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Guidance for Students with Disabilities in Study Abroad Programs

This comprehensive guide provides insights, benefits, and considerations for students with disabilities wishing to study abroad. It covers topics such as deciding to go, preparing for the journey, cultural differences, and student awareness. The guide offers strategies to overcome barriers, ensuring equal opportunities for all. Supported by MIUSA and the U.S. Department of State, it includes valuable resources and tips for a successful experience.

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Guidance for Students with Disabilities in Study Abroad Programs

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  1. What to Know Before They Go: Advising Students with Disabilities in Study Abroad Ashley Bryant, Mobility International USA (MIUSA) Claire Özel, Middle East Technical University

  2. About MIUSA’s Disability and Exchange Resources • Free advising • E-news • Publications • Webinars and events • Website Sponsored by: Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State

  3. Overview • Deciding Whether to Go • Preparing to Go • Cultural Differences in Disability • Roles of Students and Professionals • Questions and Discussion

  4. Deciding Whether to Go: Incentives for Going Abroad

  5. Common Motives for Studying Abroad • Have a different experience • Develop resilience • Develop awareness • Break away from home or habits • Learn a new language or other skills

  6. Benefits of Going Abroad with a Disability (1 of 2) • Move out of protected environments • Develop independent living skills and confidence • Connect with people in other cultures or have same or similar identity • Perceive self from others' perspectives

  7. Benefits of Going Abroad with a Disability (2 of 2) • Change the way society perceives people with disabilities • Improve employability prospects • Advocate for disability rights in other countries / be an ambassador

  8. Deciding Factors for Students with Disabilities (1 of 2) • Parental approval/encouragement • Role models • Attitude of home study abroad office (SAO) staff • Availability of disability-related services or resources in host country

  9. Deciding Factors for Students with Disabilities (2 of 2) • Funding • Health insurance coverage • Impact on disability-related benefits at home

  10. Preparing to Go: Accessibility Abroad

  11. Accommodating Students Abroad (1 of 2) Consider: • Mobility/Transportation • Housing • Learning (testing, note taking, reading, etc.) • Meals/Diet

  12. Accommodating Students Abroad (2 of 2) Consider: • Health (medication, doctors, counselors, etc.) • Program schedule and pace • Visits and excursions • Socializing • ...Student's strategies

  13. Student’s Awareness and Abilities How aware is the student of differences in: • language • culture and politics • possibilities and opportunities How skilled is the student in: • Language - communication • Mobility • Requesting needs • Adapting to change and new situations • Resilience

  14. “We never allow our students with disabilities to go anywhere with less than equal standards!”

  15. Strategies to Work Through Barriers • Flexibility • Advocacy • Creativity • Persistence • Connecting locally • MIUSA's information services • Planning

  16. Planning • Contact: • Host Study Abroad Office (SAO) • Host Disability Office (DO) • Host country/ community disability groups, • Exchange information • Express needs • Research procedures and opportunities Note: Do not rely only on reports from non-disabled people

  17. Accessibility Abroad • Differences in expectations • What do local SwD do? • What am I prepared to accept? • Accessible dorms • Transport • Hygiene • Privacy • Spare parts: inner tubes; batteries (run out faster in hotter places), catheter, cane, medications

  18. Cultural Differences in Disability

  19. Expect Differences in… • Ideas of independence and confidentiality • Recognition of disability • Speaking about disability (blunt talk, taboo subjects) • Behavior & interaction (staring, touching) • Treatment from how locals with disabilities are treated • Over-protectiveness

  20. Cultural Models of Providing Accommodations • Procedural/Formal Approach - Doing what is required by rules or law • Personal Approach - Direct conversations about what is needed and why • Community Approach - Services given by a student’s friends, family and community www.miusa.org/ncde/tipsheets/disabilityculture

  21. What Might Happen When…? • A student travels from a "Formal Approach" culture to an "Informal Approach" culture • A student travels from an "Informal Approach" culture to a "Formal Approach" culture

  22. Adjusting to Differences • Find out requirements or procedures • Contact local disability organizations • Ask peers with disabilities • Know how/when to accept/refuse help • Seek a disability advocate and allies • Find opportunities to educate

  23. Roles and Responsibilities (R&R) of Students and Professionals

  24. Involve the Student at All Stages

  25. At the Home University

  26. At the Host University

  27. Home Disability Office, Pre-Departure • Help student make best accommodation choices, based on program structure • Arrange overseas accommodations to mirror those provided at home institution • Set up action plan for all stakeholders • With student’s permission, share accommodation letter with SAO at home and host institutions

  28. Home and Host Disability Office Inform about: • Policies and procedures: diversity statements, funding, etc. • Student's legal rights and responsibilities • Where to find information for student to make informed decisions and plans Cooperate with: • SAO and student on needs, develop individualised creative solutions

  29. Student R&R: Selecting a Program • Research range of possible host destinations • Research availability of program accommodations in host countries • Identify relevant criteria for prioritising choices: “What matters to me?”

  30. Student R&R: Pre-Departure • Disclose disability as soon as accepted • Complete program-related tasks • Plan program itinerary with SAO program coordinators • Provide adequate documentation • Take personal devices, equipment, spare parts, etc.

  31. Student R&R: When Abroad • Be proactive; create awareness of needs before departure and while abroad • Contact Host DO: agree on support strategies • Arrange personal assistants; train new local assistants • Contact local disability organisations

  32. What Others are Doing University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (USA): • Work with study abroad office to establish an "advisor for access" School of Oriental and African Studies (London): • Budget from student fees income to create a fund which could be used to cover reasonable adjustments

  33. Others Who Can Help • Disability office at host institution • Local disability organizations in host country • Past participants: • students with similar disabilities • students from own culture • MIUSA website

  34. Rachel "International travel seems much more accessible to me now... Most of the resistance I encountered came from people who saw my disability as an impossible barrier to travel in a developing country, whereas I just saw it as a challenge. Now, I know that wherever the future takes me, it will most definitely involve more stamps in my passport."

  35. Questions? Contact us and share your story! Ashley Bryant Mobility International USA abryant@miusa.org Claire Özel Middle East Technical University Turkey claire.ozel@gmail.com

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