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Introduction Ongoing communication with parents and the acknowledgment of their preferences and expectations are crucial to promote the participation of physical activity by children with visual impairments. Purpose The study presented here explored parents’ perceptions of physical activity for their children with visual impairments and explored barriers to physical activity. Methods The 11 parents of children with visual impairments took part in one-on-one semistructured interviews that were transcribed and then analyzed through a constant comparative analysis. Results Three themes emerged from the analysis of the data: the holistic benefits of physical activity, barriers to physical activity, and solutions to physical activity. Discussion The results revealed that the parents valued and had high expectations for physical activity for their children; however, they believed that there were multiple barriers to overcome. Implications for practitioners Adapted physical education and recreational professionals must include parents in planning and implementing physical education and physical activity programs. Infusing information about physical activity and physical education in the professional preparation of teachers of students with visual impairments is also part of this important solution. Last, preteaching basic foundational skills for movement and sports is important to ensure the participation of children with visual impairments in physical education and recreational activities later in life.

Background: Reducing sedentary behavior is a promising intervention target for improving health for older adults; however, few interventions include African American communities. The purpose of this research was to extend the reach of an effective sedentary behavior intervention to African American elders. Methods: Two pilot studies assessed the feasibility (retention, adherence, and safety) and acceptability (participant and leader perspectives) of a 4-wk \"Stand Up and Move More\" (SUMM) intervention. Sedentary behavior (self-reported and monitor-derived), function (short physical performance battery), and quality of life (SF-36) were measured at baseline (wk0), postintervention (wk4), and follow up (wk12; study 1) to examine preliminary effectiveness of the intervention. Participants (N=26) attended SUMM or an attention-matched stress management intervention (study 2). The magnitude of treatment effects were determined using Hedge’s g effect size calculations [small (g=0.20 to 0.49), moderate (g=0.50 to 0.79), large (g>0.80)]. Results: Retention and adherence rates ranged from 50%-100% and 80%-100%, respectively. There were no adverse events. Participants expressed high satisfaction, and the leader of the SUMM intervention indicated that the intervention content was beneficial. Hedges’ g revealed negligible to small changes in sedentary behavior (g<0.50) following SUMM. There were moderate to large improvements in function (g=0.51-0.82) and quality of life (g=0.54-1.07) from wk0 to wk4 in study 1; and moderate to large improvements in function (g=0.51-0.88) from wk0 to wk4 in study 2. There was a moderate improvement in quality of life (SF-36 emotional role limitations g=0.54) in the SUMM group only. Conclusion: Given its feasibility, safety, and acceptability, SUMM may be a promising intervention to improve functioning and well-being among African American elders.

Teachers of students with visual impairments need to provide access to the curriculum in general education classes, teach ECC areas, and collaborate with physical education teachers. [...]it is the intent of this article to provide suggestions to administrators, teachers of students with visual impairments, O&M instructors, and physical education teachers on how to work together to teach the ECC curriculum in all areas of their schools. According to Sapp and Hatlen (2010), ECC components should be taught by certified teachers of students with visual impairments and O&M specialists.

Background: Children with developmental disabilities often face barriers to engaging in physical activity (PA), impacting their health and quality of life. Parent-mediated interventions (PMIs) have shown promise to reduce these barriers, but little research explores online PMIs for parents of children with developmental disabilities. Thus, the purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and impact of a multi-site collaborative online parent-mediated PA intervention on stress levels and self-efficacy among parents of children with developmental disabilities over a 12-week period. Methods: Participants (n=55) were parents of children with developmental disabilities, randomly assigned to intervention (n=27) or control (n=28) groups. Results: Recruitment rate was 58%, with an 80% retention rate. The feasibility of online delivery was demonstrated, allowing participation from various locations. An analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) with parental sex and education level as covariates revealed no significant interaction effect between group and time for parenting self-efficacy score (PSE), F(1, 104)=0.118, P=0.732, or PSI, F(1, 104)=0.196, P=0.659. The mean PSI difference (pre-post) was -0.38 (CI: -10.57 to 9.80) for the experimental group and 2.64 (CI: -9.61 to 14.91) for the control group, while the mean PSE difference was -4.41 (CI: -29.33 to 20.49) and 4.75 (CI: -23.22 to 32.73), respectively. Conclusion: Future research should explore the integration of hybrid PMIs in conjunction with qualitative measures to facilitate a deeper understanding of the multifaceted factors influencing parental engagement in PA interventions for children with developmental disabilities.

