Documentary analyses of adapted physical activity (APA) literature have been conducted which discuss publication trends in the APA field (e.g., Karkeletsi, Skordilis, Evaggelinou, Grammatopoulou, & Spanaki, 2012; Porretta & Sherrill, 2005). However, few documentary analyses have compared those results with trends in other related fields, such as special education (SE). This study compares publication trends between APA and SE over a 10-year span. Primary journals from APA and SE, Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly (APAQ) and Exceptional Children (EC), respectively, were selected for a comparative documentary analysis. A total of 455 articles (APAQ, n=205; EC, n=250) from 2004 to 2013 were identified and coded based on the following categories: (a)country of the first author affiliation; (b)theoretical framework of empirical studies; (c)intervention research; (d)publication/research methods; (e) population of interest; and (f)topical areas. Results demonstrate similarities and differences between APA and SE publication trends. The results indicate that little intervention-based research was published across journals (14% for APAQ; 38% for EC). Both journals largely published group design research, and more single subject studies were observed in EC (n=17) than in APAQ (n=4). Additional similarities and differences in publication trends over the past ten years between two journals are discussed.