The International Visitor (IV) Leadership Program brings foreign professionals to the United States to meet their counterparts and to gain a greater understanding of U.S. culture and society. The goal is to create greater understanding between U.S. citizens and people of the world.

The visitors are rising professionals and future leaders in a variety of fields, including politics, journalism, business, education, and others. The IV Program seeks to expose the visitors to the cultural, ethnic, economic, and geographic diversity of the United States while providing them with an understanding of the U.S. policymaking process. More than 200 current and former heads of state had participated in the program earlier in their career.

The United States Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs sponsors and administers the IV Program and U.S. embassies abroad select participants for the program. Under contract with the State Department, several nonprofit organizations in Washington, DC, implement the program. These National Program Agencies arrange professional appointments for the visitors in Washington, DC. They also work with approximately 100 volunteer-based groups around the country that are part of the National Council for International Visitors (NCIV); these councils organize programs in their local communities.

Participants in the IV Program may come either individually or as part of a group consisting of other participants from their country or region, or from all over the world. Their visits can range from 15 to 28 days. Most visitors spend a week in Washington, DC before traveling to communities around the country, where they spend a few days in each locale meeting professional counterparts.

Meridian International Center has organized several programs for and about people with disabilities. Some programs have specifically focused on disability issues. For instance, as a Meridian staff member, I assisted with organizing the largest single project for people with disabilities, a program for 25 women. Part of their program involved participation in the International Leadership Forum for Women with Disabilities. Other colleagues in the IV Program have had one or two visitors with disabilities as part of a larger group, such as a group focusing on trade and economic development.

Some people involved with the IV Program – from the contact at the American embassy who nominates participants to the local organization that hosts participants – may not be familiar with disability issues or the logistics of implementing a project for people with disabilities. It can also be challenging to design a program on the topic of disability, as there are different types of disabilities. A colleague recently implemented a program for a person who is blind and a person who is Deaf, both of whom had very different professional interests and logistical needs. Disability organizations can be useful resources in preparing inclusive programs for people with different types of disabilities and in thinking about the logistics involved.

In our disability-related programs, the segment that is held in Washington, DC, includes an overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and may include an overview of our federal system of government, to give participants a background in U.S. disability issues. Meetings are arranged with national disability rights groups. Appointments with faculty and administrators at Gallaudet University are arranged for visitors who are Deaf.

Ensuring that visitors with disabilities have the full IV experience requires thoughtful program planning. People with whom they will be meeting may need to be sensitized to disability issues if they are less experienced in this area. Some local councils for international visitors (CIVs) have experience in hosting visitors with disabilities, but the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE) is available to provide assistance to CIVs that may have less experience. A good IV Program on disability issues will include site visits to places that are accessible to people with disabilities (grocery stores, playgrounds, independent living centers, hospitals, museums with exhibits on disabilities, summer camps, schools, etc.) to give an idea of what has been done in the United States. It may be appropriate to include a meeting with an architect who has retrofitted buildings to comply with the ADA. It is important for international visitors to see that people with disabilities are not segregated, as may be the case in many other societies. This concept is enhanced by having them meet people with disabilities who work in nondisability-related professions. They also benefit from meeting parent groups, looking at adaptive equipment, and visiting cities that are at different levels of disability awareness.

The logistical aspects can provide a challenge, especially when there is more than one visitor with a disability. It is important to budget for reasonable accommodations to ensure that the participation of people with disabilities is built into the program. Also be thinking about the particular needs of each visitor during the orientation process to assure inclusion. For instance, visitors are provided funds to cover their hotel and meals during their stay. This money is converted into traveler’s checks, a new experience for many visitors; staff should be aware of how the orientation needs of people who are blind may be different. It is also important to have accurate communication about an individual’s need for disability-related accommodations. Sometimes the information received from the U.S. embassies on the extent of visitors’ disabilities or their need for accommodations is limited or inaccurate. In order to avoid the need for last-minute arrangements, it’s a good idea to find out as much as possible about accommodations needs ahead of time. An accommodations checklist can assist in this process.

Other things to think about include:

• Budget sufficient time between meetings to allow for transportation and restroom stops as well as the exhaustion that can easily occur with a busy schedule.
• Make sure meeting spaces are accessible, both in terms of entering the buildings and the size and layout of the conference rooms.
• Locate hotels with enough accessible rooms and transportation companies that can accommodate people who use wheelchairs. For visitors with disabilities traveling on an individual program, you will need to find a rental car or van that is accessible (see Easter Seals Project Action Database).
• Contact airlines, airports, and other national transportation providers you will be using to discuss accommodations arrangements for people with disabilities. Travel agencies with experience assisting people with disabilities can help with this.
• Make arrangements for personal assistants that may be needed by visitors and don’t assume that others can fill in for this service instead. Contact local independent living centers to locate personal assistants and other resources.

The Department of State’s Office of Language Services provides language interpreters for those visitors who do not speak fluent English. It also provides English Language Officers for visitors who speak English but are not comfortable traveling around the country on their own. Language Services does not provide sign language interpreters; they are hired from professional agencies. International Visitors who are Deaf may not use American Sign Language, so you will need to make appropriate interpreting arrangements. Another thing to consider is that cultural and linguistic differences arise as some languages do not have more than one word for disabled, making the nuances of America’s disability community hard to translate.

