Teachers' Readiness, Restrictions, and Responsiveness in Inclusive and Adapted Physical Education

Inclusive and Adapted Physical Education aims to provide accessible and equitable physical activity for students with or without special needs. Teachers’ readiness and responsiveness are pivotal to alleviate the restrictions and the success of the implementation of inclusive and adapted physical activities. The readiness, restrictions, and responsiveness of teachers were meta-synthesized. A systematic search from three databases, Cross Ref, Open Alex, and Google Scholar, was done for studies published between 2020 and 2025. Following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, 10 studies were selected for inclusion. The chosen 10 studies underwent screening utilizing the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist. Using thematic analysis, Teachers’ Readiness, Restrictions, and Responsiveness in Inclusive and Adapted Physical Education were meta-synthesized. Four themes emerged, namely, teachers’ awareness and perception in inclusive and adapted physical education, teachers’ need for growth and support for inclusive and adapted physical education, teachers’ challenges experienced in inclusive and adapted physical education, and teachers’ practices in inclusive and adapted physical education. The meta-theme was teachers’ readiness, restrictions, and responsiveness in inclusive and adapted physical education. The meta-synthesis highlights the multifaceted journey of teachers in an inclusive and adapted physical education. Being ready to face any form of restrictions would help the teachers find ways on how to respond to the varying educational needs of the learners. It is recommended that educational institutions offer professional teacher training and programs, provide accessible resources, and a supportive school culture for teachers to continually offer quality instruction.