title: Studying abroad inclusively: Reflections by college students with and without intellectual disability.
abstract: Postsecondary education programs have increased opportunities for students with and without intellectual disabilities to study abroad as inclusive classes. Using open-coding qualitative techniques, the authors examined an inclusive study abroad group's daily reflective journals during a study abroad trip to London and Dublin. Three shared categories emerged from analysis: personal development, bonding/social inclusion, and learning from English and Irish adults with intellectual disabilities. Each group reported two distinct categories as well. Students with intellectual disabilities described the importance of mobility/transportation and fun, while their classmates without intellectual disabilities described the importance of inclusive learning and an increasing awareness of barriers to full participation for people with disabilities. Student-constructed categories are used to describe the benefits of inclusive study abroad and build future inclusive international opportunities.
authors.affiliation: Virginia Commonwealth University, USA smprohn@vcu.edu.
authors.forename: Seb M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Prohn
authors.affiliation: Western Carolina University, USA.
authors.forename: Kelly R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Kelley
authors.affiliation: Western Carolina University, USA.
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Westling
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D007393:International Educational Exchange; D007494:Ireland; D008131:London; D008282:Mainstreaming, Education; D019989:Persons with Intellectual Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: inclusion; intellectual disability; study abroad