroom? Literature Review Defining Inclusion Inclusion is not a new idea in education and has been studied for many years. Schools often use the phrase inclusion to connect two parts of the education system: general education and special education (Clipa et al., 2020). A common theme across the research is that before inclusion can be successful, a definition needs to be established. Several authors offer a more complex definition of inclusion, stating that it is a multi-dimensional concept that includes celebrating and valuing differences and diversity, as well as considering human rights, social justice, and equal opportunities (Clipa et al., 2020; McConkey et al., 2019; Schmidt & Vrhovnik, 2015). Inclusion has also been described as a dynamic process with intertwined relationships between personal characteristics, social networks, and environmental opportunities, which will change and differ over time for each individual (Overmars-Marx et al., 2014). Other studies define inclusion as an interaction between interpersonal relationships and community participation (McConkey et al., 2019; Simplican et al., 2015). These definitions view inclusion through a broader perspective. When looking at inclusion from an educational point of view, the definition shifts again from simply placing special education students into general education 5 classes (Briere & Siegle, 2008), to the involvement of all children while promoting the extinction of exclusion practices (Kiuppis, 2018). While many definitions of inclusion exist, some authors argue that there is no exact answer and claim that the definition of inclusion remains unclear (Haudenhuyse, 2017; Simplican et al., 2015). Given the multiple interpretations of this word, for this paper, inclusion was defined in line with O’Rourke and colleagues, as providing students with and without disabilities the resources they need to reach their full potential (O’Rourke et al., 2023). Based on this definition, this literature review explored various factors that influence the success or failure of inclusion programs in the education setting. The Benefits of Inclusion Throughout the research, many benefits of inclusive education are highlighted in various studies. One such study points out that students with and without disabilities gain positive outcomes when they work together in an inclusive environment (Choi & Cheung, 2016). However, students with disabilities have fewer opportunities for social participation (Brooker et al., 2015; Taheri et al., 2016). For this reason, developing meaningful relationships with peers without disabilities in an inclusive space is a benefit for this group of students (Grandisson et al., 2019; Siperstein et al., 2019). Inclusion also benefits other areas of life beyond social interactions. Students with disabilities show a positive effect in their academics when involved in an inclusion program (O’Rourke et al., 2023) as well as by having the opportunity to learn alongside their peers without disabilities. An inclusive setting allows peers to model appropriate behavior in the classroom, which helps break down walls and change attitudes (Carter et al., 2016). This also helps to improve students’ overall self-concept in a favorable way (Briere & Siegle, 2008). As positive outcomes for students with disabilities increase, more countries are 6 beginning to adopt laws to help advance inclusive education (Donath et al., 2023). These laws help promote the progress of inclusion for students with disabilities. Why Inclusion is Hard Along with research supporting the positive outcomes of inclusion, buy-in from teachers is important. After teachers are trained in inclusive practices and have some knowledge on how to implement the curriculum, their attitudes toward inclusive education tend to become more positive (Boyle et al., 2013; Clipa et al., 2020; Donath et al., 2023; Iacono et al., 2020). Classroom teachers report that including students with less severe disabilities versus students with more severe disabilities affects their attitude toward inclusion (Clipa et al., 2023). This isn’t the only obstacle to inclusive education. Teachers who have little or no resources to support inclusive practices are less positive about inclusion (Clipa et al., 2023; Crispel & Kasperski, 2021). Inclusion is more than just being present in the classroom (Siperstein et al., 2019). Siperstein and colleagues emphasize that students with disabilities can be physically present in the classroom, but this does not mean they are socially accepted by their peers (Siperstein et al., 2019). When inclusive practices are lacking, students with disabilities become socially isolated (O’Rourke et al., 2023). Once inclusive practices are in place, the social circles for students with disabilities expand (Siperstein et al., 2019). Having teachers willing to invest the time and training needed to include all students in their classroom is valuable in making an inclusive classroom successful (Donath et al., 2023). In conjunction with teachers willing and ready to practice inclusion, choosing the right class to introduce the inclusion process is also important. Physical Education is a Great Place to Start Teachers in general education classrooms worry about the academic demands of this setting for students with disabilities, making inclusion hard in that environment (Hwang & 7 Evans, 2011). Exploring alternative options for starting an inclusion program, such as in physical education classes or through team sports, can reduce the pressure of academic demands in a general education setting (Crispel & Kasperski, 2021; Hwang & Evans, 2011). Focusing more on participation, physical education classes become a practical choice for implementing social inclusion (Inoue & Forneris, 2015; McConkey et al., 2019). These classes emphasize sports skills and team participation. Learning sports can help students connect with others because sports are an area of life that brings people together (Accardo et al., 2023; Harada et al., 2011) and is a space where social exclusion can be alleviated, unlike other areas of life (Haudenhuyse, 2017). Sports give students with disabilities the chance to engage in activities similar to their peers without disabilities (Rodriquez et al., 2022), providing opportunities to