Introduction
When Mr. Avraham Rabby was selected as a U.S. Foreign Service Officer, he was the first blind person to serve. At the time, he spoke English and Hebrew, and during his career, he learned Spanish and French. Through the Foreign Service, Mr. Rabby experienced the world, completing seven jobs on five continents and witnessing historic events.
The National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE) encourages people who are blind or have visual impairments to learn a foreign language and pursue international travel with a purpose®. The NCDE works to increase access to these opportunities both at home and abroad. In their senior year of college, 53% of non-disabled students complete foreign language courses by their spring semester and 46% of blind or visually impaired students do, according to the National Survey on Student Engagement (2006).
The type of languages that one chooses to learn has an impact on competitiveness for future employment. Because of changing economic and geopolitical influences, more courses and scholarships are being offered for people interested in learning what the U.S. government calls “critical need languages,” such as Arabic, Chinese, Hindi/Urdu, Japanese, Korean, Persian/Farsi, Russian and Turkish. With the goal of increasing U.S. citizen’s skills in these languages, the U.S. federal government sponsors opportunities through the National Security Language Initiative’s (http://exchanges.state.gov/nsli) summer language institutes in the United States and abroad, or as added language enrichment funds for study abroad fellowships.
Sixty-three percent of U.S. employers indicate that by 2011 the scope of work will make foreign language and cultural skills increasingly important for high school and college graduates—more so than any other basic knowledge area or skill, according to a 2006 research study conducted in part by The Partnership for 21st Century Skills and The Society for Human Resource Management. The U.S. federal government requires 34,000 employees with foreign language skills, according to the Alliance for International Educational and Cultural Exchange. Foreign language speakers and translators are also needed in multi-national businesses, educational institutions, hospitals, scientific research, the media and other industries.
Knowing a foreign language also increases opportunities to meet people from different cultures who come to the United States, and to share experiences as one explores educational, sports, professional or volunteer opportunities in a foreign country. The goal of the NCDE is to provide information, referral and technical assistance to increase participation of people with disabilities in a variety of international exchange programs. Interests in foreign languages can be a motivator and asset for pursing these life-changing opportunities and international careers.
Purpose of the Informational Guide
The purpose of this informational guide is to support blind and low vision students to take a broad range of foreign language courses, from Arabic to Turkish, by providing the tools needed so that course materials can be accessed. This informational guide compiles information about the capability of commonly used assistive technology and software to handle foreign languages. Also, the informational guide includes guidance for locating audio, braille or large print materials in foreign languages, and tips on using readers and scribes. The Table of Contents allows one to browse this informational guide to find specific information. Helpful Hints are also provided throughout the document with useful supplementary material.
Intended Audience
The audience to find this information useful includes foreign language students who are blind or visually impaired, and the disability providers, paraprofessionals and teachers who work with them to create or obtain accessible formats and use assistive technology devices for their coursework.
Specific Focus
Primary emphasis of this informational guide is on accessing the reading and writing components of critical need languages including Arabic, Chinese, Hindi/Urdu, Japanese, Korean, Persian/Farsi, Russian, and Turkish. The information is also applicable to more commonly taught languages such as French, German, Italian and Spanish.
About the Publishers
The National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE), which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and administered by Mobility International USA, works to increase the participation and inclusion of people with disabilities in international exchange programs. Foreign language learning often leads to these overseas study, work, teaching and volunteer experiences. The NCDE can be contacted at: 1+ (541) 343-1284 (tel/tty), clearinghouse@miusa.org, or http://www.miusa.org/ncde.
Suggestions and Feedback
Readers are also encouraged to submit their experiences via email to: clearinghouse@miusa.org. As information and updates become available, the NCDE will revise and add to this free document.
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