disabilities.

Abstract

Introduction. Children with intellectual disabilities present problems in the development of basic motor skills, negatively influencing the inclusion processes. Considering the benefits that sports practice has for the achievement of their skills and especially Karate-Do, the research is aimed at. Objective. To determine the influence of the practice of Karate-Do on the development of motor skills in children with intellectual disabilities, from the Centro de Desarrollo Integral el Niño Fundación Tierra Nueva. Methodology. The research was of a correlative, quasi-experimental type, accompanied by theoretical and empirical methods. The sample consisted of 28 children, with intellectual disabilities, to whom the Ozeretski Guillman Test was applied in two pretest and posttest moments. Determined the results of the pretest, 4 weeks of intervention were carried out by applying a Karate-Do Session Program, using the Kihon technique. Subsequently, he made a second measurement (post-test), to assess the development achieved in the following skills: Oculo-manual coordination, general dynamics, postural control and balance. Results. 1. It was demonstrated through the application of the Student's t test that when comparing the results derived from the initial and final measurements, there was a significant difference in the means of the levels achieved in the motor skills of the children. 2. It is appreciated that the applied program had very positive effects on the development of motor skills of students with intellectual disabilities, with special interest in children with Down syndrome. Conclusions. The effectiveness of the program carried out through the practice of Karate-Do based on the Kihon technique as a viable alternative for the integral development process of children with intellectual disabilities, with an emphasis on their motor skills.