SPECIAL POPULATIONS
Other sections of the VWRFT manual are intended for use with students who are not disabled. The teacher will, in many situations, also be working with students who may need assessment modifications. General and specific suggestions are provided for modifying testing procedures so that the physical fitness needs of the disabled student can be adequately addressed.
Specific criterion standards for disabled students are not available. The activities described within this section may be used to establish an individual baseline for each student. Performances on subsequent assessments can be compared to this baseline performance. Teachers can also use the baseline data as a guideline in establishing individual goals which may be used as a "standard" for the individual. Essentially, it is possible to use any task as the assessment by establishing a baseline and comparing progress back to that baseline performance. Teachers needing assistance in developing tasks for an assessment may want to consult the excellent resource by Winnick and Short (1985), Physical Fitness Testing of the Disabled: Project Unique.
On days preceding the assessment, it is appropriate for students to practice the test items. If, for any reason, the teacher suspects that the disabled student does not understand the administration of a test, instruction and practice should be provided. Of special concern is ensuring that the student understands the verbal instructions. Verbal descriptions presented to disabled students are often interpreted differently than when presented to the nondisabled. This is due to differences in previous movement and/or motor learning experiences. As disabled students become familiar with the specific procedures of the physical fitness test items, and as the fitness status of disabled students is assessed at regular intervals, the need for practice time will diminish.
The aerobic capacity test presents two problems for disabled students. First, some students are simply not able to run. Conditions that may preclude running include those requiring a wheelchair, braces, or other assistive devices for mobility, leg amputation, congenital anomalies, arthritis, and some vision impairments. Second, some students can not safely participate in a maximal or near maximal cardiorespiratory System test. For these students, a submaximal assessment should be completed. Acute asthma, cystic fibrosis, and some congenital coronary conditions would be examples of conditions under which maximal tests should not be used.
In cases where the student is unable to run, there are a number of alternatives. In maximal aerobic capacity assessments, the objective is to have a large muscle mass completing moderate to heavy exercise for an extended period of time. The mode of exercise is not particularly important as long as a large muscle mass is involved. Swimming, stationary bicycling using the arms or the legs to pedal, propelling a wheelchair, and walking are examples of exercise that requires a large muscle mass. Although standards for these activities are unavailable, improvements in performance subsequent to conditioning may be accepted as adequate improvements in aerobic capacity.
Swimming
If the teacher elects to use swimming as the mode of exercise, the student should possess swimming Skills, or may need to use a flotation device. If a flotation device is used, the teacher should see that the student uses the same device in all subsequent assessments. The distance of the swim should be 300 yards for younger elementary students, 400 yards for upper elementary students, 500 yards for junior high students, and 700 yards for high school students. The score on the test is the amount of time taken to complete the distance. Standards are unavailable, but improvements in time subsequent to conditioning are accepted as improvements in aerobic capacity.
Stationary Bicycle
In using the stationary bicycle, -pedaling may be done with the arms or the legs. The stationary bicycle used must be constructed so that exact work load or distance covered can be determined. With the resistance set at a moderate level, the student makes as many pedal revolutions as possible in five minutes. The number of pedal revolutions or the distance covered during the five~minute period is the score for the test. The resistance should remain constant in subsequent testing sessions.
Propelling a Wheelchair
If the student is propelling a wheelchair, the goal is to cover a specific distance in the minimal amount of tie. For younger elementary students, the distance should be 600 yards, older elementary students should use 800 yards, junior high students 1200 yards, and high school students one mile. When assessment is repeated the teacher should make certain the student uses the same wheelchair and the same facility. Changes in the wheelchair or the testing surface will make comparisons to previous trials invalid. The score is the time required to cover the distance.
Walking
In walking, younger elementary students should walk 600 yards, older elementary students should walk 800 yards, junior high students should walk 1200 yards, and high school students should walk one mile. Near maximal exercise is approximated if the distance is covered in the minimal amount of time possible.
The recommendations presented above are for disabled students whose condition allows for maximal or near maximal estimates of aerobic capacity. The distances are arbitrary selections and may be modified based on individual capabilities. The results of the assessment are not comparable to performances on the one mile run/walk. The assessment is, however, important to the disabled student because when the assessment is repeated, improvement in performance is probably due to an improvement in aerobic capacity. If, on the other hand, there is considerable deterioration in the performance during the subsequent assessment, the deterioration may be due to a decrease in aerobic capacity.
If a student has a disability where a maximal or near maximal effort puts the student at risk, the criteria for selecting~ the intensity of the exercise must be modified. For students at risk, the recommended modification is to change the rate of work so that the student uses a large muscle mass to work at a mild rate for an extended period of time. In this case, the heart rate during exercise should not exceed 120 beats per minute. Stationary bicycling, walking, running or swimming may be used as the mode of exercise. The teacher selects a pace that will maintain the student's heart rate below 120 beats per minute and the student completes the exercise period as indicated above for those not at risk. During the first ten to fifteen seconds of post-exercise, the teacher monitors the student's heart rate. During subsequent assessments, if the student covers the same distance in the same period of time, and the monitored heart rate is lower, this may be taken as an indication that the aerobic capacity has probably improved. An increase in the monitored heart rate may be an indication of a deterioration in aerobic capacity.
Virtually any movement may be used as a test of muscular strength and flexibility. Students may be asked to do the movement as many times as they can with or without a time limit or to do a certain number of repetitions. Students with motor control problems will probably need to have any timing factors removed from the assessment as long as the movement is rhythmic and student does not pause longer than 2 seconds between repetitions. Some students may need more warm-up prior to attempting a flexibility test. The important consideration is to establish a baseline performance which may be used as a basis of comparison to determine progress in strength development.