Accessibility Considerations Abroad

This article is part of a series on Navigating Your Identities Abroad.

Research Your Destination

Laws, attitudes, infrastructure, and services around accessibility and disability vary greatly across the globe. For example, learning disabilities may not be recognized in some countries, or there may be legal restrictions and requirements for documentation, vaccination, and quarantine for service animals.

Although many countries recognize the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities or have laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act, individuals with disabilities may still experience a range of barriers to education, health care, basic public services, and protection from discrimination and violence.

Familiarize yourself with applicable laws and regulations about accessibility for, and discrimination against, people with disabilities. Research the cultural attitudes, beliefs, and norms regarding people with disabilities and different abilities, and understand how accessible or not your host country’s physical spaces, resources, and services are.

Here are just some of the questions to explore:

• What’s the culture like? How are different identities treated, and how can I expect to be viewed?
• How does my host country address and perceive physical mobility (e.g., ramps, curb cuts, and elevators) and/or invisible or non-apparent disabilities (e.g., learning disabilities, ADD/ADHD, anxiety, and asthma)?
• Are there any major health or environmental concerns? What are the medical facilities like?
• What are the physical environments and public transportation services like, and how accessible are they?
• What is my academic, research, or work environment like (e.g., mainly lecture, independent research, sitting or standing for long periods, etc.)?

Leverage Your Network and Resources

In addition to the resources on this page, take advantage of the resources within your social and academic communities on campus, including Harvard’s international centers, affinity groups, and peers who have traveled to your destination. You can also research and seek out in-country support networks.

• Harvard Office for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, & Belonging
• Harvard University Disability Resources
• US Department of State: Traveling with Disabilities
• Diversity Abroad: Students with Disabilities Abroad
• Human Rights Watch: Disability Rights
• Mobility International USA: Empowering People with Disabilities

“Make sure you check beforehand how people from the country perceive different aspects of your identity.”

– Harvard traveler

Consider Your Identities

Once you’ve gathered some basic information about your destination, consider the potential impacts on your experience based on the identities you hold—whether visible or not physically expressed. For example, many people in the US value independence, but people in other countries may assume individuals with disabilities need or want help.

Questions to ask yourself include:

• Am I willing to disclose my disability to others?
• How will I manage my condition while abroad? What support systems and resources (e.g., academic, medical, psychological, assistive technology, etc.) do I have at Harvard, and will I be able to use or access them abroad?
• How will I manage my health and access healthcare and medication?
• How can I prepare for adjustments (e.g., dietary changes, food allergies, language barriers, sensory overload, environmental factors like high elevation, etc.)?
• What coping strategies do I use at Harvard and in the US? How will I apply or modify these while abroad?
• How should I respond if people give me unsolicited help? Or if I encounter intolerance, discrimination, or bias?
• Will my disability limit my activities or participation in certain excursions because of inaccessibility?

Plan Ahead

Discuss your accommodation needs early with Harvard and with your host institution or organization. You may need to provide ample documentation ahead of time. Consider all aspects of the experience, including travel, research, coursework, accommodations, dining, social, expectations around participation in activities, medications, and access to treatment providers.

Harvard students can contact their School's Local Disability Coordinator (LDC). Faculty, staff, and researchers can contact their School/Unit’s HR Consultant or Faculty Affairs Consultant.

If applicable, consult with your health care providers and specialists about access to treatment options and medication abroad. And if you’re traveling to a location where you’re not fluent in the language, you may want to learn key terms and phrases to explain your condition and to ask for help.

Harvard Global Support Services does not endorse any of the external organizations or services; they are provided only to serve as aides.