Accommodations for High School Students with Disabilities Interested in Studying in the United States

By Jane Storms

International exchange offers exciting opportunities for students, families, communities and schools to learn, share and grow. As we continue toward educational globalization, students around the world leap at the chance to travel and study internationally. Students with disabilities should be encouraged to make these dreams a reality as well.

Nearly 100 organizations exist to help students achieve this thrilling cultural and educational experience. These exchange organizations consider a variety of criteria in selecting a placement for each student. While student criteria may vary from program to program, for educational exchange they typically include grade averages, school and community service, a willingness and desire to immerse in a new culture and language, open-mindedness, flexibility and adaptability. Host families and schools that volunteer to accept exchange students do so based on a number of factors. Weighing these factors, exchange programs attempt to strike a delicate balance that results in a successful match for the student, host family and school.

This article suggests strategies to maximize the success of educational exchanges for in-bound students with disabilities.

Educational Services for Students with Disabilities in the United States

Students with disabilities can expect the following while studying in the United States:

• Schools in the United States have an obligation to be physically accessible to students with disabilities.
• Specific supports and services for students with disabilities are determined on an individualized basis.
• Students with disabilities usually learn right alongside their non-disabled peers in schools and communities.
• While in some cultures having a disability results in a lack of opportunity, students with disabilities in the United States are experiencing more opportunities than ever before to be actively involved in all areas of life.

What Documentation Should an Exchange Student Bring?

When a student with a disability is accepted in an educational exchange program, he or she should bring to the United States copies of school records or descriptions of any educational supports and services he or she received in the home school. This information will help the exchange program staff make a good match with both a host family and school. Depending on the type of disability and how it affects the student in home, community and school life, various supports may need to be set up to make the experience most successful. These supports could include providing sign language interpretation or a personal assistant in the classroom or at the host home, access to adaptive technology or school counseling services, or connecting the student with disability-related resources in the host community, such as an independent living center or support groups.

Working Together for Success: Examples

• One student from Ukraine came to the United States and had a prosthetic hand in need of replacement. The exchange program staff was told, "He has a problem but don’t worry, he knows how to hide it." After the first few months, the student grew accustomed to life in the United States. Then, the exchange program staff asked if he wanted assistance replacing his prosthetic hand. Somewhat shyly, he agreed.
   
   Exchange personnel worked with the school to produce a student dance performance at the high school to raise money to purchase the new prosthesis. The exchange student’s physics class challenged one another to see who could raise the most money selling tickets. The principal agreed to serve as master of ceremonies at the dance and the exchange student ran the lighting system and took photographs. With the support of many teachers, students, and community members who attended, the event raised $10,000 for a new state-of-the-art prosthesis. The event increased the self-esteem of the students, and generated closeness between the school and community. Imagination, creativity and collaboration provided all the supports this student needed for a tremendously successful exchange, and the students at the host school learned valuable collaborative skills.
• Another exchange student came to the United States with a significant hearing impairment. The exchange program carefully considered her needs and matched her with a family living in a community with both a school for students who are Deaf or hard of hearing, and a mainstream high school where American Sign Language is an approved foreign language course. This provided the opportunity for the student to attend the school for students who are hearing impaired for most of her coursework, allowing full access to direct sign language instruction and socializing with American peers who are Deaf. She also attended the other high school for some classes, where many of the students were learning sign language. Again, creativity and maximizing existing resources resulted in a successful and diverse experience for the student, her peers, the host family and the schools involved.

Conclusion

International exchange is a wonderful opportunity to expand knowledge and skills while exploring another culture. High school students with disabilities are encouraged to ask about the kinds of programs available to them. Once a program has been selected, it is important to ask about the accommodations that may be available while studying in the United States. Students should be prepared to provide documentation of their disabilities, as well as information on the types of supports and services they have received in their home country. Students and program coordinators should be flexible and creative when addressing accommodation issues and finding a school and family that fits the student’s interests.