Early Childhood Education Students’ Perception of Their Preparedness in Teaching Physical Education to Children with Disabilities Among University College Tati Students In Terengganu, Malaysia

This study explores Early Childhood Education students' perceptions of their preparedness in teaching physical education to children with disabilities, focusing on key areas such as instructional methods, inclusive practices, and planning for curriculum access and transition programs. A quantitative study has been conducted by distributing a Likert scale questionnaire via Google Forms to 88 early childhood education students at University College TATI in Kuala Terengganu. Descriptive analysis revealed that students felt most confident in using effective instructional methods and implementing inclusive practices, while they reported less preparedness in areas like access to the general education curriculum and transition planning. Factor analysis confirmed the data's suitability for exploration, with a high KMO value (0.83) and significant correlations among variables. Correlation analysis demonstrated strong positive relationships between competencies, particularly between instructional methods and collaboration skills, suggesting that enhancing one area can benefit others. The findings underscore the importance of hands-on learning, immediate feedback, and the interconnected nature of teaching competencies, advocating for a comprehensive approach to preparing educators for inclusive teaching practices.