Art, Music, and PE in Special Education Self-Contained Classrooms
This paper examines how students in total or semi-self-contained special education classrooms can benefit from instruction in art, music, and physical education. Drawing on the mandates of the 1996 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), it reviews the school settings in which these students learn and the specialist teams required to serve them effectively. The paper presents case examples including a therapeutic physical education program for a student with motor impairments and the Harlem Horizon Art Studio's painting program. It also discusses music therapy for autistic students, dance therapy, and the role of parent volunteers. The paper concludes with recommendations for educators on designing inclusive, adaptive arts and physical education programs that address the diverse developmental needs of students with disabilities.
- Introduction: Context, scope, and paper overview
- School Setting and Restrictive Environments: IDEA mandates and intensity-level classroom structures
- Physical Education in the Self-Contained Classroom: Specialist roles and a student case example
- Music Education and Therapeutic Applications: Music therapy for autism and motor skill development
- Art Education and Cognitive Development: Harlem Horizon program and art therapy benefits
- Further Needs and Recommendations: Teacher creativity, specialists, and parent volunteers
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What makes this paper effective
- Uses a concrete case study (Rachel's physical education program) to ground abstract policy in practical, relatable detail.
- Balances legal and policy context (IDEA mandates) with classroom-level application, giving the paper both structural authority and instructional relevance.
- The Harlem Horizon Art Studio example provides a memorable, evidence-based model that illustrates how a low-cost program can yield measurable cognitive and emotional benefits.
- The paper organizes three subject areas (PE, music, art) in parallel, making the argument easy to follow and compare across disciplines.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates effective use of disciplinary synthesis — drawing on special education law, occupational therapy, art therapy, and recreational therapy literature to build a unified argument about curriculum design. Rather than treating each subject area in isolation, the author weaves connections across them (e.g., noting that dance therapy bridges both music and physical education), showing how an interdisciplinary approach strengthens outcomes for students with disabilities.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with legislative context and a statement of scope, then moves through a setting description before addressing each subject area in its own section. It concludes with a "further needs" section that synthesizes recommendations — a clean funnel structure that moves from policy to practice to prescription. Citations are drawn from peer-reviewed special education journals, lending credibility appropriate to the undergraduate level.
Introduction
In 1996, the United States Department of Education mandated laws requiring school districts to create inclusive programs that integrate students with various disabilities into the general school population. However, a study conducted by the National Council on Disabilities in 2000 showed that most school districts had not transitioned into full mainstream classes. Instead, an estimated 20% of children with disabilities continued to spend their school days in self-contained classrooms, apart from the general school population (Wright and Wright).
Proponents of the self-contained classroom believe that such settings can be advantageous, particularly for students with hearing impairments, intellectual disabilities, and those with physical or learning disabilities.
This paper examines how students in total or semi-self-contained classrooms can benefit from instruction in art, music, and physical education. It looks at the challenges of teaching such classes and how educators have adapted techniques from existing programs and created their own instructional materials. In its conclusion, this paper makes recommendations on how educators can successfully design and implement music, art, and physical education programs that address the unique developmental needs of their students.
School Setting and Restrictive Environments
Though the 1996 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandated the eventual mainstreaming of children with special needs, it nonetheless allows for the creation of "restrictive environments" that vary according to levels of intensity. The most restrictive environments are labeled "Intensity 6" and involve complete residential placement entirely within the classroom. In many schools, Intensity 6 classrooms are located in separate wings or separate structures. Students in these classrooms may travel from their bus directly to their classes without interacting with other students (MacDonald and Speece).
The staff members in these classes include certified full-time teachers, social workers, crisis intervention specialists, instructor assistants as needed, and access to a district-employed psychiatrist (MacDonald and Speece). This larger and more intensively trained staff provides a much-needed low teacher-to-student ratio to better address the students' needs.
Physical Education in the Self-Contained Classroom
Access to a team of specialists is an invaluable resource for special education teachers in a self-contained classroom. IDEA placed a strong emphasis on physical education, mandating that this subject be part of every child's educational program. Students in self-contained classrooms must therefore receive physical education activities commensurate with their disabilities and as frequently as their peers (Shapiro and Sayers).
Toward this end, teachers in a self-contained classroom benefit greatly from access to various specialists who can address the diverse needs of their students. Physical therapists, for example, can help physically disabled students develop motor skills and balance control. Occupational therapists can assist students with activities to improve visual perception and movement. Therapeutic recreation specialists can assist in developing appropriate social play behavior (Shapiro and Sayers).
As an example, Shapiro and Sayers discuss the case of Rachel, a seven-year-old girl whose impaired motor skills result in low cardiovascular endurance, reduced muscular strength, and difficulty with manipulative control skills. During her physical education program, Rachel was taught to use assistive devices such as weight machines to help develop her posture. An occupational therapist used various blocks and toys of different textures to help Rachel develop a better ability to grasp, reach, and release objects (Shapiro and Sayers).
Furthermore, Rachel and her parents were taught various leisure activities such as modified gymnastics and bowling, which helped develop social and interpersonal skills in addition to serving as physical therapy. Teachers also connected Rachel and her parents with community centers that provide further social activities. All of these activities could also be conducted by, or in coordination with, an adapted physical education teacher trained to work with children with special needs.
Works Cited
Boyer, Lynn, and Christine Lee. "Converting Challenge to Success: Supporting a New Teacher of Students with Autism." The Journal of Special Education, 35(2), Summer 2001. Wilson Database.
MacDonald, Victoria, and Deborah L. Speece. "Making Time: A Teacher's Report on Her First Year of Teaching Children with Emotional Disabilities." The Journal of Special Education, 35(2), Summer 2001. ProQuest Database.
Shapiro, Deborah R., and L. Kristi Sayers. "Who Does What on the Interdisciplinary Team: Regarding Physical Education for Students with Disabilities?" Teaching Exceptional Children, 35(6), July/August 2003. Wilson Database.
Wexler, Alice. "Painting Their Way Out: Profiles of Adolescent Art Practice at the Harlem Hospital Art Studio." Studies in Art Education, 43(4), Summer 2002. ProQuest Database.
Wright, Peter D., and Pamela Wright. "Back to School on Civil Rights." Wrightlaw, 2003. Available at
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