ADAPTED SPORTS, SCHOOL PHYSICAL EDUCATION, AND TEACHER TRAINING: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW

Abstract

This integrative review aimed to analyze scientific production related to adapted sports in school Physical Education, focusing on inclusive methodological strategies and teacher education processes. The study is characterized as an integrative literature review with a qualitative approach, developed through searches conducted in Google Scholar, SciELO, and the CAPES Journal Portal, using descriptors related to school inclusion, Physical Education, adapted sports, and teacher education. Studies published between 2020 and 2025, fully available in digital format and directly related to the investigated theme, were selected. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the final corpus consisted of 15 scientific productions, including articles, dissertations, and theses. The studies were subjected to analytical and interpretative reading, enabling the organization of thematic categories related to teacher education, adapted sports, inclusive pedagogical practices, and student participation in school Physical Education classes. The results showed that adapted sports have been understood as important methodological possibilities for expanding student participation, promoting more inclusive, cooperative, and democratic bodily experiences. However, the analyzed studies also pointed to persistent challenges related to the lack of specific training, scarcity of adapted materials, structural limitations in schools, and the permanence of traditional pedagogical practices centered on physical performance and competitiveness. Furthermore, the studies revealed weaknesses in both initial and continuing teacher education processes, highlighting the need to strengthen educational proposals focused on school inclusion and inclusive methodological strategies. It is concluded that recent scientific production has expanded discussions on inclusion and adapted sports in school Physical Education, although studies focused on the systematization of pedagogical practices applicable to everyday school contexts are still limited.