improve skills in the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains (Choi & Cheung, 2016; Clement & Freeman, 2023; Inoue & Forneris, 2015). Utah core state standards for physical education emphasize the importance of developing these domains in Strands one, two, three, and four, as well as the social skills displayed in Strand five of the standards (UEN, 2016). In physical education environments, students can learn to respect differences and gain insights from others through team sports (Graca et al., 2024; Lee et al., 2022; McKay et al., 2015). Along with these benefits of initiating inclusion in physical education or team sports settings, research shows three common outcomes. Students who participate in inclusion programs often report a sense of belonging, positive interpersonal relationships with others, and enjoyment of community participation (Briere & Siegle, 2008; Corazza & Dyer, 2017; Grandisson et al., 2019; Inoue & Forneris, 2015; O’Rourke et al., 2023; Simplican et al., 2015; Taheri et al., 2016). Although physical education offers a promising starting point for inclusion, students' outlook on physical education classes may be a challenge to the inclusion process. 8 Changing the Look of Physical Education Looking at students’ attitudes toward traditional physical education classes reveals that students find the class boring and less relevant to their lives (Carlson, 1995; Tinning & Fitzclarence, 1992). Other students dislike physical education because of the emphasis it places on winning, male dominance, and preferred treatment for some athletes (Graca et al., 2024). With students’ attitudes toward physical education like this, changing physical education classes to a more inclusive setting could change the view for students with and without disabilities to see the class as a place to build self-esteem and develop a more positive self-perception (Bota et al., 2017; Crawford et al., 2015; Grandisson et al., 2019; Taheri et al., 2016). Working together in an inclusive classroom, both groups of students, with and without disabilities, improve their interactive skills (Choi & Cheung, 2016). This begins to break down barriers and improve belonging (Bota et al., 2017). Several high schools across Utah have implemented inclusion programs through a Unified Sports class at the secondary level. This physical education class is offered to students with and without disabilities, bringing them together to improve in team sports. To ensure success, teachers are being provided with a new Unified Sports curriculum to guide the initial implementation. Through improved curriculum to help teachers facilitate inclusive education (Schmidt & Vrhovnik, 2015), the definition of inclusion used at the start of this literature review, providing students with and without disabilities the necessary resources to reach their full potential (O’Rourke et al., 2023), has been put into practice in Utah. The following research questions were explored through qualitative methods and have been discussed in the methods section below: (a) How do high school teachers perceive the social benefits of inclusion for students with disabilities?; (b) What factors influence teachers’ perceptions of inclusion’s impact 9 on social development?; and (c) How do teachers’ experiences with inclusion shape their attitudes toward inclusion in the classroom? Methods Study Design The current study served as an initial pilot evaluation during the 2025-2026 school year to investigate the social benefits of an inclusion program for students with disabilities, drawing on qualitative data gathered from the implementing teachers. This study employed a qualitative case study design to explore high school teachers’ perceptions of the social benefits of inclusion for students with disabilities. A case study was used to further examine high school teachers’ experiences with an inclusion program and the impact it had on their students with disabilities, as well as how their experiences with inclusion influenced their attitudes toward the program. The study spanned a semester, allowing the class to progress and better determine the program’s outcomes. A qualitative case study was chosen to better understand teachers’ perceptions of the social benefits of the inclusion setting for students with disabilities in the secondary school environment. Social connectivity and a sense of belonging are important to teenagers, which help build their self-esteem and improve overall happiness (Rodriquez et al., 2022). The outcome of the study reflects the benefits of inclusion for students with disabilities and teachers’ attitudes toward inclusion. Participants The sample for this case study consisted of 3 high school teachers in Utah interested in adopting and implementing a Unified Sports class in their high school. At the time of data collection, the teachers had launched the class and been given the curriculum to follow. The teachers chosen for the study needed to work in the high school setting in the state of Utah, 10 where Unified Sports had been introduced to the school as a new class option. Teachers were recruited through Special Olympics Utah and SHAPE Utah. To meet the criteria of an inclusive classroom, students with and without disabilities enrolled in the Unified Sports course represented the inclusive class composition. Testing Instruments Qualitative data were collected using a semi-structured interview guide (Appendix B) with open-ended questions. The semi-structured interview guide was designed and driven by the Social Model of Disability. The semi-structured interviews lasted approximately 30 minutes each and were completed via Zoom. The audio was recorded and transcribed verbatim by the interviewer. A semi-structured interview allowed the researcher to discuss and inquire in more detail about the teachers’ experience with inclusion. The semi-structured interview questions were created by the interviewer to seek information from the participating teachers about their lived experiences with an inclusion program. The questions were individually crafted to answer the research questions posed in the problem statement section of this research paper. The questions were reviewed by peers and a faculty advisor to ensure clarity and alignment with the study’s purpose. The questions also reflected the researcher’s interest in the benefits of inclusion for students with disabilities and in teachers' experiences as they began the program in their high schools. Credibility and internal validity for the study were ensured and supported through member checking, peer debriefing with a colleague familiar with the research, and a committee composed of the chair and members associated. 