Planning ahead of time for inclusion in international programs is well worth the effort. Participants are impressed with how far the United States has come under the ADA. They take home ideas for improving access and rights for people with disabilities in their country along with renewed vigor for their work. The IV Program is a true exchange. Americans, including those arranging the programs for the visitors, learn about people with disabilities and the conditions in the participants’ countries, while visitors get a better understanding of American society and culture.

National Council for International Visitors
1420 K Street, NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20005-2401 USA
Tel: (202) 842-1414
Fax: (202) 289-4625
E-mail: nciv@nciv.org

Tips for Councils for International Visitors and Other Exchange Staff: Planning for Participants with Disabilities

Assess Accommodations Needs:

• Get as much information about the needs of each visitor as possible from the national program agency.
• For wheelchair users, find out if they use a manual or electric. Is it foldable or not? Do they need a van with a wheelchair lift or can they transfer from their wheelchair into a car?
• For visitors with visual impairments, find out if they want their schedule materials in Braille, audiocassette, large print or text documents on a diskette.
• If the visitors are Deaf, do they understand American Sign Language or are they bringing their own sign language interpreter?
• If you have questions about accommodations needs for any type of disability, contact disability organizations or the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE). NCDE can also provide information on where to obtain accommodations checklists that can assist in this process.

Lodging:

• When making local hotel reservations, request a wheelchair accessible room for a visitor who uses a wheelchair. Find out if the visitor needs a tub with a bench or a roll-in shower.
• Request an ADA kit for a visitor who is Deaf. An ADA kit usually includes a TTY for the telephone, a blinking light to attach to the smoke alarm and the door, and a vibrating pillow alarm clock.

Locate Local Disability Resources:

• Know how to contact your local independent living center (ILC), a resource center run by and for people with disabilities. Services they may be able to help with include: equipment rental or loan, if a wheelchair, crutches, shower bench or other item is needed for a visitor; locating personal assistants, sign interpreters and people trained to provide mobility orientation for people who are blind; referral to places that can provide Braille materials; information on accessible transportation providers; and advice for program participants on accessibility in the local community.

Logistics:

• Begin planning early. If you are unfamiliar with hosting a person with a disability, you will need to give yourself time to learn as you go.
• Research your local accessible transportation options and keep for future use.
• Schedule extra time to load/unload the van or for walking distances in between program meetings and during meal breaks. Add an extra 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of the delegation.
• Make sure meeting locations are accessible and find out about the best parking and the accessible entrances to the buildings.
• Find out about the room layout, including whether the tables or chairs are movable to accommodate space for wheelchair users or to allow for a circle format for discussions that will include people who are Deaf.
• Check with the Department of Motor Vehicles in your state to apply for a disability parking permit that will allow vehicles from your organization to park in disabled parking spaces when you have visitors with mobility impairments.
• Contact the NCDE to find out about local disability organizations, how to find accessible homestay families and many other resources.

Other Guidelines:

• In the United States, generally, people with disabilities prefer to use the term “people with disabilities” rather than the word “handicapped.” Please encourage the use of this terminology by any volunteers, staff and community members that will meet the visitors.
• Once the delegation arrives, treat visitors with disabilities just as you would any other visitors. Address them individually if you have questions about their needs rather than asking others in the delegation.

Questions for CIV’s about Disability Inclusion

Did you know that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to all individuals with disabilities in the United States, not just citizens? This means that international visitors with disabilities have the right to appropriate services at hotels, transportation companies and access to public buildings and programs.

NCIV and the US Department of State’s International Visitors program are working to increase the number of international visitors with disabilities coming to the US. Please prepare your CIV to accept these visitors by working to answer “yes” to the questions below.

• Does your CIV have experience hosting international visitors with disabilities? 
• Are any of your CIV board members, volunteers, interns or staff individuals with disabilities?  
• Do any of your home hospitality hosts have disabilities? 
• Do you currently track which hospitality homes are wheelchair accessible or families who know sign language? 
• Are you prepared to plan a successful program for an international visitor who is Deaf, blind or uses a wheelchair arriving next month?
• Is your CIV office accessible to individuals who use wheelchairs?   
• Do you know how to use the 711 service anywhere in the US or your state toll-free relay number to call an individual who is Deaf?
• Do you know a resource to arrange for a van with a wheelchair lift for a visitor arriving next month?   
• Do you know how to arrange for a sign language interpreter for a visitor arriving next month?
• Do you know where to Braille the schedule for a visitor arriving in 2 weeks?
• Do you know which local hotel has the best access for visitors who are Deaf, Blind or use wheelchairs?   
• Do you know the best place to rent or borrow a wheelchair for a visitor who needs one?
• Does the CIV diversity policy state that it includes people with disabilities?
• Do you know a local disability organization you can contact to find these answers?

For more information on answering these questions contact:

The National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange

Tel/TTY: (541) 343-1284

Fax: (541) 343-6812

E-mail: clearinghouse@miusa.org