Education Abroad for Students with Disabilities

The Office of Education Abroad encourages students with disabilities to consider studying abroad. We are committed to helping you find a program that suits your needs and provides a positive experience abroad. We will also work with students and the Office for Disability Services to determine if their needs can be accommodated.

Many students with disabilities study abroad. According to the Open Doors 2009 Report on International Educational Exchange, 3% of students who travelled abroad in 2008 had a disability.
http://opendoors.iienetwork.org/page/150893/

Disability Types
Disabilities can be broken down into two categories: visible and invisible. There are many different types of disabilities including:

• Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
• Autism Spectrum Disorder:
• Blind and Low Vision
• Brain Injury
• Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing
• Head Injuries
• Learning Disability
• Mobility Impairments
• Psychiatric
• Systemic

Source: NAFSA Publication

Things to consider before going abroad

The University of California’s website contains a useful list of questions for students with disabilities to consider before traveling abroad.

Requesting Accommodation

Ohio University Programs: If you plan to participate in an Ohio University-sponsored study abroad program and wish to request accommodation, you should contact the Office of Disability Services (ODS) to schedule an appointment to complete an “Education Abroad Disability Accommodation Request Form”. We recommend you do this as early as possible to allow sufficient time for accommodations to be made.

After your request is submitted, it will be reviewed by the Office of Education Abroad (OEA). The OEA will conduct research and consult with both Disability Services and the Program Director to determine possible accommodations. You will be notified to discuss these possibilities. In the event that the accommodation you requested is not possible, the OEA will discuss alternative options with you.

Ohio University Exchange Programs: Students participating in an Ohio University exchange program should communicate with their program coordinator in the Office of Education Abroad on how to request accommodation from the partner institution.

Third Party or Affiliate Programs: Students participating in programs through other universities or providers should contact the sponsor of the program for information on how to request accommodation for a disability. 

Other Quick Tips for Students with Disabilities Going Abroad

• Disclose your disability needs to program staff early, so appropriate arrangements can be made in advance.
• Remember that other cultures may provide disability access in a different way—learn about what types of accommodation are typically provided in your host country, and be flexible and open to different ways of accommodating your disability.
• Before you go, find out as much as you can about your host culture and how they view disability by reading, talking to other students, and attending pre-departure orientation sessions. The more you know, the better prepared you will be for the interaction between your disability and the new environment.
• Think about how you will answer questions about your disability in the language of your host country—look up key vocabulary words ahead of time.

From:  University of Minnesota’s Learning Abroad Center

Web Resources for Students with Disabilities

Mobility International
“Empowering people with disabilities around the world to achieve their human rights through international exchange and international development”
MIUSA also provides an online store and free resources regarding travel with disabilities.

Transitions Abroad
Transition Abroad’s Disability Travel is a resource that provides a list of programs for people with disabilities as well as testimonials and articles on disability travel.

University of Minnesota’s Access Abroad
Access Abroadis a website for students, advisors, disability professionals and overseas staff whichstrives to create an interactive community in order to promote education abroad for students with disabilities.

Access-Able Travel Source

Access-Able provides an array of information regarding destinations, accessibility, destination guidesand rentals for travelers with disabilities.

Peterson’s Guide to Colleges
            “Study Abroad Options for Disabled Students”

Testimonials:

“Irish Literature in Dublin”
http://www.transitionsabroad.com/publications/magazine/0203/student.shtml

“Have Wheelchair, Will Travel: Students with Disabilities Study Abroad, too”

http://chronicle.com/article/Students-With-Disability-Study/48740/

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