EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In April 2003, the newly-created office of the Vice President for International Affairs at American University submitted a project team report, “Transforming American University into the ‘Premier Global University’.”  Three issues, prominent in the report, were:  (1) expansion of study abroad by AU students, (2) expansion and revision of the university’s study abroad programs, and (3) increasing the presence of international students at the university.  While the university was already proud of its global character (30% of undergraduates studied abroad and 15% of students on campus were international in 2003), a goal was set to double study abroad by AU students within four years.  The goal was achieved in just two years. 

In 2004, the Office of Campus Life established a goal to “expand opportunities for students’ intensive engagement… abroad and facilitate and support their participation in these activities through refinements in our services.”  The two offices in Campus Life that serve students with disabilities, Disability Support Services (DSS, which serves students with physical, medical, and psychological disabilities) and the Academic Support Center (ASC, which serves students with learning disabilities and ADHD), were active in this endeavor.  The directors of these two offices assumed a leadership role to ensure that student with disabilities had equal opportunities to study abroad and could keep pace with other students in this important component of their education.  Key project collaborators were: 1) AU Abroad, the study abroad office in Academic Affairs; 2) academic advisors in each of the five schools and colleges at AU; 3) the counseling staff in the Academic Support Center and the Counseling Center, both in the Office of Campus Life; and 4) the on-campus psychiatrist and community physicians who consulted with students about medication. Communication with site coordinators at AU programs overseas was also critical to the success of the effort. 

A phased-in approach over three years has ensured accessibility and support for students interested in studying outside the U.S.  This multi-year approach included gathering data; reviewing and formalizing existing approaches to support students with disabilities who elect to study overseas; understanding current case law on the topic; collaborating with key staff on campus and at study abroad sites; and communicating with students with disabilities to provide them with the information they need to determine whether, where, and how to successfully study abroad. In particular, based on the history of students with disabilities studying abroad, the project leaders recognized that having information related to accessibility, medication, and accommodations at overseas sites was essential to students’ success.   

The project has met these expected outcomes: 

• Increased numbers of students with disabilities traveling abroad
• More students advised at the pre-application and pre-departure stage
• AU staff and program coordinators overseas trained to work with students with disabilities
• Resource materials that can be shared with colleagues at other schools
  

Goals achieved in Year-One of the project (2003-2004): 

2.    A survey was designed and distributed to overseas site directors to assess accessibility, accommodation options, and cultural receptivity to individuals with disabilities.
3.    Increased collaboration with the on-campus study abroad office was initiated through shared meetings.
4.    Students with disabilities were better informed and advised on study abroad opportunities through promotional materials and increased staff awareness in the disability support offices and AU Abroad.
5.    Procedures were reviewed and formalized for notifying faculty in overseas programs of student accommodation needs.
6.    Legal issues were reviewed and clarified with the assistance of the staff from Judicial Affairs and Mediation Services and General Counsel. 

Goals achieved in Year-Two of the project (2004-2005):

1.    The project leaders made site visits to four university-sponsored programs overseas and presented outcomes from the first year of the three-year effort at the 5th International Conference on Higher Education and Disability in Innsbruck, Austria.
2.    An informational binder on particular study abroad programs and host countries was created based on survey results and site visits.  Copies of the binder were placed in DSS, ASC, and AU Abroad.
3.    Study abroad information for interested students with disabilities was posted on the study abroad web site and on the Disability Support Services and Academic Support Center web sites.
4.    DSS and ASC designed a voluntary request form specifically for disability-related accommodations; the form was available to students accepted in a study abroad program.
5.    Closer collaboration with study abroad staff was achieved through cross-training and information-sharing between disability support and study abroad staff.

Goals achieved in Year-Three of the project (2005-2006):

1.    The project leaders updated the accessibility and accommodations survey by collaborating with the study abroad office to distribute the survey to new study abroad programs, as well as to those programs that did not respond to the first survey. 
2.    The project leaders held meetings with overseas program directors during visits to AU.
3.    The project leaders reported to campus administrators and others on the three-year progress, plans for continuing collaboration and training of new staff, and legal updates on relevant cases.
4.    The project leaders presented on the project to colleagues at the national AHEAD (Association on Higher Education and Disability) conference in July 2006.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Positive impact on student learning, transitions, retention and/or success

From 2003 to 2007, the number of students with disabilities studying abroad more than doubled from 11 to 23 (out of an average population of 285 self-identified undergraduate students with disabilities).  A contributing factor to this rapid increase was AU Abroad’s extensive inventory of new summer programs overseas.  The summer programs provide excellent opportunities for some students with disabilities to have shorter-term experiences abroad.  Students with medical or psychological disabilities sometimes find they can manage the challenges of being abroad, e.g., culture shock, medication management, absence of accustomed support systems, etc., for two to six weeks more easily than for a full semester.

