"We'll cross that hurdle when we get to it". Teaching athletic performance within adaptive physical education

Persons with developmental and physical disabilities who are enrolled in educational programs often participate in adaptive physical education classes. Primarily, these classes are designed to provide individuals with the opportunity to develop their physical abilities. However, they can also serve as a training ground for the Special Olympics. Teaching the motor skills that are prerequisite to participation in many adaptive physical education and Special Olympics activities can be a formidable objective. This study demonstrates how a person with developmental disabilities was taught, by way of stimulus control shaping, the necessary motor skills to enable him to participate in the hurdling event at the Special Olympics.