Effects of a Peer-Mediated Aerobic Conditioning Program on Fitness Measures with Children Who have Moderate and Severe Disabilities

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Abstract
Concerns about the physical fitness of children with moderate and severe intellectual disabilities have received relatively little attention in the literature. A school-based aerobic conditioning program for such children was developed and evaluated experimentally. Unique aspects of the program are its emphases on children who have moderate and severe disabilities, on the experimental rigor of the evaluation, and on integration within the context of an exercise program. Two groups of children, each group from a different school, participated. Their entry into the program was staggered in a multiple baseline fashion. The results revealed that the level of fitness of both groups improved only at the point in time when the program was introduced. Individual results displayed greater variation; some children benefited and others did not. Consumer satisfaction measures suggest that both the students with disabilities and their nonhandicapped peers enjoyed participating in the program. Specific suggestions for improving both the program and the measures gathered are described. Means of maintaining such a program in school and community settings are discussed.