Ally Keene, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Kinesiology. She graduated with a BS in Kinesiology with a focus in Exercise Science from James Madison University, a MS in Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Science with a focus in Adapted Physical Activity from the University of Hawaii and a PhD in Health and Sport Pedagogy with a focus in Adapted Physical Education/Activity from Old Dominion University.
Keene is the Director of Camp Webber, an adapted sports camp for visually impaired youth in Alaska. She has previously taught Adapted and General Physical Education and worked in various recreation/adapted recreation settings. Her goal, as a teacher, is to create an environment where learning is reciprocal, where each individual within the space is able to contribute, and where students are valued, feel as if they belong, and are seen as knowledgeable individuals. Additionally, her research interests include amplifying the voices of disabled people and improving the physical education experience for all students.
Selected Publications
Keene, M.A., Marranca, N., LaGrand, J., Mead-Colegrove, A., Eckhoff, A., & Haegele, J.A. (in press). Co designing physical education resources with blind young adults: Lessons learned from a participatory research project. Journal of Participatory Research Methods.
Towner, B. & Keene, M. A. (2026). Module 3: Discovering research interests. In Hopson, K., Bradshaw, S. & Brown, J. (Eds.). (2026, January). The basics: A guide to undergraduate student health & wellness research success. OER Commons. https://oercommons.org/courseware/lesson/136529/overview.
Keene, M. A. (2026). Module 11: Project planning. In Hopson, K., Bradshaw, S. & Brown, J. (Eds.). (2026, January). The basics: A guide to undergraduate student health & wellness research success. OER Commons. https://oercommons.org/courseware/lesson/136529/overview.
Keene, M.A., Marranca, N., LaGrand, J., Mead-Colegrove, A. (2025). Resources and recommendations for PE teachers of blind students. https://www.odu.edu/movement-health-disability/resources-and-recommendations-for-pe-teachers.
Haegele, J.A., Martinez-Rivera, S., Nowland, L.A., Ball, L.E., Keene, M.A., & Zhu, X. (2025). “I have positive relationships, but not because of PE”: Feelings of acceptance among visually impaired students in physical education. Curriculum Studies in Health & Physical Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/25742981.2025.2485066
Keene, M.A., Haegele, J.A., & Zhu, X. (2024). The association between sport camp participation and perceived competence and independence among blind and visually impaired youth. Journal of Youth Development. https://open.clemson.edu/jyd/vol19/iss4/4/
McKay, C., Keene, M.A., & Haegele, J.A. (2024). Exploring attitude change and experiences of undergraduate students in a goalball and sitting volleyball focused paralympic skill lab. International Journal of Kinesiology in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/24711616.2024.2335895
Nowland, L.A., Haegele, J.A., Zhu, X. Keene, M.A., & Ball, L.E. (2024). What is my value? Visually impaired student reflections about feeling valued in PE. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/09518398.2024.2318295
Keene, M.A., Sanchez, O., Pigg, M., Shapiro, D., & Dillon, S. (2024). Advocating for physical education and extracurricular opportunities for students with disabilities. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance. https://doi.org/10.1080/07303084.2023.2299883
Keene, M.A., Haegele, J.A., Ball, L.E., Nowland, L.A., & Zhu, X. (2023). Exploring blind and visually impaired students’ views on how to improve physical education. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education. https://doi.org/10.1123/jtpe.2023-0013
Haegele, J. A., Brasiliano Salerno, M., Nowland, L., Zhu, X, Keene, M. A., & Ball, L. (2023) Why modify? Visually impaired students’ views on activity modifications in physical education. European Physical Education Review. https://doi.org/10.1177/1356336X231162603
Haegele, J.A., Ball, L.E., Nowland, L.A., Keene, M.A., & Zhu, X. (2022). Visually impaired students’ views on peer tutoring in integrated physical education. Sport, Education & Society. https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2022.2125949
Keene, M.A., Haegele, J.A., & Zhu, X. (2022). Impact of neighborhood walkability on weekly walking minutes among adults with visual impairments: A preliminary study. British Journal of Visual Impairment. https://doi.org/10.1177/02646196221127121
Haegele, J.A., Ball, L.E., Zhu, X, Keene, M.A, & Nowland, L.A. (2022). Absent, incapable, and “normal”: Understanding the inclusiveness of visually impaired students’ experiences in integrated physical education. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 39(4), 424-445. https://doi.org/10.1123/apaq.2022-0014