Paraeducators in Physical Education

Lauren J. Lieberman earned her PhD at Oregon State University in human performance, with an emphasis in movement studies in disabilities and a minor in special education. She received her MS from the University of Wisconsin at LaCrosse in special physical education. She earned her BS from West Chester University, in Pennsylvania, in health and physical education with a concentration in adapted physical education. Prior to graduate school she taught in the deafblind program at the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, Massachusetts, for 5 years. There she worked with many paraeducators and learned the true value of having them on her team.

Lauren is currently a full professor at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Brockport in adapted physical education, and she is the undergraduate coordinator of adapted physical education. She has been teaching at SUNY Brockport since 1995. Lauren teaches graduate and undergraduate classes in adapted physical education and supervises practicum experiences at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Each summer, she runs Camp Abilities, a developmental sports camp for children with visual impairments. Her areas of research are inclusion strategies and physical activity for youth with sensory impairments. She has written four books: Games for People With Sensory Impairments (cowritten with Jim Cowart); Strategies for Inclusion (cowritten with Dr. Cathy Houston-Wilson), and Case Studies in Adapted Physical Education (with three coauthors). She is coauthor of the book Going Places: A Transition Guide to Physical Activity for Youth With Visual Impairments or Deafblindness, which was published in 2006 through the American Printing House for the Blind. Lauren is currently chair for the Adapted Physical Activity Council, which is the national Adapted Physical Education organization through the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.