What can we do to promote the social integration of students with exceptional learning needs?

As a basketball coach, I believe that extracurricular activities are a great way to promote social integration.  I believe that if we encourage students with exceptional learning needs (ELN) to socially interact with nondisabled students outside of the classroom setting, then the ELN students will become more socially integrated in school, community, and society.    

When students are part of a team, they learn to all work together to achieve one goal.  Students may feel more comfortable outside of the classroom setting, and can interact easier with nondisabled students without the pressure of being in a classroom.  Once ELN students develop bonds with students in an extracurricular setting, the social techniques they learn can translate into other aspects of their lives. 

Joining a group, such as a sports team, can be very helpful for students with exceptional learning needs (ELN).  Both ELN students and nondisabled students must join forces to work toward a common goal in order to succeed.  The video, Autistic Jason McElwain Scores 20 Points in 4 Mins, is a great example of a student with exceptional learning needs that used an extracurricular activity to help him socially integrate with nondisabled students.  Jason learned that hard work is an important part of life.  He can now relate what is takes to win on the court into what it takes to be a successful member of society. 

While coaching, I have seen students with exceptional learning needs excel on the basketball court.  One of my players in particular had emotional disabilities.  She was able to use her anger and turn it into motivation on the court.  If at any time she had trouble understanding plays, she learned how to interact with teammates to figure out her problems on the court.  She was able to talk to her teammates and discuss what she did not understand, and they were then able to help explain the plays.  She also understood that her actions at school and in the classroom directly affected her playing time.  She knew that if she acted up in class, she would get punished at practice by running or doing extra drills.  This helped her learn how to better manage her emotional disabilities.  She was able to better concentrate in class knowing that she had to behave or face the consequences at practice.  Being on the basketball team gave her the opportunity to interact with her peers, which helped with her confidence in school to socially integrate.

As the coach, I can promote social integrate by making sure that all of the members of the team are getting along, and no one is being ostracized from the group.  The coach can promote social integration by facilitating an environment in which all of the team members feel safe and welcome.  The coach can set up drills so that both ELN students and nondisabled student must work together. 

While I understand that not all ELN students can play basketball, many could be the team manager or score keeper, or any other way to feel like part of the team.  Also, there are plenty of other non-athletic extracurricular activities that ELN students can participate in if they are not athletically inclined.  There are more artistic activities, such as music or art, in which others can participate.  No matter which activity they choose to participate in, ELN students can learn valuable lessons from them to become more socially integrated in school, community, and society.