Disability and Motor Behavior

Ali S. Brian, Ph.D., is the associate dean for research in the College of Education and a professor in the areas of motor behavior and adapted physical education/activity in the Department of Educational and Developmental Science at the University of South Carolina. Dr. Brian is a Certified Adapted Physical Educator and is the director of the Physical and Developmental Disabilities Research Lab at the University of South Carolina. Dr. Brian’s research agenda focuses on underlying mechanisms that support positive developmental trajectories for whole-child health, including early intervention efforts, for preschoolers with and without disabilities as well as for youth with visual impairments. Pamela Beach, Ph.D., is a distinguished scholar and educator in the field of motor behavior, currently serving as a Professor of Motor Behavior and Associate Dean of the College of Health Sciences and Technology at Rochester Institute of Technology. She is also a Co-Director of the Institute on Movement Studies for Individuals with Visual Impairments. Her research focuses on motor behavior and balance across the lifespan in individuals with sensory impairments. She has served on the American Kinesiology Association Board and currently holds the position of Vice President of the National Consortium for Physical Education for Individuals with Disabilities.

• AcknowledgementsChapter 1: Perspectives in Motor BehaviorPamela Beach, Deborah Shapiro, Wellington De Luna-Vazquez, E. Kip WebsterChapter 2: Theoretical and Methodological Considerations for Understanding and Studying Motor DevelopmentAdam Pennell, Deborah Shapiro, Wellington DeLuna-Vazquez, & E. Kip Webster Chapter 3: Applying Perspectives in Motor BehaviorAdam PennellChapter 4: AssessmentAndrew Pitchford Chapter 5: Infant Motor Development and DisabilitiesDaniela Corbetta and Beth A. SmithChapter 6: Early childhood Development; Differential Effects of DisabilityShea Ferguson, Angela Starrett, Ali BrianChapter 7: Developmental Coordination Disorder: Towards the Diagnostic Process in Occupational Therapy Matthias Wagner Chapter 8: Gross Motor Development and Delays: Applications for Interventions and Programs from Infancy Through Early ChildhoodCandace Howard-SmithChapter 9: Individual and Environmental Constraints in School-Aged YouthAndrea Taliaferro, Michael Ertel, & Ali BrianChapter 10: Pre-Practice ConsiderationsMelanie Perreault and Jennifer Heebink Chapter 11: Practice Schedules and FeedbackCatherine M. Capio and Kathlynne F. EguiaChapter 12: Case Studies and Practical Applications Catherine Murphy, Alex Stribing, Alysha Croke, Emily Weber, Lauren Kling, and Michelle Sousa Chapter 13: The Path from Robustness Towards Frailty and Physical Disability: A Constraints-Led Approach to Functional MobilityNadja Schott Chapter 14: Functional and Physical Assessments for Adults with Disabilities Iva Obrusnikova & Cora FirkinChapter 15: Lifelong Physical Activity for DisabilityJohn Foley, Stephanie Field & Cathy MacDonald

Dr. Brian and Dr. Beach's Disability and Motor Behavior is an insightful and timely contribution. As it fills a long-standing gap at the intersection of motor behavior, kinesiology, and disability scholarship. As a first-of-its-kind handbook, this text provides a strong foundation of research spanning a wide range of disability groups while also offering clear rationale for the motor behavior practices that have shaped the field’s work with disabled individuals. Importantly, the book bridges theory, evidence, and application in a way that strengthens both scholarly understanding and professional practice. This handbook will be an invaluable resource for graduate students, practitioners, and researchers, supporting deeper reflection and more informed dialogue about how motor behavior concepts can advance meaningful, equitable outcomes in disability-related movement contexts.