Hehir

     "Toward Ending Ableism in Education," Thomas Hehir addresses what educators, parents, and advocates can do to combat racism, and how progress toward fairness begins with identifying the presence of ableism in schools. The emphasis is on three categories of disability: deafness, blindness/visual impairment, and learning problems. I believe that dismantling dominating educational systems for other handicapped populations can yield similar results. Fortunately, both research and practice offer a solid foundation for creating a better future. I believe that schools can take urgent action against ableism. Include disability as part of schools' overall diversity efforts. 
    Students with disabilities should be encouraged to acquire and employ the abilities and modes of expression that work best for them. Demonstrate how society's overwhelming desire for disabled students to perform similarly to their non-disabled peers can ultimately work against some students. The problem is that many disabled kids are denied educational chances because disability-specific modes of expression and learning are not taken into consideration.

    There must be acknowledgment that education plays an important role in the integration of disabled students by showing nondisabled students that disability is a natural part of life. Disabled students should have access to the same curriculum as non-disabled students.  A critical role in developing societies in which integration into regular classrooms with proper modifications and assistance should be the norm.