Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): A federal US-based law established in 1990 that protects people with disabilities from discrimination in employment, public accommodations, transportation, telecommunications, and activities of state and local government.
Person with a Disability: The ADA defines a person with a disability as 1) someone with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, 2) someone with a record of such impairment or 3) someone who is regarded or perceived as having such an impairment. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the same protections that are provided in the United States on the basis of race, sex, national origin and religion now also apply to disability.
Foreign citizens with disabilities are also protected by the ADA while in the United States, protecting their right to participate in regular activities and to enjoy the same opportunities as their non-disabled peers.
Mainstream: The process of placing a student with a disability in a regular classroom as oposed to special education.
Special Schools: Schools specifically for children with certain disabilities e.g. schools for the Blind, schools for the Deaf, schools for children with learning disabilities, and many other types of disabilities.
Reasonable Accommodation: Any modification or adjustment that will enable a qualified applicant or participant with a disability to participate in the application process or to perform essential functions of the program. Reasonable accommodation also includes adjustments to ensure that a qualified individual with a disability has rights and privileges equal to those of participants who do not have disabilities.
To determine whether an accommodation is "reasonable", it is easier to define what is not reasonable and assume that if the accommodation needed does not clearly fall under those guidelines, it is probably reasonable! There are three kinds of accommodations that are not considered reasonable: (1) If making the accommodation or allowing participation poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others; (2) If making the accommodation means making a substantial change in an essential element of the curriculum (educational viewpoint) or a substantial alteration in the manner in which you provide your services; and (3) If it poses an undue financial or administrative burden. For more information, read the free publication Rights & Responsibilities: A Guide to National and International Disability-Related Laws for International Exchange Organizations and Participants.
Cross-disability: The term cross-disability includes people with cognitive, hearing, learning, psychiatric, physical, systemic, vision and other disabilities. People working and thinking from a cross-disability perspective consider the widest variety of possible disabilities and disability-related needs when planning programs, policies and recruiting for participants.
Mobility International USA (MIUSA): Since 1981, MIUSA has been empowering people with disabilities around the world to achieve their human rights through international exchange and international development. As a U.S. based non-profit, MIUSA has been involved in:
- International exchange promoting cross-cultural understanding and providing leadership and disability rights training to people with disabilities;
- Consultation, resources and information promoting full participation of people with disabilities in international exchange opportunities and programs;
- Technical assistance and training to international development, relief and refugee agencies for the full inclusion of people with disabilities at every level of the development process.
National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE): The National clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange, a project of Mobility International USA sponsored by the United States Department of State Bureau of Educational and Affairs, is a comprehensive one-stop resource for people with disabilities, exchange and disability staff interested in study, work, intern, volunteer, research or teach abroad programs.