11 Procedures Upon approval by the Institutional Review Board (IRB), an email was sent to teachers known to be starting an inclusion program at their high school across the state of Utah, via their district email, requesting their participation in the study. Consent was requested in the email explaining the purpose of the study and asking teachers to participate by answering questions during a semi-structured interview, which was recorded via Zoom and transcribed by the interviewer. Once consent to participate in and record the interview was received, arrangements were made to conduct the interviews over the next 4 to 6 weeks. Data Analysis Being a qualitative study, the interviews were transcribed verbatim from the Zoom call. Thematic analysis was used to identify common patterns or themes throughout the interviews. Interviews were read and reread to help identify similar themes and patterns among the participants. Analytical coding, with its different stages, helped to separate the collected data from the participating teachers. Open coding assisted with the initial identification of common themes, followed by axial coding, which groups information based on shared relationships. Finally, selective coding synthesized the data into clear, understandable results, completing the analytical coding process. Data was coded and trustworthiness ensured by member checking, peer debriefing, and reflexive notes. This analysis helped identify patterns in teachers’ experiences that illuminate the perceived social benefits of inclusion for students with disabilities. Results The researcher used a semi-structured interview guide to examine the perceptions of high school teachers who implemented an inclusion program and the benefits it has for their students 12 with disabilities. Qualitative data were transcribed and analyzed to answer the following questions: (1) How do high school teachers perceive the social benefits of inclusion for students with disabilities? (2) What factors influence teachers’ perceptions of inclusion’s impact on social development? (3) How do teachers’ experiences with inclusion shape their attitudes toward inclusion in the classroom? The analysis of the raw data from interviews with 3 high school teachers who have implemented an inclusion program at their high school was transcribed and organized into relationships among lower- and higher-order themes for each of the three research questions. The higher-order themes related to the first question of how high school teachers perceive the social benefits of inclusion for students with disabilities were involvement and increased confidence. Question 1: Involvement Opportunities for students with disabilities to become involved are limited compared to those of their peers without disabilities (Taheri et al., 2016). Involvement was a common answer in the interview results. The teachers described their students gaining access to more school activities and feeling that their school was now a place where they belonged. Involvement was discussed enthusiastically, with Marie sharing this about her students, “They don’t feel like they’re different. They’re excited that they, too, get to play sports, and be the focus of something.” Jade gave insight into this concept as she spoke about her students exploring outside interests and learning to be part of a team. She said, “My students are feeling like this school is their space, and their school is not just this one little classroom.” She went on to say, “We have students for the first time this year joining clubs that meet after school and during school. We have a student with special needs on the cheerleading squad, and one joined the pickleball club. 13 We have a kid in the film club and one on student council. Watching students spread out through the school and take up space has been so nice.” Question 1: Confidence One of the benefits of participating in an inclusive classroom is the increase in confidence that accompanies students' participation (Briere & Siegle, 2008). Raven provided this boost to her students in the following way. She arranged for a sports photographer to photograph the seniors in her school's inclusion program. The pictures were turned into senior banners, which were hung in the gym alongside banners for the other senior athletes at the school. This small act on behalf of the senior athletes in Raven’s classroom gave them something to look forward to when they entered the gym, as was shared in the interview. Raven went on to report, “that when the students feel confident, they are willing to try more things and do more things, and then things snowball from there.” Marie was asked to name one thing that has improved socially for her students since being involved in an inclusive classroom. Without hesitation, she responded with “confidence”. When looking for themes for the second question about factors that influence teachers’ perceptions of inclusion’s impact on social development, two themes stood out: support and participation. Question 2: Support Buy-in from teachers and administrators in order for inclusion to be successful is key to a program’s outcome (Hwang & Evans, 2011). Each teacher had a list of people they named who helped them get the program started and sustain its success. Having a strong special education team behind them was a response they all shared. Administrators who saw the vision of inclusion and were willing to provide support and encouragement as ideas were presented helped Marie 14 continue to provide inclusion opportunities for her students. Jade spoke about the benefits of attending Special Olympics trainings and reaching out to local contacts to help move the program forward. When asked about the Unified Sports Curriculum offered to teachers to support and ease the program's implementation, teachers used or adapted the curriculum differently