‘Do what you can’. A case study on disability and Physical Education

Abstract

Quite often, students with disabilities report negative experiences in Physical Education (PE). This article examines the experiences of Félix, a man diagnosed with a congenital myopathy and wheelchair user. We purposively chose Félix given its unique background as former Sport Sciences and PE teacher education (PETE) student. Drawing on a life story approach, four in-depth interviews were conducted to generate storied data. Attention was paid to Félix’s journey through different educative stages, including Primary School, Secondary school and the university. His current situation as unemployed was also considered. Data were analyzed through narrative analysis. Remarkably, we oscillated between the standpoint of the story analyst and the standpoint of the storyteller. Thus, we combined edited quotations, analytical comments and evocative vignettes to communicate the results. Overall, the results show how key events and interactions that took place in PE settings shaped Félix’s identity over time. The paper stands for inclusive education and makes a case for challenging physical and discursive barriers that result in adverse consequences for the learning, wellbeing and personal and professional development of people with disabilities in PE.