05/27/2026
NEW Joint Position Paper: Unified Physical Education: An Instructional Strategy for Achieving Active and Meaningful Participation for All
This joint position paper is a collaboration between Special Olympics North America (SONA), the National Consortium for Physical Education for Individuals with Disabilities (NCPEID), and SHAPE America – Society of Health and Physical Educators. It is intended for educators, parents, school administrators, Special Olympics Program staff, and the higher education community. The intent is to help clarify the purpose, design, and implementation of Special Olympics Unified Physical Education (Unified PE or UPE). This includes appropriate student placement and instructional delivery, as well as reinforcing that Unified PE is not a stand-alone curriculum, nor a replacement for adapted physical education services. Unified PE is a practical strategy with the goal of enhancing PE into a model of inclusive physical activity and social connection for all students. This paper is designed to accompany the SONA Unified Physical Education Playbook (2026, 3rd ed.), which provides a flexible framework, resources, and implementation tools to build more inclusive PE programs across school levels.
The full paper can be accessed here: https://media.specialolympics.org/resources/community-building/youth-and-school/unified-champion-schools/NCPEIDxSHAPExSONA-Joint-Position-Paper.pdf?_gl=1*1dyidt*_gcl_au*NTI4NjY1MjkuMTc3MzM0MzU2NA..*_ga*ODI5ODczNzY2LjE3MzcxMzI1OTI.*_ga_KTMLJ70DKD*czE3NzkxMTg1MzQkbzg5JGcwJHQxNzc5MTE4NTM0JGo2MCRsMCRoMA.
