Teachers' concerns about integrative physical education: A cross-cultural comparison

The purpose was to investigate concerns of elementary school physical educators about integration of students with disabilities in regular physical education classes and to compare concerns in the USA and Germany. The Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) of Hall, Wallace, and Dossett (1973) provided the theoretical framework. Interview data were collected from 14 teachers in the USA and 16 teachers in Germany. Data were analyzed using grounded theory procedures. Findings support CBAM's assumption that change in largely individual. The influence of personal and contextual variables on teachers concerns is affected by cultural differences (e.g., working conditions). However, the theoretical implications for the relationships between concerns, personal variables, and contextual variables appears valid in both countries and not culture specific.