It is a story that we see often. An exchange program gets a student with a disability asking about wheelchair access, ASL interpreters, or personal assistance, the program is just weeks out and the staff are caught like deer in the headlights scurrying around to make it work.
But what if we could imagine an alternative story, in which the student’s inquiry triggers a standard built in procedure for reasonable accommodations? The advisor has a basic working knowledge of disability issues, knows who in the organization is responsible for what, and there is a source of funding where it is needed.
At MIUSA, we are always imagining new ways, which is why you will find us at Institute of International Education’s 2016 Generation Study Abroad Summit, presenting in collaboration with CIEE and Johns Hopkins University on how exchange professionals can create inclusive programs for everyone. We will be sharing best practices, which have been developed by our organization in collaboration with our partners and allies over more than 20 years.
We hope you will join us in Washington, DC this October as we imagine a world of international exchange built from the ground up for inclusion.
