Adapted Physical Education is defined as....

.... the art and science of developing, implementing, and monitoring a carefully designed physical education instructional program for a learner with a disability, based on a comprehensive assessment, to give the learner the skills necessary for a lifetime of rich leisure, recreation, and sport experiences to en­hance physical fitness and wellness.

Auxter, D. Pyfer, J. & Huettig, C. (2001) Principles and Methods of Adapted Physical Education and Recreation New York: McGraw-Hill.

... the art and science of assessment and prescription within the psychomotor domain to ensure that an individual with a disability has access to programs designed to develop physical and motor fitness, fundamental motor skills and patterns, and skills in aquatics, dance, and individual and group games and sports so that the individual can ultimately participate in community-based leisure, recreation, and sport activities and as such, enjoy an enhanced quality of life. 2) A diversified program of physical education having the same goals and objectives as regular physical education, but modified when necessary to meet the unique needs of each individual.

According to the Alabama State Department of Education...

(2) Physical Education. Children with disabilities must be afforded the opportunity to participate in the regular physical education program available to nondisabled children unless the child is enrolled full-time in a separate facility or needs specially designed physical education as determined by the IEP Team. Physical education is not required for three- and four-year old children with disabilities or for children with disabilities in grades nine through twelve (except for the one required unit) if there are no regular physical education program requirements or services for their nondisabled peers.

(a) When specially designed physical education is prescribed in a child's IEP, the education agency responsible for the education of that child must provide the services directly or make arrangements for them to be provided.
(b) The education agency responsible for the education of a child with a disability who is enrolled in a separate facility must ensure that the child receives appropriate physical education services.
(c) Adapted physical education teachers employed after July 1, 1986, must be certified in physical education or special education and have completed a minimum of twelve semester or eighteen quarter hours of coursework in Adapted Physical Education. The education agency must have written documentation from a university that the adapted physical education teacher has successfully completed the required coursework.

Rules of the State of Alabama State Board of Education 290-8-9-.7-.64