If a high school and its school district have agreed to participate in an international program of student exchange, then it has agreed to accept students that meet the general criteria of GPA, English proficiency, willingness to stay with a host family, and admittance into the U.S. No high school or district can be forced to take part in a foreign exchange program but once the decision has been made to participate, neither the school or the exchange program can use discriminatory criteria to screen out a qualified student with a disability since most schools fall under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.  That includes students with psychiatric disabilities.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act states that those that receive some type of federal funding are required to give "free and appropriate public education to each qualified handicapped person." The Office of Special Education Programs issued a statement that clarified that those with "temporary resident" cards from INS may receive no-cost special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). 

Basically, according to the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund's Silvia Yee and Larisa Cummings, "A school cannot outright refuse to provide special education services to a foreign exchange student that has been accepted into a program" and an exchange program cannot utilize discriminatory practices (if receiving federal funding) to screen out qualified applicants based on the fact that they have disabilities. Therefore, it is very important when developing partnerships with high schools and high school districts that the exchange organization make it clear that they have an inclusion policy which accepts qualified student applicants including those with disabilties (See Inclusion Strategies tip sheet). 

Psychiatric disabilities should not prevent a student from participating in an exchange program if the student has the appropriate accommodations in place. Many individuals with such psychiatric disabilities as depression, bipolarism, and schizophrenia utilize counselors, medication, and/or relaxation/stress-reducing techniques that can lead to a successful international experience (See NCDE tip sheet regarding Psychiatric Disabilities).

There are low-cost ways to accommodate students with disabilities and it is always important to budget for inclusion.  Some tips on those low-cost measures can be found on our tip sheet or you can call NCDE staff for alternative ideas.  Disability organizations in the community may also be aware of assistive devices that can be used on loan.  Assistive technology centers often sell used devices at low prices.  We've also found that high school students are quite good at fundraising events for assistive devices or accommodations for their fellow students with disabilities. Call NCDE staff about possible fundraising ideas at (541) 343-1284.

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