What can we do to promote the Social Integration of students with ELN?

Children spend most of their time at school, so it is left up to the educators to be the main contributors to social integration of children with disabilities.  What children learn in schools is what they take home with them into our communities and society.  Although teachers can not do it alone, they need help from the families, I believe teacher play a vital role in social integration. With that being said there is a great need for parents and educators to work together not only on making sure their child is receiving the proper education but to make sure they are not holding back their child from participating in outside activities.
Much like the Jason McElwain video his parents allowed him to follow his dreams of being on the varsity basketball team.  Although Jason didn't play in every game of the season he was around the team everyday.  His teammates made him feel welcomed and a part of the team.  In my personal experience of coaching we have had several students with disabilities that came out for the football team.  Our other athletes were always supportive and kept Jimmy involved in all of our team practices.  Jimmy has cerebral palsy, so it was difficult for him to do everything at the speed all the other kids were capable of.  However, his teammates were always there cheering him on when he was doing conditioning or helping us coaches, coach him on proper technique.  It was a great experience to see that in eighth grade our athletes were looking past his disability and treating him as an equal and not someone with a disability.  Every practice Jimmy would come up to me and say, " Coach, just get me the ball in a game I'm going to score a touchdown for you", as he asked us to throw him a pass so we could watch him catch it.  Fortunately enough our team was very good and we were able to put Jimmy in every game we played at wide receiver.  The last game of the season we drew up a play for him.  We were on the 10 yard line and we called Jimmy's number. Our sidelines was buzzing with excitement to give Jimmy the opportunity to score a touchdown.  We told our quarterback just get him the ball, however our quarterback was so nervous to make sure he threw the perfect pass, he ended up throwing a uncatchable ball to Jimmy as time expired.  Although Jimmy didn't get to score his touchdown, he still comes up to me to this day and says, " You know coach if he threw me a better ball I was housing it".  To me this means more than going undefeated, it shows that us as coaches did a great job of integrating Jimmy to make him feel that he was a full member of the team.
Much like in the classroom, coaching requires a great deal of trust between coaches and parents.  Parents are allowing their children to play a contact sport, but as coaches we have to determine if kids are capable of playing so that we don't put them in a position to get hurt. According to Jimenez and Graff, (2008), "When trust exists, there is an implicit understanding of safety and shared perspective on children and schooling." Parents trust is key in letting them play a sport because they are not with their child at practices and games so it is up to us coaches to make sure the child's well being is our top priority.
I personally think that allowing children with ELN or other disabilities, to participate in extra curricular activities is a great way to promote social integration between disabled and non disabled students.  It gives kids a chance to look past the disability and recognize them as a teammate or a group member, depending on the activity, not just a "kid with a disability.
In the classroom, community, and society, I believe that knowledge is key to socially integrating children with ELN and other disabilities. Most young people don't understand what is wrong so they are afraid to interact. So i believe it is part our job as educators and coaches to make sure the other students understand the disability and realize that students with disabilities are not any different then themselves.