Appreciative inquiry in disability and physical education

Appreciative inquiry is a form of action research which focuses on strengths over deficits, in order to enact organisational change. Built around methods of interviewing and the power of the positive question, appreciative inquiry facilitates all parts of an organisation being involved in appreciating the best of what currently works, which can form a foundation for envisioning and realising change in any educational or extra-curricular sport setting. This chapter will use appreciative inquiry projects from physical education (PE) research, and from general education research with disabled children and young people, to outline the methodological design, methods, and potential outcomes. Appreciative inquiry involves sustained planning yet a flexible approach throughout processes of asking positive questions and supporting reflection and innovation to achieve change. The questions that appreciative inquiry prompts, and the way they are asked, generate and shape participants’ responses and the direction of change. In research on dis/ability and PE, it is crucial to listen and respond to the voices of disabled students to understand their perspectives on current practices and future aspirations.