study abroad for students with disabilities opening doors to global learning

Study Abroad for Study Abroad for Students with Students with

DisabilitiesDisabilities

Opening Doors to Opening Doors to

Global LearningGlobal Learning

Legal FoundationsLegal Foundations

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973of 1973• No otherwise qualified individual may be No otherwise qualified individual may be

denied admission or participation solely denied admission or participation solely on the basis of a disabilityon the basis of a disability

• Applies to any agency receiving federal Applies to any agency receiving federal fundsfunds


Americans with Disabilities Act of Americans with Disabilities Act of 19901990• Extends provisions of the Rehabilitation Extends provisions of the Rehabilitation

Act to include the private sectorAct to include the private sector• Also covers employment, Also covers employment,

telecommunications, and transportationtelecommunications, and transportation


Civil Rights Act of 1991Civil Rights Act of 1991• Extends Title I of ADA to U.S. employers Extends Title I of ADA to U.S. employers

in overseas facilitiesin overseas facilities

Recent CasesRecent Cases


Bird v Lewis & Clark College (1996)Bird v Lewis & Clark College (1996)Student who is a wheelchair user Student who is a wheelchair user

participated in a college-sponsored participated in a college-sponsored overseas program in Australia.overseas program in Australia.

The student was not permitted to The student was not permitted to participate in all activities and was participate in all activities and was carried rather than provided with carried rather than provided with alternate means of transportation and alternate means of transportation and accessibility.accessibility.

The district court noted that the plaintiff was The district court noted that the plaintiff was an American student who attended an an American student who attended an American university’s overseas program, American university’s overseas program, taught by American faculty.taught by American faculty.

““The ongoing requirement of adherence to The ongoing requirement of adherence to the Rehabilitation Act and the ADA did not the Rehabilitation Act and the ADA did not evaporate when Lewis & Clark College evaporate when Lewis & Clark College faculty accompanied Lewis & Clark students faculty accompanied Lewis & Clark students on a Lewis & Clark college sponsored on a Lewis & Clark college sponsored program overseas.”program overseas.”

Decision affirmed on appealDecision affirmed on appeal


Arizona State University (OCR 2001)Arizona State University (OCR 2001)Student who is deaf sought Student who is deaf sought

accommodations (sign language accommodations (sign language interpreters) to attend an Irish university interpreters) to attend an Irish university for a year. The program was not for a year. The program was not operated by an American university.operated by an American university.

ASU denied the request, and the student ASU denied the request, and the student filed a complaint with OCR.filed a complaint with OCR.

““neither the ADA nor Section 504 neither the ADA nor Section 504 prohibit discrimination on the basis prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability in overseas programs.”of disability in overseas programs.”

• Student attending overseas program Student attending overseas program that is not part of the program of an that is not part of the program of an American university may not be entitled American university may not be entitled to protection under American laws.to protection under American laws.


St. Louis University (OCR 1990)St. Louis University (OCR 1990)• ““provision of an IBM computer was an provision of an IBM computer was an

effective auxiliary aid to accommodate effective auxiliary aid to accommodate the injured party’s difficulties. . . “the injured party’s difficulties. . . “

• Decided on the basis of appropriate Decided on the basis of appropriate accommodation, not extraterritorialityaccommodation, not extraterritoriality


St. Scholastica College (OCR 1992)St. Scholastica College (OCR 1992)• ““college . . . was obligated under Section college . . . was obligated under Section

504 to pay for interpreter services to 504 to pay for interpreter services to accompany a deaf student on her accompany a deaf student on her (college’s) study abroad program in (college’s) study abroad program in Ireland.”Ireland.”

• OCR found no provision in Section 504 OCR found no provision in Section 504 giving the college the right to deny a giving the college the right to deny a qualified student with a disability an qualified student with a disability an educational opportunity in an overseas educational opportunity in an overseas programprogram

Roles & ResponsibilitiesRoles & Responsibilities


Study Abroad Program AdvisorStudy Abroad Program Advisor• Application processApplication process• Equal consideration in participationEqual consideration in participation• Assistance with placementsAssistance with placements• Information about sitesInformation about sites• Contract arrangements overseasContract arrangements overseas• Coordinate specific arrangements Coordinate specific arrangements

overseasoverseas


StudentStudent• Self-identify early in the processSelf-identify early in the process• Provide appropriate documentationProvide appropriate documentation• Request specific accommodationsRequest specific accommodations• Research information on various study Research information on various study

abroad opportunitiesabroad opportunities• Communicate with others who have Communicate with others who have

completed study abroad experiencescompleted study abroad experiences• Develop a proposed budget including Develop a proposed budget including

contingency planscontingency plans


Disability Services OfficeDisability Services Office• Collect and evaluate student Collect and evaluate student

documentationdocumentation• Advise Study Abroad Coordinator Advise Study Abroad Coordinator

concerning accommodationsconcerning accommodations• Assist in identifying academic Assist in identifying academic

adjustmentsadjustments• Arrange funding for required Arrange funding for required

accommodations as neededaccommodations as needed

Funding SourcesFunding Sources


Department of Labor Division of Department of Labor Division of Vocational Rehabilitation ServicesVocational Rehabilitation Services• Student must be registered VR clientStudent must be registered VR client• Study abroad must be directly related to Study abroad must be directly related to

educational goalseducational goals• Student must exhaust other funding Student must exhaust other funding

sources firstsources first


Social Security/SSI Study Abroad Social Security/SSI Study Abroad provisionprovision• Must be sponsored by a US educational Must be sponsored by a US educational

institutioninstitution• Course of study must not be available in the Course of study must not be available in the

