Advising International Individuals with Specific Disabilities
Read below for tips on advising people with various types of disabilities who are interested in coming to the United States for international Exchange.
Considerations for People who are Blind or Low Vision
Disability Information
People with vision disabilities experience many types and degrees of visual impairment. A person described as legally blind (20/200 vision or greater) may be able to read large print and navigate without mobility aids in many or all situations. Some individuals are able to perceive light, darkness and color, while others are not. With some types of vision disabilities, an individual’s vision may be better on one day than another, depending on fatigue and other factors. It is difficult to generalize about people with vision disabilities because of the wide range of causes and dates of onset. See Building Bridges: A Manual on Including People with Disabilities in International Exchange for more information on Blind/Low Vision communication tips, common misconceptions, technological adaptations, personal services and more.
Academic Accommodations commonly used in the United States include:
- Access to textbooks and classroom materials in large print, Braille, on tape and/or in electronic format
- Access to technology, including screen-reading and screen-magnification software and a refreshable Braille display for schoolwork, email and Internet use
- Access to class notes, readers and note takers
- Access to a CCTV or document camera to enlarge diagrams used in subjects such as chemistry, physics, biology, and earth science
- Access to a handheld CCTV (handheld electronic magnifier)
- Large print or Braille labels for keyboard
- Permission to sit in preferred seat in classroom
- Extra time during classroom assignments and tests
More information and resources on arranging orientation and mobility
training, requesting alternative print formats, using public
transportation, and more, are available in the online tipsheet, Blind Visitors to the United States: What You Need to Know.
High School Students
Most students with vision disabilities in the United States, including high school exchange students with vision disabilities, attend mainstream public high schools. Accommodations are available to blind or low vision high school students to ensure that they have access to classroom materials as well as school-sponsored activities.
Although most American high school students who are blind or low vision attend a mainstream public high school, some students, including some international exchange students, attend a public School for the Blind in the United States where they have access to a full range of adaptive equipment and software and Orientation and Mobility (O&M) training, and an opportunity to learn alongside blind and low vision peers.
During advising, it may be useful to describe the different school options available to students who are blind or low vision (i.e. mainstream public high school versus School for the Blind). Some students are open to attending mainstream public high schools with or without other blind students, whereas other students may prefer to be placed at a School for the Blind. These students may prefer the social and academic experience of studying with other students who share their disability. Although not all exchange students who are blind/low vision will have a choice with regard to their school placement, it is important to communicate the full range of options available in the United States. The National Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments (NAPVI) maintains a list of Schools for the Blind in the United States.
Post-Secondary Students
Unlike at the primary and secondary education level, there are no colleges or universities specifically designed for individuals who are blind or low vision in the United States, although there are some schools and centers for secondary school students that also provide adult education courses. Students who are blind or low vision generally are mainstreamed at all U.S. post-secondary institutions, so prospective international students should select an institution based on the same factors as non-disabled students (e.g. academic interests, extra-curricular activities, etc.).
Once a prospective student has a narrowed list of possible institutions, she or he may wish to consider the size and location of each college and university as access to public transportation and other services for community members who are blind or low vision varies across the United States.
In some cases, it is useful for people who are blind or low vision to arrive in the United States earlier than the start of classes, so that they can get accustomed to their environment and/or arrange for training on new assistive technologies. In some cases this has been done in conjunction with English language programs.
Students may also wish to learn about the diversity of alternative forms and assistive technology used by people in the United States who are blind or low vision. See Providing Information in Alternative Formats and Assistive Technology Information for International Students who are Blind and Have Low Vision for more information.
Considerations for People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Disability Information
Hearing disabilities affect people of all ages and can occur at any age. The degree of loss ranges from mild to very significant. Each individual’s adjustment to hearing loss is different, depending on the degree and type of loss, the age of onset and individual coping skills. Some people with hearing disabilities can be assisted by hearing aids, while other types of hearing disabilities cannot be corrected.
