As Arizona State University rolls out the welcome mat for students this week, it’s also rolling out a new disability studies bachelor’s degree program.
Theresa Devine is an associate professor at ASU. She helped spearhead the new program at the university.
"I hope it grows rapidly. I’m hoping it creates an army of people that will go out there and shift the social norm for people with disabilities," Devine said.
What that means, she said, is shifting the perception of people with disabilities as receivers to contributors to society.
While Devine said there’s some framework for inclusion in society, "the foundation of what we have in place doesn’t assume that a person with a disability is an equal."
Devine said so far enrollment into the program has been high, though only one person has declared it as their major.
