Going to college was not optional — I had to go. I knew I was smart, and being Deaf couldn’t be an excuse to not go.

Once in college, I realized that I had not yet taken that bigger step — making choices for myself. Looking over things I could try, I came upon the idea of studying abroad. I thought it was an excellent opportunity provided by my university, not to mention a great chance to get a reality check.

Disability services offices across the country are asking themselves whether or not to provide accommodations for Deaf and hard of hearing students who hope to travel abroad through educational exchange programs. For the Disability Resource Center at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), the question was not whether to provide overseas accommodations, but how.

As a visitor from England to the U.S., Portia recalls striking differences in U.S. culture and the academic accommodations she received for depression.