Two students with disabilities traveled from Russia to Eugene, Oregon in August 2016 for an orientation with MIUSA. The students are participants in the Year of Exchange in America for Russians (YEAR) program and are enrolled at higher education institutions across the U.S.
The YEAR program provides an opportunity for students to live in the U.S. for a year while learning about American society, educating Americans about Russia’s cultural and historical background, improving English speaking skills, strengthening knowledge in an academic field, and experiencing immersion in a local community.
During the MIUSA orientation, the students:
- Learned about disability rights history, laws, and culture in the United States.
- Visited the University of Oregon’s Accessible Education Center to learn about support services available to students with disabilities on college campuses.
- Met with a university professor to discuss how disability intersects with their field of study.
- Experienced a fully accessible public transportation system.
- Volunteered at a community garden and discussed the role that people with disabilities have in contributing to their communities.
- Participated in an adaptive biking activity, visited an inclusive community fitness center, and learned about other adaptive community-based recreation opportunities.
Some of the program activites are highlighted in the photo album below and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagrm using #MyOneYEAR. To access photo captions below, view the album in full screen mode.
