Tip Sheets

Free to download or read online. Also available in print and alternative formats.

Accessibility Survey of Overseas Universities

Do you want to know if your overseas sites are accessible?

Accessing Foreign Language Materials as a Blind or Low Vision Student

Read this document online or download a text, Word, audio file or braille format.

Alcoholism and Alcohol-Related Disabilities: Considerations Related to International Exchange Programs

Information on the ADA and alcoholism, the role of alcohol in other cultures, and accommodating exchange participants who are recovering alcoholics. Also included are resources for finding overseas recovery groups, international drinking laws, and national alcohol information organizations.

Air Travel Tips for People with Disabilities

Adapted from Mobility International USA’s Building Bridges: A Manual on Including People with Disabilities in International Exchange

Are Foreign Exchange Students with Disabilities Covered by U.S. Laws?

Understanding entitlement and protection services under U.S. special education law for exchange students with disabilities studying in the United States.

Autism / Asperger’s Syndrome and International Exchange: What, Why & How

Learn the benefits of going abroad for people with Asperger's Syndrome and autism and the steps and questions to ask when planning an inclusive group exchange.

Avoiding Pressure Sores: How to Manage Your Health Abroad

Don't let a pressure sore end your time abroad. Learn steps to prevent pressure sores from happening while on an international exchange program, and how to recognize and treat a sore overseas if it does develop.

Best Inclusive and Collaborative Practices by Professionals in International Exchange

Learn how a few individuals took the lead at their organizations, institutions or in their communities so more people with disabilities had access to mainstream international exchange and education abroad programs. Includes the Campus Collaboration Campaign booklet.

Budgeting for Inclusion

Many organizations are concerned about the cost of making programs accessible to people with disabilities, so incorporating a "disability accommodation" line item into every project and administrative budget is the most reliable way to ensure that resources are at hand.

Community College Exchanges

Resources for students with disabilities from the United States and abroad on community college international study opportunities and advice.

Diabetes Resources

Recommendations for books, websites and articles about travel in other countries for people with diabetes.

Disability Culture, Rights and Recruiting People with Disabilities for International Exchange

Do you have questions about cultural differences related to disabilities and how they may impact requesting and receiving accommodations? This tipsheet addresses how exchange providers and people with disabilities can prepare for these differences to help ensure a successful international experiences.

Disability Disclosure and Education Abroad: Understanding the Issues

A guide for education abroad professionals on practical issues of disability disclosure.

Disability Networking Across Borders: Creating Short-Term International Exchange Programs

How to fund a program, identify partner organizations and other tips and resources including templates and tools.

Disability-Related Phrases and Vocabulary to Learn Before You Go Abroad

This tip sheet includes many phrases and more than 60 vocabulary words vital to clearly communicate disability related needs and concerns while abroad. Having a few phrases and some vocabulary prepared before you go will avoid misunderstandings and will assist you to be as independent and successful as possible.

Encouraging and Recruiting People with Disabilities of Racial and Ethnic Minority Backgrounds to Go Abroad

Resource lists of international exchange organizations' diversity projects and U.S. disability and higher education organizations focused on those from ethnic or racial minority backgrounds.

Equipment and Tools that Make Traveling with a Disability Easy

Experienced travelers with physical disabilities know there are a lot of tools and portable adaptive equipment that can make international travel easier.

Foreign Languages and Students with Learning, Hearing or Vision Disabilities

Learn strategies for optimizing world language and English language learning and links to indepth research articles related to learning disabilities, blindness and deafness.

Forms to Assess the Disability-Related Needs of Exchange Participants

Not sure what specific questions to ask an exchange participant with a disability to determine his/her individual needs? Use these easy to follow forms to to help in planning ahead for program accommodations.

Guide Dogs and Service Animals

Traveling internationally with a Guide Dog, Service Dog, or Service Animal? Consider these tips, suggestions, and practical advice from experienced travelers. Ask NCDE for information about specific countries.

Guide to Electrical Adapters, Converters and Transformers for International Travel with Power Wheelchairs and Other Electrical Devices

Tips for international travelers using power wheelchair battery chargers and other electrical devices.

