Bethany Kuwitzky has been on both sides of the disclosure issue both as a participant and as an international educator. In this article she shares her tips for encouraging participants to disclose their disabilities.
Most students will not automatically feel comfortable disclosing aspects of their identity to staff and faculty. This includes disabilities, goals, and experiences. It is so important that international exchange professionals create spaces for students so that they feel safe to disclose anything about themselves that might impact their experience abroad. As someone who has experience both as an exchange participant with an autoimmune disability and now as an international education professional herself, here are Bethany’s suggestions for creating such spaces:
One-on-One Situations
- Ask students what they like to do to relax. After a student responds, I usually chime with a blurb I have in my back pocket:
- “I have an autoimmune disease so for me, relaxing depends on the severity of my symptoms, but usually I like to bake.”
I doubt the student cares what I do in my free time (we’re not there to talk about me), but in those first 5 words, I am sharing something about myself that makes me appear more vulnerable and open, and this can sometimes create a safe space for students.
- When talking about a program or university, highlight any resources they offer for disability accommodations or support. “For example, if I am looking at a partner provider program, I will go to their accommodation pages and discuss the support they can offer for specific things. I also usually mention here that I didn’t have this type of accommodation while studying abroad and follow up with how great it would have been to have university support during disease flareups. Again, this creates a space where they feel they can learn more about you, and hopefully that will help them feel safer opening up.”
In Larger Group Settings (e.g. Pre-Departure Orientations)
- Give anonymous examples of how accommodation support has helped previous students with disabilities.
- Be clear that the purpose of disclosure is to aid the student, and not to deem them unfit or different. Make sure students know that disclosing a disability will not affect their ability to study abroad.
- Assure students that they may choose to use accommodations or not, but that it might be useful to learn what accommodations exist before making a decision. Many countries offer better support for students with disabilities than the United States, so U.S. students might find that they appreciate the accommodations they use abroad more than they do at home.
- Remind students that on-campus disability support follows them abroad.
- If students don’t feel comfortable disclosing to you directly, encourage them to reach out to their on-campus disability office.