The large majority of students have learning disabilities, while some students have documented psychological, medical, physical, or sensory disabilities.  Overseas sites selected have included Rome, Madrid, Copenhagen, Beijing, Jerusalem, and Johannesburg.

Relevance to Institutional Mission

American University’s Statement of Common Purpose states that, “The university actively encourages a commitment to public service, inclusive participation in university governance, equity and equal access, and an appreciation of diverse cultures and viewpoints. Its commitment to social justice, its ability to respond to the needs of a changing world while retaining its core values, and its capacity to turn to educational advantage the resources of the nation's capital are hallmarks of the institution.”  Multiculturalism and diversity, which include integration of individuals with disabilities in all facets of university life, are basic values at American University. 

In addition to its reputation as a ‘Premier Global University,’ American University is also proud of its record of providing a supportive environment for students with disabilities.  This three-year project was created to ensure that students with disabilities have opportunities to study abroad comparable to those available to all other AU students. 

Since 2003, the following institutional goals have been accomplished regarding study abroad:

1. Develop more study abroad programs/sites/partners.   In 2002–03, there were 13 study abroad programs.  Today there are 105 AU Abroad sites in 34 countries.

2. Double the number of AU students studying abroad, and keep going until every student feels that such an experience is essential to their education.  In the 2002–03, 428 students studied abroad. In 2005–06, 747 students studied abroad through Abroad@AU, and an additional 212 students participated in other AU programs (such as international Alternative Break trips) for a total of 959—more than double the baseline participation.

3. Improve the academic quality of the experience.  Of AU Abroad’s new partners, 26 are ranked among the top 200 universities in the world.

4. Encourage study abroad for a semester or longer.  In 2004–2005, 84 percent (576) of AU’s undergraduate students studying abroad did so for one semester or longer. The national average is 45 percent.

5. Encourage more and better language training. The Office of International Programs created a unique language immersion program, working with the Language and Foreign Studies Department in AU’s College of Arts and Sciences.  The program is available at 10 sites in eight countries with six languages.

In addition:
1. AU climbed from #12 to #8 in percentage of students studying abroad in the Institute of International Education (IIE)’s annual Open Doors report
2. U.S. News & World Report listed AU as having one of the best study abroad programs
3. AU received an Andrew Heiskell Award for Innovation in Internationalization from IIE
4. In 2002, 59 percent of AU students cited study abroad programs as a motive for enrolling at the university; in 2006, that number rose to 93 percent.

Demonstration of success in addressing student needs

In spring 2003, two students with disabilities studied abroad; in spring 2007, 18 students with disabilities were in AU Abroad programs.  In fall 2003, three students with disabilities studied abroad; in fall 2007, 19 students with disabilities are in programs overseas. And in summer 2007, eight students with disabilities were involved in internships or language immersion courses in other countries. 

In addition to increasing the number of students going abroad, by creating a revised disability accommodations request form, we are better able to address individual disability needs. Prior to 2003, site coordinators reported that students with disabilities were arriving overseas without having identified or planned for accommodations or care.  Most alarming were students with medical or psychological diagnoses who sometimes needed significant support and for whom the site staff was not prepared.

New procedures enable the site coordinators and their assistants to anticipate needs related to test accommodations, classroom note takers, housing and internship placements, etc., and to provide a more positive experience for the students.  Student needs may include the availability of a refrigerator to store medication properly, access to computers with adaptive technology,  individualized transportation arrangements, etc.  If medical or psychological care is needed, professionals can be identified in advance and make arrangements for coordinated care.  For example, a student with multiple disabilities was able to study in a third world country, having arranged her care in advance with the director of the program and having confirmed that she could bring necessary medications with her. Site coordinators have been very flexible in making arrangements, as long as they have prior knowledge of a student’s needs.

To help assess students’ experiences abroad, a survey was sent to all students who have completed at least one program through AU Abroad.  Eight students responded.  Six of them have learning disabilities and/or ADHD; one reported a psychological disability and another reported a head injury.  Those students who worked with their disability counselor prior to traveling found that to be helpful.  While overseas, some students worked directly with faculty, and others arranged accommodations through their program director.  Overall, students who requested accommodations reported ease of arrangements, if the process began in advance, while still at American University.

