Professional and institutional factors associated with special educators' familiarity, preparedness, and perceptions of student engagement in adaptive sports

Special educators play a crucial role in promoting adaptive sports for children with disabilities; however, the factors associated with their perceptions remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the links between the characteristics of special school teachers in terms of their familiarity, training preparedness, and perceptions of student engagement in adaptive sports. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 241 special education teachers from 58 schools in Tamil Nadu, India. The composite scores of the three domains were analyzed using ANOVA and chi-square tests. Educational qualifications (η²=.204–.236), organization type (η²=.187–.221), and professional designation (η²=.134–.189) showed the strongest associations. Professional development should prioritize diploma holders, subject professionals, rural teachers, and government school educators.