depending on their school’s needs at the time. Raven and Marie stated that they did not have access to the curriculum and relied heavily on their Physical Education teacher to guide the class appropriately to meet state standards. They spoke about how the class was set up like a general Physical Education class, with a warm-up, skill development, and cool-down, with the added element of having both disabled and nondisabled peers working together. Jade stated that her school used the curriculum as a framework and guideline to review as lessons were prepared and implemented in class. She also shared that the lessons for training and teaching unified partners were the most helpful and used frequently as the program began to take shape. Question 2: Participation When there is a lack of opportunities to participate in activities for students with disabilities, various areas of development such as social, intellectual, emotional, communicative, and physical, can be lacking (Taheri et al., 2016). Raven spoke about introducing yard game Olympics at her school this year and wanted to include an elementary school along with her high school students. She had this to say about that, “Last summer, while attending a training in Oregon, someone from New York presented and spoke of Yard Game Olympics. Now we are trying to replicate that here. We are trying to include an elementary school whose principal is looking for something cultural for her students to be involved with.” Raven emphasized the 15 importance of introducing students at a young age to inclusion programs, which help students without disabilities better accept their peers with disabilities. Raven’s belief in early introduction was the reason she included an elementary school in her activity. Jade shared her thoughts on how having students in an inclusion classroom helps students learn to tolerate differences and accept others. She said about their inclusion classroom, “It’s really become this place where everyone can kind of exist without judgment. We have kids who stem, we have a kid with a potty mouth, and it’s fine. We focus on the positive and teach students to ignore what they don’t like. It is socialization on steroids.” Lastly, when exploring themes for the third question about teachers’ experiences with inclusion shaping their attitudes toward inclusion in their classroom, one theme was consistent across the three teachers: attitude shift. Question 3: Attitude Shift Differences exist between attitudes towards the theory of inclusion and the willingness to embrace its practice (Hwang & Evans, 2011). The teachers involved in the current study recognized that getting students involved in an inclusion program helped shape their attitudes towards inclusion, especially after seeing the positive benefits for their students. Jade learned that integrating students together was easier than she thought. She shared this, “I used to think that students needed to be way more separated than they really are, and it was just too hard to teach to the middle of the road. When we push the rigor or push the expectation, everyone wins.” Marie shared some of the same sentiments by saying, “It has sidelined some of the hesitation to put students into different things. It has changed my perspective on, ‘I don’t know what a kid’s good at until they try it’. Withholding them from certain things because I thought it was going to be hard, maybe wasn’t the greatest outlook.” 16 Raven spoke positively about inclusion when she said, “Being able to try and help promote inclusion and try to show special education and general education students how important it is to branch out and get out of your comfort zone. Be with people who you aren’t necessarily used to being around.” She went on to say, “Seeing the students embrace our kids in the hall, in classes, at graduation, congratulating them, and different things like that, it makes my heart so happy.” Discussion The researcher investigated the social benefits of inclusion for students with disabilities at the high school level using a semi-structured interview guide. The advantages of starting an inclusion program at the high school level were investigated during the interview process. A qualitative design was utilized to narrow the gap in answering the research questions and to provide more insight. The overall results from the semi-structured interview process examined the benefits of an inclusion program for students with disabilities and their social development. Testimony and interview answers were combined to formulate the findings. Based on the results of the interviews, participation in inclusion increased the involvement and confidence of students with disabilities. Teachers who have ventured into starting an inclusion program at their high school have been able to maintain it with the support of their co-workers and administration. Watching the benefits of inclusion expand and help their students has encouraged them to continue the work they started by creating an inclusive classroom. Being involved in inclusion education has helped to expand these participants' viewpoint on how to better support and include students with disabilities in an educational setting. 17 These results, showing the benefits for students with disabilities participating in inclusion, are similar to those reported by Briere & Siegle (2008). These researchers followed the experiences of 4 students in a Unified Sports program. All of the students mentioned in their study increased socialization at school and enjoyed being part of a team. Being recognized for their extracurricular involvement in a program helped them feel part of the school. It strengthened students’ self-concept, which is consistent with this research project's findings. One theme common among the teachers in the research was that their students' confidence increased as a result of participation in an inclusive environment. The main theme of support to begin and sustain inclusion was consistent with the findings of Donath and associates (2023), in which 75.85% of the 29 teachers in their study reported having insufficient support and resources to participate in an inclusion classroom. The same was true for Boyle and associates, who found among their 391 participants that support from