Analyzing the Relationships of School Environment Factors Affecting the Participation of Students with Disabilities in Physical Activities

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Qazvin Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qazvin, Iran

Abstract
The aim of this study was to analyze the relationships of school environment factors affecting the participation of students with disabilities in physical activities. This research is applied in terms of purpose and mixed-method (qualitative-quantitative) in terms of methodology. In the qualitative section, the research approach was based on a systematic review of the literature, and in the quantitative section, interpretive structural modeling (ISM) was used. In the literature review section, 14 studies were purposefully selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, and in the quantitative section, 10 experts and professionals in the fields of education, physical education, and rehabilitation were chosen. The quality assessment in the qualitative section was conducted using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist, and in the quantitative section, face validity and Cohen’s kappa coefficient were employed. The qualitative findings identified 42 concepts, which were categorized into 12 themes. In the quantitative section, the results indicated that the factors were divided into six levels in the hierarchical model; at the sixth (lowest) level was the factor "school leaders," and at the top level was the factor "participation in physical activity." Additionally, it was found that factors such as "specialized human resources," "dedicated physical environment," and "appropriate equipment" were in the linkage cluster, playing a key role in connecting with other factors.

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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 04 December 2025

  • Receive Date 21 March 2025
  • Revise Date 09 July 2025
  • Accept Date 22 November 2025