In 1991, the University of New Orleans Training, Resource and Assistive-technology Center (TRAC) began working on an international level to promote a forum for cooperation and information exchange among higher educational professionals, as well as exchange opportunities for students with disabilities. These early efforts culminated in the first International Conference on Higher Education and Disability. The conference, "Organizing to Accommodate Students with Disabilities: An International Perspective," was held at the University of Innsbruck, Austria where the University of New Orleans has had a summer program for over twenty-five years. This groundbreaking event brought together educators and administrator from fifteen countries.

Since the first conference in 1992, UNO TRAC has organized and co-hosted the International Conference on Higher Education and Disability in Innsbruck, Austria every three years. The upcoming conference, “Milestone 2007: Sharing International Resources on the Road to Inclusion ", is scheduled for July 24-27, 2007. The last conference "Scanning the Horizon: Global Perspective on Higher Education and Disabilities" was the largest ever and received the support of leaders in the national and international disability and post-secondary educational community. University sponsors included the University of Innsbruck, Austria; Catholic University Leuven, Belgium; University of Central Lancashire, UK, and the Universitaet Karlsruhe, Germanay. Institutional sponsors included AHEAD (Association of Higher Education and Disability), DREDF (Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Inc.),FEDORA (Forum Europeen de l'Orientation Academique), MIUSA (Mobility International USA), National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange(roundtable composed of key disability organizations and major international exchange educational groups), and SKILL (National Bureau for Students with Disabilities in the United Kingdom). The conference typically features three tracks: Innovative programming/best practices, professional development, and international exchange.

The conferences have attracted participants from 25 European countries as well as the U.S.A., Canada, Mexico, Botswana, South Africa, India, New Zealand and Australia.

Publications relating to international educational/information exchange:

Gagliano, Gayle and Naomi Moore. 1996. International Guide to Accessible University Programs and Facilities: United States and Canada. New Orleans: University of New Orleans.

Gayle Gagliano, TRAC director and Naomi Moore, program coordinator together with Myriam VanAcker from the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium worked together to develop a common survey instrument, which was used to gather information on accessible university programs in Canada, the United States and Europe. The Gagliano/Moore guide, Studying Abroad: Canada and the United States (A guide to Accessible University Programs and Facilities for Students with Disabilities) and the VanAcker guide, Studying Abroad: Europe are companion pieces which have collected very similar information on a variety of issues of concern to students with disabilities. One of the most useful features of the guides is the section addressing an institution's experience with specific disabilities in the past five years. Students can use this information to gauge the level of expertise with regard to a particular disability. Other areas covered in the guides include housing, dining, mobility issues, classroom and examination accommodations, electronic study aids, library facilities, and sports and recreational activities.

Gagliano Gayle, Ward Newmeyer and Cheryl Saucier. 1998. “International Students with Disabilities: Tool Chest of Resources. In Advising for Study in the United States. Washington: D.C. United States Information Agency.

Saucier, Cheryl and Gayle Gagliano. 1998 “Serving Students with Disabilities in the United States” In Higher Education and Disabilities: International Approaches, ed. Alan Hurst. London: Athaeneum Press
TRAC staff have also contributed chapters and articles to other publications dealing with international exchange issues and have made many presentations on this topic throughout the United States as well as in Eastern and Western Europe.

Friendship Agreement Signed!
The University of Central Lancashire and the University of New Orleans signed a co-operation agreement in October 1998. The purpose of the agreement is to extend the academic and cultural opportunities available to the staff and students of the two institutions through student and staff exchanges/visits and academic collaboration in undergraduate and postgraduate programs. Since 1992 the two universities have been working informally on a pilot exchange program for students with disabilities. Two students from the University of Central Lancashire have attended UNO. One benefit of the agreements is the provision enabling students to pay only their respective university's tuition to participate in the exchange program.

Educational Exchange Programs
TRAC has sponsored individual pilot educational exchange programs for students with disabilities through the friendship agreement with the University of Central Lancashire in the U.K. In addition, TRAC worked with the University of Innsbruck and Fitchburg State College to organize a ten-day cultural exchange to the University of Innsbruck for students from six US colleges in 2000. This exchange enabled students to experience first-hand the kinds of preparation and accommodations needed for travel and study abroad—and feel more confident about committing to a full academic exchange. The program included opportunities to meet with disabled students at the University of Innsbruck, learn about classroom and living accommodations, review disability laws in the host country, discuss self-advocacy, and exchange cultural views of disability. The students were also given free time for personal exploration. Anyone interested in learning more about the program, should contact Gayle Gagliano or Naomi Moore at TRAC.

Future plans include TRAC hosting a New Orleans visit by a group of students with disabilities from the University of Innsbruck.

A useful resource for individuals with disabilities who are interested in international exchange programs is the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange: clearinghouse@miusa.org

We try to make our pages accessible to everyone. Please let us know how we are doing.

UNO TRAC - P.O. Box 1051 Lakefront Campus - New Orleans, LA 70148 - Phone/Fax: 504-280-5700