Since the beginning of recorded history, physical activity has been recognized as a helpful adjunct to the improvement of the human condition. The history of special physical activities for handicapped individuals ranges from the early Greeks and Romans to the present day, when adapted physical education is a legal mandate for all handicapped children and youth. To answer the question, “Is there need for a National Consortium?” one must look back at historical events and recognize that only through an organized effort can goals in adapted physical education for the handicapped be reached.