People with mild hearing loss may be able to participate in group and individual conversations with little adaptation. People with more significant hearing disabilities usually have difficulty understanding speech from a distance of more than a few feet and may not be able to follow group conversations, with or without the aid of an amplifier. People with profound hearing disabilities cannot interpret oral language and speech, even with amplification of sound. See Building Bridges: A Manual on Including People with Disabilities in International Exchange for more information on Deaf/Hard of Hearing communication tips, common misconceptions, technological adaptations, personal services and more.
Academic Accommodations commonly used in the United States include:
- American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters
- Classrooms equipped with assistive listening systems, including FM loop systems
- Access to lecture notes and/or note takers
- Access to real-time captioning (typed notes of a classroom lecture or discussion as it occurs)
- Access to closed captions during television viewing in the classroom
American Sign Language (ASL)
Individuals whose first or primary language is sign language may wish
to begin learning American Sign Language (ASL) prior to their arrival
in the United States. This is especially helpful for students who are
planning to study at a high school, college or university with the
assistance of an ASL interpreter, or at a high school, college or
university where ASL is the language of instruction. The following
resources are designed for self-guided learning and to help students
look up signs and phrases, etc.
For students with regular access
to the Internet in their home countries, the following online resources
are a good starting point for exploring ASL:
- ASL University provides resources online for learning ASL including fingerspelling tests and free ASL terminology lessons with videos.
- ASL Pro
is a free online dictionary intended for teachers, but is useful for
looking up signs. Other resources available at ASLPro include video
dictionaries, vocabulary grouped by function, mouth morphemes, and ASL
poems and songs. ASL Pro also advertises the world’s first ASL video
dictionary that can be added to a mobile phone.
- Michigan State University has an online ASL Browser that allows you to select vocabulary and see a video of the related ASL sign.
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders provides an overview of ASL and Deaf culture in the United States in FAQ format and links to Deaf organizations throughout the U.S.
- Deaf Linx lists websites ideal for learning more about ASL, ASL-English interpreting, Deaf culture and more.
- SigningOnline.com offers online courses and a searchable dictionary.
- Signing Savvy
is an online sign language video dictionary that contains several
thousand high resolution videos of ASL signs, finger-spelled words, and
other signs commonly used within the United States.
- West Wood ASL is an online resource with video practice for those wanting to learn about ASL and Deaf culture.
- A list of additional ASL resources can be found through the Laurent Clerc Center.
Students with Internet access may also wish to purchase an ASL
dictionary and/or CD-Rom tutorial for times when Internet access is
limited. The resources below are helpful for students who have access to
a computer with a CD-Rom drive or mobile phone, but do not have
reliable Internet access:
- Random House Webster’s Concise ASL Dictionary
- American Sign Language Dictionary
- ASL tutorial software with CD-ROM such as: http://www.harriscomm.com/index.php/cd144.html
- ASL video dictionary that can be added to a mobile phone (your phone service will charge a connection fee for accessing these video files).
For students who do not have computer or Internet access, a print dictionary or phrase book may be a useful resource. A list of ASL Dictionaries can be found at: http://library.rit.edu/pubs/guides/signdict.html#as. Note that print dictionaries and phrase books cannot provide instruction on how to inflect certain signs.
Students may also wish to learn about the diversity of assistive technology used by people in the United States who are Deaf or hard of hearing. See Accessible Communication for People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing for more information.
High School Students
In the United States, mainstream public high schools are inclusive of students who are Deaf or hard of hearing. That means that accommodations are available to Deaf and hard of hearing high school students to ensure that they have access to classroom lectures and discussions as well as all school-sponsored activities.
Although most American high school students who are Deaf or hard of hearing attend a mainstream public high school, some students who are Deaf, including some international exchange students, attend a public School for the Deaf in the United States where American Sign Language (ASL) is a language of instruction, often alongside English, and students have an opportunity to learn alongside their Deaf and hard of hearing peers.
During advising, it may be useful to describe the different school options available to Deaf students (i.e. mainstream public high school versus School for the Deaf). Some students are open to attending mainstream public high schools with or without other Deaf students, whereas other students may prefer to be placed at a School for the Deaf where the learning takes place directly from a teacher using ASL, rather than through an interpreter. These students may prefer the social and academic experience of immersion in a Deaf environment. Although not all Deaf exchange students will have a choice with regard to their school placement, it is important to communicate the full range of options available in the United States. The Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center at Gallaudet University maintains a list of Schools for the Deaf in the United States.
