There is a perceived misconception that children who are visually impaired (VI) are unable to reach the same level of physical activity (PA) as their sighted peers (Alfrey & Jeanes, 2023). Significantly, children who are VI have the potential to achieve at the same level in the same activities as their sighted peers but only when they are provided with equal opportunities (Lieberman et al., 2019). When provided with these opportunities, the fitness levels of those who are VI who engage in regular PA are comparable to sighted individuals (Stuart et al., 2006). It is also indicated in the literature that mainstream class teachers need considerable support to include children who are VI in Physical Education (PE) lessons (Grenier et al., 2023).

This paper therefore aligns with the theme of the European Conference on Educational Research (ECER), Knowing and Acting, acknowledging the opportunities, challenges and dilemmas presented in relation to supporting the inclusion of children with a VI in Primary PE lessons. It also addresses the need to develop practical supports that can be used by mainstream class teachers to enhance inclusive PE practices within the mainstream school setting.

The objective of this study is to design inclusive pedagogical supports which teachers have identified they require to support the inclusion of children who are VI in PE lessons.

This research paper is underpinned by the following research questions:
1. What teaching strategies are currently being employed by teachers during PE lessons to successfully include children who are VI?
2. What are the supports teachers identify that they need for PE lessons to enhance the learning experiences of children who are VI?
3. What support do children identify that they need for PE lessons enhance their learning experiences?
4. How effective are the researcher-designed supports as perceived by teachers and children who are VI?
5. Are there barriers to the implementation of the researcher-designed supports in school settings?

A pragmatic approach will inform the methodology in this research study. Pragmatism focuses on addressing the research questions (Biesta & Burbules, 2003; Clarke & Visser, 2019). Guided by a pragmatic paradigm, the researcher will adopt a sequential design for the study.

Research during phase one working with primary school teachers, sought to identify the supports which teachers felt would support them to enhance their inclusion of children who are VI in PE lessons. The paper utilises a qualitative approach with four phases of data collection in total. The researcher will obtain rich data from multiple sources including: mainstream class teachers, Special Education Teachers (SETs), Special Needs Assistants (SNAs), children and parents of children who are VI. This data will be gathered to understand the lived experiences of children who are VI, and teachers’ and SNA’s knowledge and understanding of supporting the inclusion of children who are VI in PE lessons. Phase two of the research study will involve the observation of PE lessons in participating schools taught by the class teacher to include the child with VI. Field notes gathered during this phase focusing on participation levels and inclusion of the child with VI in the PE lesson will inform the creation of researcher-designed supports. Phase three will involve facilitating two focus groups with six children from each participating school to include the child with VI. These focus groups will be conducted to ascertain the children’s understanding of inclusion of all members of their class in the lesson activities with the implementation of the new supports. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with the class teacher following the PE lesson observations as part of phase four of the research study. SETs and SNAs will also be invited to partake in an interview following the lesson observations. Interviews will also be conducted with parents of children who are VI in the participating classes to discuss their understanding of their child’s participation and inclusion in mainstream PE lessons. The final phase of this research study will involve the creation of a Professional Learning Community (PLC), inviting all participating school professionals (class teacher, SET, and SNA) to partake. Participants will be asked to share their experiences of including children with a VI in PE lessons with others present and to discuss the effectiveness of and implementation of the researcher-designed supports. Using the data obtained during the data collection phase, supports will be developed for mainstream class teachers to use during their PE lessons in school.

Findings from phase one of this study indicated that teachers would benefit from the following: 1. Video supports showing how activities in the PE lesson could be adapted 2. Additional equipment including specialised PE equipment for children who are VI 3. Glance cards with guidance on relevant specialist equipment and suitable strategies 4. CPD for teachers related to the inclusion of children who are VI 5. Additional support for school professionals (SNAs present during the PE lesson) 6. Additional support from external professionals, including the visiting teacher service and those with specific experience of teaching PE to children who are VI Findings from the data collected during phase two-four (February 26 – June 26) will inform the researcher-designed supports for teachers throughout the design phase. These inclusive pedagogical resources will be developed in the three following areas: 1. An inclusive whole-school approach to teaching PE 2. Development of teaching resources 3. Development of Professional Learning/CPD supports The final phase of the study will provide perspectives of teachers and children on the researcher-designed support. The supports can then be adopted by teachers in Ireland, Europe and beyond, wherever children with VI are learning PE in primary school. This research study has the potential to provide children who are VI with the opportunity to engage in meaningful learning experiences within the PE setting. When provided with equal opportunities, children who are VI have the potential to achieve at the same level in the same PE activities as their sighted peers (Lieberman et al., 2019) . This would, in turn, ensure that children who are VI do not feel excluded, isolated or marginalised during PE, which is often reported in the literature (Ball et al., 2021; Haegele & Zhu, 2017; Marron et al., 2013).

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