Student voices are often the most convincing: 

• “As far as things are going with disabilities, it's been quite good. England is right up there with America in this area. FIE (Foundation for International Education, my program), has laptops available for testing. When I first went to the teachers about the issue, there was some initial resistance, but all it took was a little explaining and they allowed it. Overall, the disability treatment has been superb.”
• “My program director helped me talk with my professors and set up extra time and accommodations.  She was wonderful!”
• “The note taking went great.  Since we all took the same classes, one woman took all the notes and photocopied them for me.  Since the program is so small, it was noticeable when I was not in the room for tests, so I had to learn to explain why to friends.  But it was worth it.”
• “I wish I had talked with someone before going.  I was unprepared when I got there.”

Importance to one or more program areas included in this category (disability, international, multicultural)
Supporting students with disabilities who want to study abroad is a topic of national and international importance to students and professionals in the field of disability support.  Current case law is inconsistent as to whether postsecondary institutions are required to provide accommodations for students who want to study overseas. American University has chosen to make every effort to help students with disabilities study at the international locations of their choice. 

In addition, the directors of DSS and ASC have chosen to participate in the broader professional discussion on this topic and to share with other disability support providers what they have developed and learned. They presented at the Biannual International Conference on Higher Education and Disability in Innsbruck, Austria, in the summer of 2004, after Year-One of the project.  In July 2006, they presented at the national AHEAD conference, following completion of Year-Three.  In December of this year, they will present to colleagues in a professional coalition of disability support providers in the Washington, DC region.  At all these conferences, the directors made available to colleagues the materials they designed, e.g., site surveys, accommodation request forms, web site postings, sample accommodation templates, and procedures that can benefit study abroad offices, study abroad site coordinators, and disability support offices. 

An additional benefit to American University students is the environment created when diverse students, including those with disabilities, share a study abroad experience and return to the U.S. to continue their education.  “When students gain the ability to see themselves as foreigners, they indeed become aware that they hold a view of the world that is not universally shared….  And… when students speak of the kindness they receive from people whose language, customs, and beliefs they do not understand, they realize the need for a tolerance of human diversity.” (Gray, Kimberley S., Gwendolyn K. Murdock, & Chad D. Stebbins, “Assessing Study Abroad’s Effect on an International Mission.” Change, May/June 2002.)  Study abroad helps to create a more diverse and multicultural environment at home.  This project has helped ensure that students with disabilities both share in and contribute to this experience.

Collaboration with Academic Affairs

Several offices in Academic Affairs were integrally involved with this project: AU Abroad played a key role, and various academic advisors and administrators across the five schools and colleges have been supportive in individual cases.  Collaboration with AU Abroad was essential in shaping a shared project mission.  Together Disability Support Services (DSS), Academic Support Center (ASC), and AU Abroad produced the first document for students to record their disability needs and request related accommodations.  Throughout Year-One, DSS and ASC offered professional development opportunities to assist AU Abroad staff working with students with disabilities, and the AU Abroad office, in turn, provided valuable information about study abroad sites and navigating access issues for students with disabilities. Communication lines were opened across campus: students, academic advisors, faculty, DSS or ASC staff members, and AU Abroad advisors all consulted to develop plans for students’ success abroad.

Collaboration with others in and/or outside of Student Affairs

Collaboration with the Counseling Center, AU’s part-time staff psychiatrist, off-campus physicians, and in some cases parents, has been enormously important in the success of some students’ traveling abroad.  Medication and therapeutic care can be stumbling blocks for students with ADHD, a psychological disability, or medical needs.  Some countries do not allow students to go through customs with sufficient medication for a semester, especially if the medication is a controlled substance, such as most medications used to treat ADHD.  Some countries can make prescriptions available once a student has arrived, while others prohibit the distribution of such medications.  In order for students on medication to make the best decisions about study abroad, they need accurate information.  In general, even with good background information, the safest route is for a student to e-mail the contact person at a particular site to discuss their medication and treatment needs.  AU staff, in whichever office the student contacts, encourages students on medication to follow this recommendation, and will usually contact the program coordinator overseas, as well.  At the beginning of this project, the Counseling Center developed materials specific to international travel, both in print and on-line formats.  The AU psychiatrist assists students in treatment by prescribing appropriate amounts of medications for the duration of their study abroad.

The project leaders feel strongly that their efforts should be shared with colleagues at other institutions, both in the U.S. and abroad.  Proposals were selected for presentations at two important conferences:  the 5th International Conference on Higher Education and Disability in Innsbruck, Austria, August 2004, and the national AHEAD (Association on Higher Education and Disability) conference in July 2006.

Originality and creativity

There were several challenges in this project that required particular attention and problem solving efforts to resolve:

1)  Disability support providers are accustomed to working under clear legal guidelines for whether and how they provide accommodations for students with disabilities.  Recent case law is inconsistent on whether U.S. students must be granted accommodations while studying overseas.  AU’s General Counsel conducted a training session for project participants with a representative from the Office of Civil Rights who helped us understand the state of the law and clarify the university’s position.

