Virtual Exchange and Global Learning for Disability Inclusion

Dr. Kelly Tzoumis, professor emeritus at DePaul University and lecturer at Johns Hopkins, discusses virtual exchange programs that make global learning accessible to students with disabilities. These innovative approaches embed intercultural experiences directly into curriculum, overcoming barriers of cost and physical accessibility while building crucial competencies.

• Virtual exchange goes beyond video calls—students are prepared to interact across cultures before meeting peers
• Less than 10% of students can afford traditional study abroad, making virtual exchange a more inclusive alternative 
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide framework for global learning beyond just environmental topics
• Students develop empathy when working across language barriers with international peers
• Generational shifts in disability language reflect changing views of disability as identity
• Research shows virtual exchanges improve student mental health through developing resilience
• Students with disabilities demonstrate extraordinary capabilities when given appropriate accommodations
• Disclosure remains a major challenge in higher education—less than half of disabled students formally identify
• Creative accommodations should involve the learner as an active partner in finding solutions
• As world polarization increases, virtual exchange becomes even more vital for intercultural understanding

Find Dr. Tzoumis's book "Global Learning and the SDGs Through Virtual Exchange" through Springer Nature Press, with a follow-up focused on discipline-specific applications coming soon.

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