Twenty-five international high school exchange students with diverse disabilities arrived in Eugene, Oregon, this August for an orientation prior to the start of their academic year in host communities across the United States.
Together, the students represent fifteen diverse countries, including Georgia, Liberia, Montenegro and Pakistan. All are recipients of a prestigious scholarship from the U.S. Department of State.
During the MIUSA orientation, students had the opportunity to learn about U.S. disability rights laws, visit a U.S. high school, try adaptive bicycling, and volunteer at a community garden.
At the same time, MIUSA staff and a team of educational professionals observed the students’ disability related skills and access needs and compiled those observations in a set of recommendations provided to each student’s support network immediately following the program.