management, colleagues, and resource provisions affected the implementation of inclusion in their schools. The lack of support noted in these two studies supports the teachers’ claims in the current study about the need for support for a robust inclusion program to exist. Siperstein and associates (2019) report the results of their study of eight Unified Champion Schools and how this changed perceptions of school social inclusion. All of their findings were positive, showing that when students were involved in inclusion, school life improved in meaningful ways. The current study supports these results, showing that when students participate in inclusive education, their school experience broadens socially, and they are more accepted by their nondisabled peers. Drawing from the study’s data, future high school teachers interested in implementing an inclusion program can learn about some of the benefits of inclusion for students with disabilities. 18 The current results and themes of this study can help teachers identify important factors that will help students with disabilities find satisfaction in attending school and expand their social circles. These same findings can help teachers detect supports and resources to help implement and maintain an inclusion program in their high school. Being surrounded by professionals, administrators, and parents who are invested and willing to support inclusion is a key factor in helping a program take off and maintain a presence in the school. These aspects also improve teachers' experiences when implementing inclusion and shape their attitudes towards it as they experience inclusion with their students. The results show that inclusion has positive social benefits for students with disabilities. Inclusion can open new social opportunities for students with disabilities, increase their confidence, and help increase their involvement during their high school years. Conclusion The use of qualitative methods, including semi-structured interview questions, in this study can be both helpful and educational for high school teachers preparing to implement an inclusion program. The lack of a quantitative portion of the study makes it difficult, as qualitative data can be prone to subjectivity. More participants would also help strengthen the themes present and cultivate objectivity when conducting a qualitative study investigating the social benefits for students with disabilities participating in an inclusion program. These limitations should be considered in the current study. Limitations and Future Research Future researchers should consider a mixed-methods study on the benefits of inclusion from different population perspectives. A mixed-methods study that uses qualitative and quantitative research to draw conclusions would negate subjectivity. This study was based on 19 high school teachers' perceptions of the benefits of inclusion for their students with disabilities. Investigating the experiences of middle school or elementary students in inclusive classrooms may differ from those of high school students. Researching inclusion from students’ perspectives would offer a different outlook on the program's benefits. Another consideration is that the data for this study was collected in the first semester of the school year in the first year of the program. Traditionally, this is when teachers feel refreshed and excited to be back at school and are energized to try new things. Following up on the program's success and viability after a few years of its implementation would offer another research opportunity. The research discussed in this manuscript offers practical application for teachers interested in piloting an inclusion program at their school. Placing students in a Unified Sports Physical Education class puts them on equal footing, where the goal is to work together toward a common goal. This provides students the opportunity to work together while learning to appreciate one another’s differences through physical activity. 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Postmodern youth culture and the crisis in Australian secondary school physical education. Quest, 44, 287-303. Unified PE Utah Standards Alignment U.S. Department of Education. (2024, October 5). About IDEA. https://sites.ed.gov/idea/aboutidea/#IDEA-History Utah Education Network. (2016, Spring). Physical Education Core. uen.org/core/pe/ 26 APPENDIX A Figure 1 Unified Sports Basketball Lesson Plan 27 28 Note. This lesson plan covers sessions 1 and 2 of the Unified Sports Basketball Unit. 29 APPENDIX B Interview Guide Interview Questions: Intro Questions: 1- Tell me a little about your teaching career. 2- What is your current position, and how long have you been in this position? 3- What inclusion programs have you been involved in during your teaching career, if any? 4- What is your favorite part of your current teaching position? Inclusion Program Questions: 1- What social benefits have you seen for your students since being involved in an inclusion program? 2- How has an inclusion program impacted your students’ social development? 3- In what other areas has an inclusion program impacted your students’ social development? 4- If you could name one thing that has improved socially for your students since being involved in an inclusion program, what would that be? 5-How were peer tutors used in class? 6-What were their role in assisting students with disabilities? 7- How has the Unified Sports curriculum helped shape your inclusion program? 8- How was the curriculum in your Unified Sports class taught? 9- When using the Unified Sports curriculum, what lessons did you utilize from this resource? 10- How did the lesson differ from how the curriculum was written in the book? 11-How did you teach the different skills in class? 30 12- What factors have influenced your perception of inclusion’s impact on your students’ social development? 13- What has helped you be successful at implementing an inclusion program at your school? 14- Who has helped you to implement and make the program successful at your school? 15- How has being involved in an inclusion program influenced your attitude towards inclusion in the classroom? 16- What has been the best part of being part of an inclusion program for you as a teacher?