RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Students with learning, mental or physical disabilities may
face more challenges abroad than in the U.S. Recognition of
and support for disabilities vary from country to country.
Accessibility can also be more limited. It is important to
be very open and honest with your program provider about the
accommodations or support that you may need while abroad.
The Council on International Education and Exchange has a
pamphlet on studying abroad with disabilities. Tips include:
• Identify yourself as a person with a disability early
in the process. If you do, you will improve your chances of
securing the accommodations you need to make participation
possible.
• Plan logistics and pack. Do you need special equipment like
an adapter or transformer for your wheelchair, a laptop with
adaptive software, or hearing aid batteries? Talk to the consulate
of your host country and to your airline about entering the
country with special equipment or medications.
• Verify health insurance coverage. Some study abroad programs
include health insurance and some don’t. Check your regular
policy to be sure you are covered overseas, and how payment
for services are rendered.
• Get informed. Ask program providers if they have dealt with
disabilities before, and if they can put you in touch with
students willing share their stories.
• Discuss your accommodations with program staff. Introduce
yourself to the program director and discuss specific needs
or concerns with them. Do you need extra time on tests? Orientation
and mobility training? Counseling? Wheelchair ramps? Sign
language interpreters? They will do their best to help.
• Seek local resources. For country or city specific information,
contact national or local disabilities organizations. The
National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE) has
a database of disability organizations worldwide;
their staff can assist in finding others for you.
• Take ownership of your disability and learn what you can
do to accommodate your own needs. This may mean memorizing
bus routes or which have street curb cuts, seeking out deaf
clubs to learn the local sign language, or identifying people
willing to provide informal support like assisting you with
grocery shopping.
• Allow yourself to accept more assistance than you would
at home, or use assistance at home if it’s not available abroad.
• Be realistic about challenges and open to new experiences.
The more open-minded you are about the ways things can happen,
the more you’ll experience. Realistically, though, you may
not end up participating fully in every activity. Understand
how the local culture works, adapt your behavior to accommodate
it, and you’ll have a fulfilling study abroad experience.
Mobility International USA also has great tips for
international travelers with disabilities: http://www.miusa.org/ncde/tipsheets/mobilitydisability
http://www.miusa.org/ncde/tipsheets/medications
Adapted from CIEE’s Knowledge series pamphlet on studying
abroad with disabilities.
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