Post-Secondary Students
In the United States, post-secondary institutions are also inclusive of students who are Deaf or hard of hearing and most college students who are Deaf or hard of hearing attend a mainstream college or university. In addition to the accommodations available to high school students who are Deaf or hard of hearing (see above), students also may have access to educational support services such as tutoring, personal and career counseling, and academic advising.
Although all U.S. colleges and universities provide accommodations to Deaf and hard of hearing students, some American college students and international exchange students who are Deaf choose to study at a college or university where American Sign Language (ASL) is a language of instruction, often alongside English, and where there is a significant population of Deaf and hard of hearing students. In the United States, these include Gallaudet University, the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) at Rochester Institute for Technology, California State University at Northridge, Ohlone College and others.
Considerations for People with Mobility Disabilities
Disability Information
People with mobility disabilities who use walkers, crutches, canes, prostheses or other aids often have varying ability levels. They may be able to walk shorter distances unassisted, find it easier to walk on some days than others, or find navigating uneven, wet, slippery or cluttered walking surfaces more difficult to walk on than others. See Building Bridges: A Manual on Including People with Disabilities in International Exchange for information on considerations for individuals with different types of mobility disabilities, including adaptive equipment, personal services and more.
Information on disability resources in the U.S., including equipment repair and independent living, are available in the online tipsheet, International Students with Disabilities Accessing Community Resources. Assistive technology and equipment that may be useful for international students with disabilities in packing for their U.S. experience or bringing items to make their adjustment to a new living spaces can be found in Packing for Easier Travel with a Mobility Disability.
High School Students
In the United States, high school students with mobility disabilities, including exchange students with mobility disabilities, attend mainstream public high schools. As all public high schools are required to physically accessible to students with disabilities, there are no high schools specifically designed for individuals who have mobility disabilities in the United States.
Post-Secondary Students
Likewise, there are no U.S. colleges or universities specifically designed for individuals who have mobility disabilities. Prospective international students with mobility disabilities should select an institution based on the same factors as non-disabled students (e.g. academic interests, geographic location, size, extra-curricular activities, etc.). See Advising Students, Scholars and Professionals with Disabilities for Exchange to the United States for more information on accessibility at U.S. colleges and universities.
Considerations for Individuals with Non-Apparent Disabilities
Disability Information
Non-apparent disability is an umbrella term that includes learning disabilities, mental health-related disabilities, epilepsy, diabetes, environmental and chemical sensitivity, food allergy, brain injury, autism, Attention Deficit Disorder/ Hyperactive Disorder (AD/HD) and many other conditions. See Building Bridges: A Manual on Including People with Disabilities in International Exchange for information on considerations for individuals with different types of non-apparent disabilities, including medications, personal services and more.
High School and Post-Secondary Students
The vast majority of individuals who have learning, mental health or chronic health-related disabilities are mainstreamed at U.S. high schools, colleges and universities. There are no secondary or post-secondary schools specifically designed for individuals with these types of disabilities, with the exception of a few specialized high school programs for students with significant or multiple learning, cognitive, behavioral and/or social disabilities. Rather, accommodations are provided to ensure that all students have access to educational materials and learning in the regular classroom. Accommodations commonly used include:
- Highlighted textbooks
- Extended time on tests or assignments
- Peer assistance with note taking
- Frequent feedback
- Extra set of textbooks for home use
- Computer aided instruction
- Enlarged print
- Positive reinforcements
- Behavior intervention plans
- Rearranging class schedules
- Visual aids
- Preferred seating assignments
- Taping lectures
- Oral tests
- Individual contracts
Although efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, MIUSA/NCDE cannot be held liable for inaccuracy, misinterpretation or complaints arising from these listings. Mention of an organization, company, service or resource should not be construed as an endorsement by MIUSA/NCDE. Please advise NCDE of any inaccuracies you may find.
