Career Overview
Provide individualized physical education instruction or services to children, youth, or adults with exceptional physical needs due to gross motor developmental delays or other impairments.
Also Known As
- Adapted Physical Education Specialist (APE Specialist)
- Adapted Physical Education Teacher (Adapted PE Teacher)
- Adapted Physical Educator
- DAPE Specialist (Developmental Adapted Physical Education Specialist)
Alternate Job Titles
- Adapted Fitness Professional
- Adapted Physical Activity Specialist
- Adapted Physical Education Specialist (APE Specialist)
- Adapted Physical Education Teacher (Adapted PE Teacher)
- Adapted Physical Educator
- Adaptive Physical Education Specialist (Adaptive PE Specialist)
- Adaptive Physical Education Teacher (Adaptive PE Teacher)
- Adaptive Physical Educator
- Adaptive Skills Educator
- Autism Motor Specialist
- Certified Adapted Physical Educator
- Certified Adaptive Physical Educator
- DAPE Specialist (Developmental Adapted Physical Education Specialist)
- DAPE Teacher (Developmental Adapted Physical Education Teacher)
- Developmental Physical Educator
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Adapt instructional techniques to the age and skill levels of students.
- Instruct students, using adapted physical education techniques, to improve physical fitness, gross motor skills, perceptual motor skills, or sports and game achievement.
- Provide individual or small groups of students with adapted physical education instruction that meets desired physical needs or goals.
- Provide students positive feedback to encourage them and help them develop an appreciation for physical education.
- Establish and maintain standards of behavior to create safe, orderly, and effective environments for learning.
- Provide adapted physical education services to students with intellectual disabilities, autism, traumatic brain injury, orthopedic impairments, or other disabling condition.
- Assess students' physical progress or needs.
Emerging Responsibilities
As this field evolves, you may also:
- Discuss with education professionals the physical abilities or disabilities of students and the accommodations required to enhance their school performance.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Education and Training
- Psychology
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Instructing
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Active Learning
- Social Perceptiveness
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Learning Strategies
- Monitoring
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Expression
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Comprehension
- Written Expression
- Near Vision
- Problem Sensitivity
- Deductive Reasoning
- Speech Recognition
- Speech Clarity
- Fluency of Ideas
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Empathy
- Dependability
- Optimism
- Cooperation
- Social Orientation
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Relationships
- Achievement
- Independence
- Support
- Recognition
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Bachelor's Degree
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month
Education Details: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Experience Required: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Archery targets
- Badminton sets
- Balance beams
- Balance boards
- Basketball hoops
- Basketballs
- Beeper balls
- Bowling sets
- Compact disk CD players
- Computer laser printers
- Croquet sets
- Dart board equipment
- Desktop computers
- Digital video disk DVD players
- Dumbbells
Work Environment
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Physical Proximity
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
Salary & Job Market
Wages reported for the broader Special Education Teachers, All Other occupational group (BLS 2024), which includes Adapted Physical Education Specialists.
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $43,220 |
| Median | $67,430 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $109,360 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 39,350
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten
Education: Not specified
Median Salary: Varies
Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $69,590
Special Education Teachers, Elementary School
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: Varies
Special Education Teachers, Preschool
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $62,190
Special Education Teachers, Middle School
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $64,880
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.