Supporting Students with Disabilities on Study Abroad: What Host Institutions Need to Know

Conference: The Asian Conference on Education (ACE2022)
Title: Supporting Students with Disabilities on Study Abroad: What Host Institutions Need to Know
Stream: Education & Difference: Gifted Education, Special Education, Learning Difficulties & Disability
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
Authors:
Linda Oshita, University of Hawaii at Manoa, United States
Taro Nishiura, Konan University Okamoto Campus, Japan

Abstract:

The number of U.S. university students with disabilities who participated in study abroad programs have steadily increased over the last decade. According to the Institute for International Education (IIE) Open Doors survey (2021), 12.4% of participating U.S. study abroad students reported having a disability in the 2019-2020 academic year. The three most prevalent conditions reported included: mental disability (37.9%), learning disability (31.5%), and chronic health disorder (18.1%). To that end, study abroad program faculty and staff should be prepared to meet the needs of participating students, particularly with regard to the most prevalent types of conditions. Providing disability support services to students is not a new concept for U.S. institutes of higher education. Some IHEs in the U.S. have provided some level of support services to students with disabilities for over seventy years, well before the passing of Section 504 and ADA (Madaus, 2011). However, providing academic accommodations and other services in other countries, such as Japan, is a relatively new concept and currently being developed. Further, language and cultural differences between the US and host countries may complicate the process for providing such services. In this presentation, presenters will discuss the research literature that describe the current situation and the challenges in supporting students with disabilities in study abroad participation. Based on their review of the literature, the presenters will make recommendations for institutions to consider when supporting the participation of students with disabilities on study abroad programs.

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