2) There were many new staff in Abroad at AU and working relationships with disability support offices were not well developed.  Lunches and joint staff meetings were scheduled during the first and second years to bring staff from AU Abroad, ASC, and DSS together to discuss their work and concerns, and to find common solutions.

3) There was no integrated system to track students who requested accommodations for study abroad.  Disability support providers were often unaware of students planning to study abroad since many students with disabilities were not identifying themselves prior to leaving the U.S. or planning for their needs.  DSS and the ASC offered to revise forms to help students better understand the importance of arranging for accommodations before leaving the country.  An accommodation letter template was created, and students were referred by AU Abroad to DSS or the ASC to obtain the letters.

4) Materials to request accommodations were accessible on the AU Abroad web site only after a student applied to a program, making it difficult for disability support staff to be helpful to students.  AU Abroad made the materials available to DSS and the ASC staff.

5) Finally, the directors of DSS and the ASC came to recognize that the nature and philosophy of study abroad advising vs. disability support were sometimes in conflict with each other.  Students going abroad are told to expect the unexpected, and to learn to be flexible.  Students with disabilities often need to anticipate situations so that they can prepare to compensate on their own or request accommodations or services.  These two approaches are not mutually exclusive, but helping the staffs in both areas understand the differences through training and consultation was essential to the success of the effort.

Efficient use of resources

The success of this effort relied on effective training and collaboration by staff in a variety of offices across campus.  Training was approached informally by creating opportunities for staff who did not know each other to spend time sharing critical information and developing important contacts for consultations as needed.   Surveys, informational materials, and standard procedures were developed to help everyone work from the same points of reference. 

Project outcomes support the critical importance of communication. Effective and timely contact among disability support providers and those administering study abroad at AU, as well as on-site coordinators, significantly improved the chances for students to have smooth transitions when accommodations and other services were involved.

Effective use of technology

During each year of the three-year project, electronic resources helped us achieve our goals.    We began by creating accessible materials about traveling with a disability on the web sites of AU Abroad, Disability Support Services, and the Counseling Center.  Our efforts to connect with others abroad relied heavily on the use of e-mail to survey our program sites world-wide, communicate directly with students and program directors, and share data and information with others involved.

Additionally, we needed to coordinate the use of adaptive technology overseas.  Adaptive technology is defined as "...products, devices or equipment, whether acquired commercially, modified or customized, that are used to maintain, increase or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities..." (Assistive Technology Act of 1998).  For example, a deaf student living in an old residence in Rome needed a portable flashing strobe light to ensure his safety in the residence.  We also work with students to access personal assistive technology abroad, such as on-line reading tools, screen magnification software, and computer screen readers.

Innovative practical use of research and/or assessment

Selected recommendations were adopted as guidelines for this project from the “Campus Collaboration Campaign,” the 2003 report compiled by the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange.  Sample surveys were very helpful in designing the accessibility survey that we used.  Legal advice from OCR representatives and AU General Counsel was enormously helpful in clarifying the legal requirements concerning students with disabilities studying abroad.

In addition, the project intended to share information among colleagues both nationally and internationally.  All materials designed during the project have been made available at two professional conferences and upon request.

Evidence of sustainability

Efforts to sustain project achievements include regular communication with AU Abroad on the number of students with disabilities requesting accommodations and on individual student needs, consultation with study abroad site directors overseas on an as-needed basis, and surveys of students following study abroad experiences to assess the effectiveness of the efforts to assist them.  Staff members in the Academic Support Center, Disability Support Services, and AU Abroad continue to advise students with disabilities prior to their studying abroad. 

Now, there is an institutional expectation for collaboration among disability support providers and AU Abroad staff and program coordinators overseas to make study abroad opportunities accessible to students with disabilities.  When site coordinators visit the university in Washington, DC, we meet as needed to discuss students with disabilities, site-specific materials are used by counselors to help students make informed decisions about whether and where to study, and disability-related materials are available to help study abroad advisors discuss accommodations available in specific country locations.

For more information, contact:

Joanne Benica
Director, Disability Support Services
American University
Tel: 202-885-3312
Fax: 202-885-1160
Email: benica@american.edu
4400 Massachusetts Ave., NW
MGC 206
Washington, DC 20016-8027

Kathy Schwartz
Director, Academic Support Center
American University
Tel: 202-885-3360
Fax: 202-885-1042
Email: kschwar@american.edu
4400 Massachusetts Ave., NW
MGC 243
Washington, DC 20016-8027