Victoria,

I have been involved in arranging support for a student with spina 
bifida, who leaves tomorrow  to spend this semester in North 
Carolina(UNC)!. So we will await feedback to see how things are 
goimg to work out. 

Initially the disability office over there was very concerned and 
tried to dissuade the student. However once we  identified 
all the needs and came up with a support plan they have been most 
helpful and seem to have more support in place than at many British 
uni's.

The students social services have agreed to pay for the personal care 
on the same basis as they do for the student when she is here. The 
LEA have agreed to pay notetaker support (arranged by the disability 
office at UNC) and for the hire of an 
electric wheelchair and scooter as the campus is huge. The question 
of whether the term abroad is compulsory has not been brought up by either .

The student has taken out extra medical insurance and has provided 
UNC with detailed info re her medical status. Easter Seal is an 
organistaion similar to our Red Cross who were initailly going to 
provide personal care support as part of their 'pay programme', but 
in the end they advised use of another local nursing agency. 

Basically it has been a very time consuming process of talking 
emailing and faxing the American University, both the staff  in charge 
of the exchange scheme and the Disability office.
I suggest you find out who is your counterpart at the Uni's the 
student is interested in and email them for info.
 If you want to discuss it do give me a call on 0181 547 7902.


Good Luck!

Mary Norowzian
Special Needs Coordinator]
Kingston University
[log in to unmask]
<One of our students who has cerebral palsy, is mobile, but has personal 
<care needs, is interested in studying in the USA - Minneapolis or 
<California. He is worried about how his living needs would be supported - 
<personal care, academic support worker etc.  Does anyone know of an 
<organisation he could contact about this, or does anyone actually know 
<who pays for personal care support when abroad? Does it depend on whether 
i<t is compulsory as part of his course, or optional?






%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%