U.S.U.S.• Study abroad must substantially enhance ability Study abroad must substantially enhance ability

to workto work• Other policies can be found at Other policies can be found at

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0500501412http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0500501412


ScholarshipsScholarships• www.collegescholarships.comwww.collegescholarships.com• www.scholarstuff.comwww.scholarstuff.com• www.umabroad.umn.edu/financial/www.umabroad.umn.edu/financial/

scholarships/index.html (click on scholarships/index.html (click on External Scholarships database)External Scholarships database)

• www.iefa.orgwww.iefa.org• www.studyabroad.com/forum/www.studyabroad.com/forum/

financial_aid.htmlfinancial_aid.html


Civic OrganizationsCivic Organizations• Rotary ClubRotary Club• Lions ClubLions Club• ElksElks• KiwanisKiwanis• Sororities/fraternitiesSororities/fraternities• Other special interest clubs/ Other special interest clubs/

organizationsorganizations


Institutional fundsInstitutional funds• provide academic accommodations such as provide academic accommodations such as

notetaking assistance, alternate format texts, sign notetaking assistance, alternate format texts, sign language interpreter, scribe, reader, special language interpreter, scribe, reader, special computer software, etc.computer software, etc.

• provide modifications to activities and services provide modifications to activities and services provided to other students as part of the program provided to other students as part of the program (transportation, dietary modifications for included (transportation, dietary modifications for included meals, etc.) meals, etc.)

• Not responsible for personal travel, personal Not responsible for personal travel, personal services, personal-use equipment, etc.services, personal-use equipment, etc.

ResourcesResources

ResourcesResources

Mobility InternationalMobility InternationalEugene, OregonEugene, Oregon

541-343-1284 (V/TTY)541-343-1284 (V/TTY)

www.miusa.orgwww.miusa.org

Michele ScheibMichele Scheib

ResourcesResources

National Clearinghouse on Disability National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange at Mobility and Exchange at Mobility International USA International USA • http://www.miusa.org/ncde/http://www.miusa.org/ncde/• comprehensive one-stop resource for comprehensive one-stop resource for

people with disabilities, exchange and people with disabilities, exchange and disability staff interested in study, work, disability staff interested in study, work, intern, volunteer, research or teach intern, volunteer, research or teach abroad programsabroad programs

ResourcesResources

Access AbroadAccess AbroadBennington, VermontBennington, Vermont

802-442-4827802-442-4827

www.transitionsabroad.comwww.transitionsabroad.com

ResourcesResources

AHEAD (Association on Higher AHEAD (Association on Higher Education and Disabilities)Education and Disabilities)Waltham, MassachusettsWaltham, Massachusetts

781-788-0003 781-788-0003

www.ahead.orgwww.ahead.org

ResourcesResources

Learning Abroad CenterLearning Abroad CenterUniversity of MinnesotaUniversity of Minnesota

612-626-9000 612-626-9000

www.umabroad.umn.edu/access/www.umabroad.umn.edu/access/

ResourcesResources

““Arranging for Sign Language Interpretation Arranging for Sign Language Interpretation Abroad: A Disability Service Provider Abroad: A Disability Service Provider Perspective.” Perspective.” Keen, K. Institute of International Education Keen, K. Institute of International Education

Network Column: Widening the Circle. 2003.Network Column: Widening the Circle. 2003.

http://www.iienetwork.org/?p=29258http://www.iienetwork.org/?p=29258

ResourcesResources

““Attitudes of College Students Toward Study Attitudes of College Students Toward Study Abroad: Implications for Disability Service Abroad: Implications for Disability Service Providers.”Providers.”

Mathews, P.R., Hameister, B.G. & Hosley, N.S.Mathews, P.R., Hameister, B.G. & Hosley, N.S.

Journal of Postsecondary Education and Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 13(2), 67-77/ [R] 1998Disability, 13(2), 67-77/ [R] 1998

ResourcesResources

““The Presumption Against Extraterritoriality The Presumption Against Extraterritoriality As Applied to Disability Discrimination Laws: As Applied to Disability Discrimination Laws: Where Does It Leave Students with Where Does It Leave Students with Disabilities Studying Abroad?”Disabilities Studying Abroad?”

Kanter, Arlene S.Kanter, Arlene S. Stanford Policy & Law Review 14:2, 2003.Stanford Policy & Law Review 14:2, 2003.

Thank you for inviting us Thank you for inviting us

to speak today!to speak today!

Presentation prepared by Colleen O’Hara and Presentation prepared by Colleen O’Hara and Carol Pope, Kennesaw State UniversityCarol Pope, Kennesaw State University

For the November 2005 University System of For the November 2005 University System of Georgia Study Abroad Committee meetingGeorgia Study Abroad Committee meeting

Thanks to Mobility International for providing Thanks to Mobility International for providing information, video, and materialsinformation, video, and materials

study abroad for students with disabilities opening doors to global learning

Documents