Introduction Measurement of Blood Pressure (BP) in children provides insight into future Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) risk. Objective To examine the feasibility and reliability of home BP monitoring in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and compare to office BP measurement. Methods Seven day home BP monitoring was completed using an electronic device in 16 children with ASD (mean age 7 ± 3, n = 2 girls) and compared with a single “office” BP measure. Parents were asked to take two measures in the morning and two measures in the early evening. Results Eleven parents were able to obtain >75% of measures with eight of those 11 parents obtaining >90% of measures. There were no statistical differences between mean office Systolic BP (SBP) and mean home SBP (mean difference 2 ± 9 mmHg, p = 0.46) or mean office Diastolic BP (DBP) and mean home DBP (mean difference 1 ± 7 mmHg, p = 0.68). The correlation between home and office SBP was r = 0.44 ( p = 0.02). The correlation between home and office DBP was r = 0.43 ( p = 0.05). Home SBP correlated with age, height and BMI ( p < 0.05) while office SBP did not ( p > 0.05). Three days with 4 measurements/day was sufficient to achieve reliable home BP measurements ( G > 0.8). Conclusion Home BP monitoring is feasible in children with ASD, is associated with typical correlates (age, height), and is better associated with obesity status (BMI) than office BP measurement.

The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the feasibility of a fundamental motor skills (FMS) intervention with two groups on the acquisition of FMS of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We randomly assigned families (n = 15) of children with ASD aged 4–11 years into two groups (a workshop or a home-based group) focused on FMS development. Both groups participated in a 10-week intervention and were given the same instructional manual and adapted physical activity equipment. The workshop group also attended four in-person workshops targeting the needs of children with ASD and their parents. Children were tested on their FMS using the third edition of the Test of Gross Motor Development at the start and end of the intervention and then three months following the intervention. The recruitment rate was 50%, and the retention rate was 80% for all participants. The intervention for groups was safe and accepted by the participants as evaluated by post-program interviews. The outcomes of this pilot study suggest that parents can facilitate the acquisition of FMS of their children with ASD. Although these results are positive, there is a need to further identify effective interventions for FMS development in children with ASD.

Undergraduate kinesiology students (physical education and exercise science majors) participated in a physical activity program for children with visual impairments during the course of 4 semesters. This physical activity program maximized recreational and sport opportunities for children with visual impairments and their families. In its 1st year, the program consisted of 4 1-day workshops covering the topics of: (a) orientation and mobility, (b) motor development and physical activity, (c3) aquatic opportunities, and (d) team sports (e.g., goalball, beep-baseball). During the 2nd year, these programs were expanded to more complex skills related to the previous 4 workshops. Undergraduate students facilitated instruction of all activities in the program with the children with visual impairments and their parents. Because of the student interactions in the program, the researchers sought to explore the students' experiences/perceptions toward teaching physical education and physical activity to children with visual impairments and their families. Data were collected via semistructured interviews with the goal of exploring their experiences/ perceptions regarding the physical activity program and activities with the children. Each interview lasted 60 to 90 minutes. The primary focus was to determine what students learned and the impact of the program on the students' perceived competency in working with the children with visual impairments and their families. Using constant comparative analysis, data were analyzed with the results indicating that students initially were intimidated with the notion of working with children with visual impairments. However, the students expressed a desire to work with children with visual impairments in the physical activity program when provided with training, support, and guided instruction. Additionally, as students developed comfort working with children with visual impairments in the program, they shared confidence in working with children with other disabilities as well. Participants voiced a need for authentic teaching experiences as well as the infusion of disability concepts across the curriculum in physical education and exercise science. Based on their participation, many shared a desire to align their professional goals toward working in the adapted physical activity field or entering the health professions with an emphasis on working with children with disabilities.

Physical activity provides multiple benefits to children with visual impairments and their families. Research exploring physical activity opportunities for children with visual impairments and their families is limited (Columna et al., 2013). The investigation of the types of physical activities in which families of children with visual impairments participate provides valuable information that may allow for the creation of programs that meet the needs of this population. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to explore the nature of physical activity among families of children with visual impairments. This study aimed to answer the following research questions: What are the physical activity experiences of families of children with visual impairments? What are the mechanisms necessary for families of children with visual impairments to participate in physical activity? A descriptive qualitative research design was used for the study. Data were collected in 2 ways: personal data sheets with demographic information and semistructured interviews. Convenience sampling was used to identify possible participants for the study (Creswell, 2003). Participants were parents of children with visual impairments (N ¼ 10) who took part in one-on-one semistructured phone interviews. Two themes emerged from the data analysis: (a) \"We want to... yet are not sure how,\" and (b) \"I don't want to push too far.\" Results revealed that parents valued physical activity but had to modify their personal desires for PA and sought what was in the best interest and well-being of their children. Parents lacked the skills to teach and advocate for their children regarding physical activity. They voiced the need for a support system that would allow them to be more physically active. There is a need to provide training for these families regarding physical activity as well as a need to educate physical activity/education professionals and community partners with regard to physical activity and physical education needs of children with visual impairments. Collaborating with parents of children with visual impairments in these areas will increase the opportunities for these parents and children to participate in physical activity more frequently.