Author(s): HAMANAKA, R., UNO, T., Institution: KYOTO UNIVERSITY OF ADVANCED SCIENCE, Country: JAPAN, Abstract-ID: 1191

Background
Inclusive education has become a global priority [1], and physical education (PE) plays an important role in inclusion by enabling direct interaction through bodily movement. Prior research has demonstrated the effectiveness of instructional approaches, such as peer tutoring and cooperative learning, in inclusive PE [2]. However, many PE teachers report insufficient preparation and limited professional training for teaching students with disabilities [3,4]. Moreover, in Japan, practical evidence aimed at developing teaching competence for inclusive PE is limited. Therefore, this exploratory study focused on floor volleyball, a sport developed in Japan in which front-row players perform under visual restrictions while back-row players cooperate without visual restrictions, and examined the learning experiences pre-service PE teachers gained through a floor volleyball exchange with students from a school for the blind.

Methods
Participants were 21 university students aiming to obtain PE teaching licences, and data from 20 students who completed all questionnaire items were analysed (mean age 19.5 +/- 0.6 years). The programme consisted of an initial session with the participants, followed by an exchange with high school students from a school for the blind. An open-ended questionnaire asked participants to describe insights gained from the exchange, changes in their thinking or attitudes, and implications for future teaching. Data were analysed qualitatively using thematic analysis, and credibility was ensured through confirmation by a co-researcher. Only anonymised data were used, and formal ethical approval was not required according to institutional guidelines.

Results
The qualitative analysis identified three primary themes.
(1) Experiential learning through gameplay. Playing under visual restrictions heightened participants' awareness of their reliance on auditory information and the importance of clear verbal communication for coordination and teamwork.
(2) Re-evaluating perspectives on visual impairment. Direct interaction with students from the school for the blind prompted participants to reconsider their deficit-oriented assumptions, moving beyond the view of disability as inability and recognising the diversity of visual impairment.
(3) Pedagogical insights. From a teaching perspective, participants reflected on the balance between support and over-assistance, emphasising the need to respect learner autonomy and promote independent participation.

Conclusion
The floor volleyball exchange functioned as an embodied learning experience that fostered reflections on disability and instructional practices among pre-service PE teachers. Such contact-based experiences may support the development of inclusive competence by linking theoretical knowledge to practical understanding in PE teacher education.

References
[1] UNESCO (2015); [2] Qi and Ha (2012); [3] Sato and Hodge (2009); [4] Wilhelmsen and Sorensen (2017).