Requesting Disability-Related Accommodations

Disclosure & Requesting Accommodations

Requesting accommodations is an important step of the application process. Early in the process, after you have been accepted, you need to decide whether and how to disclose your disability if you have a non-apparent disability. In order to receive accommodations such as note takers, sign language interpreters, extra time to take tests, personal attendants, accessibility to rooms or buildings, it is necessary to disclose your disability in a timely manner so that pre-arrangements can be made.

If you are unsure of your rights and responsibilities as a disabled person on exchange in the United States or as a U.S. citizen on an international exchange, then read about several case studies, the ADA, and international disability laws in the free publication, "Rights and Responsibilities: A Guide to National and International Disability-Related Laws for International Exchange Organizations and Participants."

Accommodations, Flexibility, & Redefining Independence

For U.S. citizens, it is important to remember that the type of disability accommodations you receive in the U.S. may not be available in every location around the world, so you may need to be flexible and creative and re-define some of your independence. For people with disabilities coming to the United States, accommodations may be more technical and procedural and less family- or community-oriented.

To determine what accommodations you may need, conduct a self-evaluation with our online forms and decide:

• What and how much assistance will you need when traveling to the country?
• Do you need someone to travel with you or can airline or public transport staff provide the needed assistance?
• What will you need to maintain your health and wellness especially when dealing with stressful situations (i.e. medicines, medical facilities, backups to equipment such as wheelchairs or prostheses, therapists, self-help groups, nutritional foods, limited stimulation, etc.)?
• How willing are you to be flexible if certain types of adaptive equipment, sign language interpreters, personal assistants, or public resources are not available?
• Do you know the disability laws and rights of the country to which you are going?
• Do you know how to contact disability organizations in the country of destination for backup resources?
• If studying or researching or teaching, does the facility have a disability services office?
• What is the accessibility of public buildings, public transport, and streets in the country of destination, and what plans are you making to adjust?
• Do you know enough about the culture to understand the country's cultural values and attitudes about your disability?

Gather Insights from our NCDE Resources

Our Disability Tipsheets will help you think through questions specific to your disability. You can also read stories from past participants with your same disability. People with non-apparent disabilities may find our A World Awaits You journal on this topic useful. To gather information directly, ask the education abroad staff or disability contacts in the host country to do a site assessment.