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Welcome to your introduction to the CSU, Chico Department of Kinesiology, Adapted Physical Activity Program.The APA Program offers unique opportunities, both academic and hands-on, through classroom curriculum, service learning programs and special events. These areas of focus enables the students within the Program to gain both the background knowledge and experience necessary for pursuing the various careers in the field of Adapted Physical Activity.
Within the Adapted Physical Activity Program, there are three academic routes of focus, the Bachelors Degree in Physical Education — Movement Studies Option — Pattern in APA, the APE Specialist Credential, and the Masters Degree in Physical Education with a course of study in APE.
The Adapted Physical Activity Pattern for the Bachelors Degree is designed for students pursuing regular work in the field of physical activity, but would like the added knowledge and experience of working with persons with disabilities. The options offered in this pattern cover a variety of choices to meet the personal needs of the individual student. These options include areas such as, adaptive aquatics, learning performance, neuro disabilities, learning disabilities, motor assessment, and activity programming for persons with disabilities, just to mention a few.
The APE Specialist Credential is designed for students interested in teaching Physical Education to persons with disabilities in both special education and inclusive environments, such as within the public schools.
The curriculum included in the Credentialing Program is grounded in theory, current research, practice and emphasizes a strong foundation in physiology, anatomy, physical education, biomechanics, motor development and motor learning.
There are two directions related to Adapted Physical Activity for the Masters Degree in Physical Education, one focusing on Pedagogy and Adapted Physical Education, and one focusing on Exercise Physiology as it applies to individuals with disabilities.
The APE and Pedagogy focus is designed more for individuals that want to focus on teaching, curriculum, and hands-on experience as it relates to instruction for children with disabilities within the public schools.
The APE and Exercise Physiology focus is designed more for individuals whose interest is in working primarily with adults with disabilities. Course content focuses on instruction for adults in recreational programs or teaching and coordinating programs within community college settings.
A final note on the Masters Program is that these focus areas are not necessarily required options. Students may also self-design their master's program to meet their own specific needs and professional goals, as long as it is approved by their graduate advisory committee.
Throughout the coursework in the Adapted Physical Activity Program students have the opportunity to develop hands-on experience through a variety of service learning opportunities. Such as, BE:WEL: — a program for adults with disabilities, KIDS:PLAY — a program that focuses on children with disabilities, the Autism Clinic — which focuses on children with autism and the Public Schools Program, within the Chico Unified School District.
The BE:WEL program is open to the community and is designed for adults with disabilities. A main goal of BE:WEL is to provide opportunities for individuals with disabilities to take personal responsibility for promotion their own wellbeing in an accessible supportive environment. The Program offers a large array of activities including weight training, aquatics, stretching, nutritional assessments, personalized programming and also serves as a social outlet for members of the community with disabilities.
The KIDS:PLAY program is designed to promote motor skill activity, develop conceptual skills and create new learning experiences through a diversity of activities. KIDS:PLAY is an inclusive program for all children to work on individual goals through the exploration of various intra-task activities. These variations provide choices in order to challenge, guide and meet the individual talents, needs, and interests of each individual. The Program also aims to reinforce the development of social skills such as communication, social etiquette, and positive personal development. For the parents, KIDS:PLAY aims to create new relations with other parents where they can share similar interests and concerns. As well as providing information on current issues, community connections, respite time, and innovative workshop opportunities.
The Autism Clinic is designed to promote the sensory, motor, communicative, and cognitive skills of individuals with autism or Pervasive Developmental Disorders, through a multi-sensory approach to learning. Sensory input at the clinic is provided through child directed tactile, vestibular, and proprioceptive activities to support the individual's sensory needs. This is followed by and integrated with instruction in specific skills related to movement concepts skill themes, communication, and social engagement for physical activity and functional life skills.
The Public Schools Program is another training option for students who are interested in teaching. Students who choose to participate will be placed in a public school within the Chico Unified School District.
Other opportunities offered through the APA Program are to become involved in Special Events. Such as, Sports Day — an annual Northern California sport competition, Sports Camp — an annual recreational camp for children with disabilities, and the CSU, Chico Special Olympics — promoting year-round Olympic-type sporting events for children and young adults with disabilities.
Sports Day is an event put on by the Northern California Adapted Physical Education Consortium and is hosted by CSU, Chico. The Sports Day event is designed to serve as an opportunity for children and young adults, between the age ranges of preschool through high school, with low-incidence disabilities, including deaf, blind and orthopedic disabilities, to come together and participate in sport competitions. One of the goals of Sports Day is to offer the athletes this once a year shot in the arena of a large-scale competition. Many of the young athletes who participate in the events could eventually end up competing in the paraolympics.
Ability First Sports Camp is an annual summertime service learning opportunity for students interested in gaining experience working with children with disabilities in both indoor and outdoor settings.
The Special Olympics program at CSU, Chico provides year-round sports training and competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for people who are eight years of age and older with developmental disabilities. Students who participate will select form a number of activities which will fall under 3 general categories: Sport Games, Development and Marketing, and Administrative responsibilities. All areas have community volunteers and/or SONC (Special Olympics Northern California) personnel that will manage overall operation. Students will also have the opportunity to attend SONC conferences, trainings, competitions and events.
The students who participate in the APA curriculum, programs, and events are
able to develop a strong background, grounded both academically and hand-on.
This affords them the opportunity to get a first-hand understanding of disability from
a broad range of learning experiences as well as gaining an awareness of the skills
and adaptations often utilized when working with persons with various types of disabilities.
This gives both the necessary background knowledge and hand-on experiences
necessary for entering into a career in Adapted Physical Activity.
For more information, you can contact the Adapted Physical Activity Program Coordinators:
Rebecca K. Lytle Ph.D.
phone# (530)898-6179
email rlytle@csuchico.edu
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