Statistics on International Exchange & Disability
Hard to find statistics on people with disabilities participation in overseas study at the college level.
Table of Contents
Satisfaction of U.S. College Study Abroad Students who Use Disability Services
Satisfaction with Disability Supports Overseas
Demographics of U.S. Study Abroad Students by Disability Type
Percentage of Senior Students in Each Disability Category on Campus that Studied Abroad
Satisfaction of U.S. College Study Abroad Students who Use Disability Services
(From i-graduate’s International Student Barometer 2010, a globally benchmarked study of international students)
Overall Satisfaction
- The majority (78%) of U.S. study abroad college students who use disability services reported they are satisfied with overall learning, living and support services overseas.
- Compared to other students in the survey, those who use disability
services give only slightly lower ratings to learning, living and
support when studying abroad. Support overseas shows the
greatest difference (77% vs. 84%).
This is based on over 175 students who use disability services vs. 4200 other students in the survey.
Satisfaction with Disability Supports Overseas
- 91% satisfaction with counseling support
- 89% satisfaction with disability services
- 87% satisfaction with the health centers
- 76% satisfaction with learning support
Highest Satisfaction
- Similar to other students in the survey, study abroad students who use disability services give the highest satisfaction ratings (over 90%) to expert lecturers, research, multiculturalism, clubs/societies and safety in the host country.
Lower Satisfaction
- Study abroad students who use disability services are least satisfied with financial support (41%). Other American college study abroad students in the survey rate satisfaction with financial support at 54%.
- Other areas where students who use disability services are less satisfied (more than 10%) than other U.S. study abroad respondents include: libraries, flexibility in the learning environment, and managing research.
This is based on a smaller number of students in all categories, except financial support.
Demographics of U.S. Study Abroad Students by Disability Type
(From the National Survey on Student Engagement, 2010 online survey of first and senior year post-secondary students in the United States)
Key Findings (based on # of survey respondents reported below)
- U.S. college seniors with sensory, mobility, medical or "other" types of disabilities are more likely to be underrepresented in study abroad.
- U.S. college seniors with disabilities who studied abroad are more likely to be a military veteran. They are also more likely to be part-time status in college than study abroad students with no disability.
- Among U.S. college seniors who have studied abroad, the percentage who have taken foreign language courses (between 70-80%) remains the same regardless of disability status.
- U.S. college seniors with mental, learning and developmental disabilities who studied abroad are slightly more likely to be white and have parents with a college education compared with other study abroad respondents. They are also similarly represented in study abroad compared to non-disabled students.
- U.S. college seniors with sensory, mobility or "other" types of
disabilities are less likely than other study abroad respondents to be white, female and have parents with a college education (although the majority still fit these categories).
Percentage of Senior Students in Each Disability Category on Campus that Studied Abroad
Non-Disabled - 16.3%
Overall Disability – 15.2%
Learning - 17.8%
Developmental – 16.1%
Mental – 15.4%
Sensory – 13.8%
Medical – 12.7%
Mobility – 10.4%
Other - 10.7%
Bolded items show statistics that are more significant (e.g. greater
than or lesser than) in that category compared to the same item in other
disabilities.
No Disabilities
(Total = 24081 senior study abroad respondents)
76% of all seniors studying abroad in the NSSE survey
2% are military veterans
6% part-time status
18% had a mother & 20% a father who did not attend college
34% Arts/Humanities & 26% Social Sciences majors (Primary and secondary majors combined)
73% White, 7% Asian, Less 5% in rest of categories or did not respond
70% Female Students, 30% Male Students
74% have completed foreign language course
94% have 3.0 GPA or higher
Sensory Disabilities
(Total = 543 senior study abroad respondents)
2% of all seniors studying abroad in the NSSE survey
7% are military veterans
9% part-time status
20% had a mother & 22% a father who did not attend college
37% Arts/Humanities & 31% Social Sciences majors (Primary and secondary majors combined)
66% White, 6% Asian, 6% Black, Less 5% in rest of categories or did not respond
63% Female Students, 37% Male Students
74% have completed foreign language course
90% have 3.0 GPA or higher
Mental Disabilities
(Total = 618 senior study abroad respondents)
2% of all seniors studying abroad in the NSSE survey
5% are military veterans
10% part-time status
13% had a mother & 19% a father who did not attend college
52% Arts/Humanities & 34% Social Sciences majors (Primary and secondary majors combined)
78% White, 5% Multiracial, Less 2% in rest of categories or did not respond
79% Female Students, 21% Male Students
80% have completed foreign language course
92% have 3.0 GPA or higher
Mobility Disabilities
(Total = 153 senior study abroad respondents)
0.5% of all seniors studying abroad in the NSSE survey
24% are military veterans
28% part-time status
27% had a mother & 29% a father who did not attend college
39% Arts/Humanities & 29% Social Sciences majors (Primary and secondary majors combined)
54% White, 8% Multiracial, 7% Native American, Less 5% in rest of categories or did not respond
60% Female Students, 40% Male Students
75% have completed foreign language course
88% have 3.0 GPA or higher
Medical Disabilities
(Total = 338 senior study abroad respondents)
1 % of all seniors studying abroad in the NSSE survey
14% are military veterans
17% part-time status
22% had a mother & 24% a father who did not attend college
36% Arts/Humanities & 29% Social Sciences majors (Primary and secondary majors combined)
70% White, 7% Black, Less 5% in rest of categories or did not respond
70% Female Students, 30% Male Students
76% have completed foreign language course
89% have 3.0 GPA or higher
Learning Disabilities
(Total = 699 senior study abroad respondents)
2% of all seniors studying abroad in the NSSE survey
3% are military veterans
7% part-time status
12% had a mother & 16% a father who did not attend college
36% Arts/Humanities & 31% Social Sciences majors (Primary and secondary majors combined)
74% White, 4% Multiracial, Less 4% in rest of categories or did not respond
69% Female Students, 31% Male Students
70% have completed foreign language course
82% have 3.0 GPA or higher
Developmental Disabilities
(Total = 710 senior study abroad respondents)
2% of all seniors studying abroad in the NSSE survey
3% are military veterans
10% part-time status
12% had a mother & 15% a father who did not attend college
39% Arts/Humanities & 29% Social Sciences majors (Primary and secondary majors combined)
79% White, 4% Multiracial, Less 4% in rest of categories or did not respond
63% Female Students, 37% Male Students
74% have completed foreign language course
84% have 3.0 GPA or higher
“Other” Disabilities
(Total = 123 senior study abroad respondents)
0.4% of all seniors studying abroad in the NSSE survey
12% are military veterans
16% part-time status
31% had a mother & 32% a father who did not attend college
33% Arts/Humanities & 31% Social Sciences majors (Primary and secondary majors combined)
55% White, 7% Black, Less 5% in rest of categories or did not respond
63% Female Students, 37% Male Students
74% have completed foreign language course
86% have 3.0 GPA or higher
