Wheelchairs or Scooters

Longitudes and Attitudes: Study Abroad in China

Dana, an international studies college student who uses a wheelchair, spent a semester studying in Beijing, China.

My Adventures on the Paris Metro to see the Eiffel Tower

Emma Verrill, who has a spinal cord injury, studied abroad in Rennes, France. Upon arriving in Paris, she embarked on an odyssey with friends to see the Eiffel Tower for the second time.

Nepal, Peru and Costa Rica - Volunteering Perspectives from a Wheelchair User

Megan, a power wheelchair user, volunteered abroad in Latin America and Asia in high school and college.

No Worries: Studying Abroad in Perth, Western Australia

 

Observing Inclusive Education in Italy

A special education course led Robin to Italy, whose education and health care systems reflect the cultural attitudes towards integrating people with disabilities.

On Being a Fulbright Scholar in Russia

Anatoli Ilyashov, a Fulbright lecturer with multiple sclerosis, shared his techniques for documenting oral history with Russian students in Nizhni Novgorod. Anatoli encourages other people with disabilities to apply for Fulbright grants.

Organizational Development in Kingston, Jamaica

Carly Panchura is the past vice president of the Western New York-Jamaica chapter of Partners of the Americas. She later attended the School of Public Health at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Pushing Beyond Limits (Argentina)

Cheri Blauwet, a wheelchair user and Paralympic gold medalist in wheelchair racing, writes about her college study abroad experience to Argentina on a National Security Exchange Program Boren Scholarship. Published in Abroad View.

Reflections from my International Visitor Program to the U.S.

Well Zhao participated in a whirlwind tour of the United States to learn how American organizations and institutions are including people with disabilities in educational, recreational and leadership opportunities. Mr. Zhao is from China and is an amputee who uses a prosthetic.

Researching Spain’s Vibrant Past and Present

Radwan Daoud, a student at New York University who uses a wheelchair, earned a study grant to research one of Spain's historical figures in Madrid. While there, he learned about municipal efforts to make the city and its cultural treasures more accessible to people with disabilities.

Simon Says, "Teach Abroad in France, It’s Unforgettable"

Melissa Mitchell shares lessons she took away from her position as a foreign language assistant in Rennes, France. As a wheelchair user, she was an asset to the program, which desired a fresh perspective in inclusive teaching.

Sin Patria Accesible…La Democracia es Imposible

Jenny Kern, who is on the board of directors of the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund in California, USA, and uses a wheelchair, conducted trainings in Costa Rica as a participant in a professional exchange program.

Spain: A Turning Point

Mike Meier was a business and economics student at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon when he studied abroad. He currently is a professional living in Oregon.

Speaking Up: Critical Language Study in Russia

Joseph Ford, a graduate student from Illinois, USA, who has cerebral palsy and is a wheelchair user, studied Russian at a university in Russia under the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program.

Summer Study of Business and Politics in Strasbourg, France

Anne Marie, who uses a wheelchair for mobility, shares her thoughts about her study abroad experience to France in June 2008.

The Fulbright Experience in the U.S.

Smita Worah, from India, was presented with a Fulbright Student Fellowship to study special education at Pennsylvania State University in the United States. As a woman with a physical disability who uses a wheelchair, she learned about U.S. disability laws first-hand.

The Spirit of Volunteerism

Musenyente Elijah, a professional from Uganda, who uses a wheelchair, learned about volunteerism and disability issues when visiting various U.S. states as an International Visitor Leadership Program participant.

This is Much Bigger Than I Am: Taking a Global View on Disability

African studies student Rob Hurtekant, an American wheelchair user with Spina Bifida, launched a volunteer program at a special education school while studying a foreign language through the Fulbright-Hays program at the University of Cape Town.

Tips for Overseas Travel to Costa Rica

Tracee Garner was a delegate on the Costa Rica Leadership, Diversity and Disability Rights Exchange, funded by the DeWitt Wallace/Youth Travel Enrichment Fund, established by the co-founder of the Reader’s Digest Association.

Tips for Wheelchair Users Spending Time in Russia

Compiled from the wisdom and experience of Bruce Curtis, World Institute on Disability, and Mobility International USA staff.