ABSTRACT
Being able to move effi ciently is one of the critical factors needed to develop and maintain an active lifestyle, which contributes to both the quality and longevity of one’s life. Conversely, failure to develop these abilities places one at risk of a acquiring a number of health risks such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. As result of these trends, research over the years in the areas of motor development and physical fi tness has concentrated on identifying physical and motor developmental benchmarks, valid and reliable measures of these traits, as well as the development and evaluation of programs to develop these traits in both children and adults with and without disabilities. The purpose of this chapter is to review the research related to motor development and physical fi tness in relation to children and youth with intellectual disability (ID), learning disability (LD), and emotional disturbance (ED).
