Unified Sports for Inclusive Education: Assessing Basketball’s Role in Supporting Students with Special Educational Needs—A Pilot Study

This pilot study evaluates the effectiveness of basketball, implemented according to Uni-versal Design for Learning (UDL) principles and educational best practices, as an inclu-sive tool for students with Special Educational Needs in lower secondary school. The re-search involved 24 adolescents aged 11–14 with Special Educational Needs, who partici-pated in a structured 30-session basketball program designed to enhance motor, rela-tional, and individual skills. The program incorporated evidence-based methodologiessuch as differentiated instruction, peer modeling, and cooperative activities. Motor testsand psychometric questionnaires were administered pre- and post-intervention to assessthree key developmental dimensions. Results demonstrated significant improvementsacross all three dimensions: relational competencies and individual factors showed equalprogress (+20.8% each), while motor skills showed slightly more modest but still substan-tial gains (+16.6%). These findings confirm that a structured pedagogical approach cantransform sport into a powerful vehicle for inclusion. The article highlights how the inte-gration of physical activity, inclusive teaching methodologies, and unified sports repre-sents an effective strategy to address the complexity of Special Educational Needs.