Health and Travel Insurance Considerations

Does your participant insurance policy include "treatment for unforeseen change in a condition"? Learn questions to investigate and examples of how some programs budget for the costs of broad coverage.

Helpful (and Low-Cost!) Tips for Accommodating Participants with Disabilities

Learn about the many accommodations that are cost-free or inexpensive

Homestays: Finding Hosts for Participants with Disabilities

Strategies for finding and approaching homestay families and a checklist to assess all host family houses for accessibility.

Learning Disability and ADD/ADHD Questions

Questions for students with learning disabilities and ADD/ADHD to consider when planning for study abroad

Lessons to Learn From NCDE’s Survey of Frontline Staff

What happens when people with disabilities contact an international exchange or disability organization in search of information on how to pursue their interests in studying, interning or volunteering overseas?

Medications: Tips for Traveling Internationally

Questions to consider for people who use daily medications

Mental Health-Related Disabilities: Considerations for Exchange Participants

In this document, the term mental health-related disability refers to a broad range of conditions such as depression, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, eating disorder, borderline personality disorder, seasonal affective disorder, etc.

Mental Health-Related Disabilities: Tips for Exchange Programs in Making Accommodations

Options for arranging accommodations for people with mental-health related disabilities.

Mobility Disabilities:Tips for Inclusion in International Exchange

Tips and strategies for mobility disability accommodations and how to plan in advance.

Personal Assistants on International Exchange Programs

This tip sheet explains the ins and outs of going abroad with a personal assistant. Plan ahead for many types of assistant services that maybe used during an international exchange program, including note-takers or a mobility guide who assists a person who is blind, or someone who provides intimate care services for a person with a mobility disability.

Providing Information in Alternative Formats

Details on who needs print materials in large print, electronic text, audio cassette or Braille and how to create these alternative formats. Also resources and tips on making websites compliant with accessibility laws.

Recruiting People with Disabilities to Increase Diversity in Your International Exchange Programs

Adapted from ‘Building Bridges: A Manual on Including People with Disabilities in International Exchange Programs’ © 2006 Mobility International USA and the National Clearinghouse on Disability & Exchange

Respectful Disability Language

A guide for using appropriate disability language and terminology

Self Assessment: Are Your International Exchange Programs Inclusive?

Informal tools to help exchange providers assess their current ability level to include participants with disabilities.

Sign Language Interpreters: Tips for Finding, Funding, and Contracting Services for International Exchanges

Suggestions for finding, funding, and contracting sign language interpreters for Deaf and hard of hearing exchange participants

Social Security or Vocational Rehabilitation: Using these Funds for Exchange

Social Security Administration (SSA) and MIUSA have joined together to ensure that people with disabilities and the professionals who work with people with disabilities understand the importance of international exchange and options for including it as part of employment preparation.

Sports Related & Outdoor Adventure International Exchanges

A brief look at sports related and outdoor adventure exchanges.

TOEFL Testing Arrangements for People with Disabilities

Want to attend a university in the United States? Get the Who, What and Where on Testing of English as a Foreign Language disability-related accommodations.

Top 18 Tips for International Travelers with Disabilities

Travelers with disabilities have questions, concerns and situations that may never occur to the average traveler without a disability. Read tips from MIUSA's book, "Survival Strategies for Going Abroad: A Guide for People with Disabilities" to jumpstart the experience.

Traveling Internationally with Oxygen

Tips and suggestions for traveling with oxygen

Traveling Internationally with a Ventilator

More people with disabilities who travel with a ventilator are discovering the joys of travel and international experiences. These tips and resources are designed to help with advance planning and success.

Universal Design/Accessibility Standards Resources

Information on international accessibility standards for buildings, electronics and media

Website Accessibility Resources

Various tools used to validate the accessibility of websites for use by people with disabilities.

Youth with Disabilities: Building their Awareness of International Exchanges

Parents, educators and people who work with youth are in the most direct positions to give youth with disabilities the information and encouragement that they need to pursue international opportunities. Learn more about how to outreach to young people with disabilities by collaborating with international exchange staff.