FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NOVEMBER 9, 2005

CONTACT: Michele Scheib
TEL/TTY: 541-343-1284
FAX: 541-343-6812
EMAIL: clearinghouse@miusa.org

Latest Issue of A World Awaits You Now Available
Read about International Teens with Disabilities Studying in the United States!

In honor of International Education Week, November 14-18, 2005, Mobility International USA and the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE) announce the release of its second online issue of A World Awaits You (AWAY). This web-based journal describes the successful experiences of individuals with disabilities in overseas cultural and educational programs. AWAY stories answer frequently asked questions, list useful resources and share the benefits of participating in international exchanges. Read this new issue at: www.miusa.org/ncde/away.

Written for a cross-disability international teenage audience, this issue highlights youth who participated on semester or academic year programs in the United States. Each article is full of ideas and observations gained through the first hand experience of participants and answers questions such as “Why go abroad?” “What is it like to be a secondary school student with a disability in the United States?” and “How do I get started in finding a program?” Stories in this issue of AWAY include youth who came to the United States on programs, such as the U.S. Department of State sponsored Youth Exchange and Study (YES), the Future Leaders Exchange, and the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange.

“Traveling and being away from my family has helped me to increase my independence. My goal is to be as independent as possible so I can attend a university either in the United States or Egypt,” says Mahmoud Garem, a YES high school exchange student from Egypt who is blind and was placed in Wisconsin. “I have gained more knowledge about the American people and the United States government. I have also had the opportunity to see new places. There are many opportunities to learn and grow...Just because you have a disability doesn’t mean you can’t participate fully.”

To read stories from previous issues of AWAY or browse other resources, visit www.miusa.org.

To request an alternative format of this latest issue of AWAY, contact NCDE, PO Box 10767, Eugene, OR, 97440. NCDE can also be reached by Tel/TTY: (541) 343-1284, Fax: (541) 343-6812, or E-mail: clearinghouse@miusa.org.

NCDE is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State and administered by Mobility International USA.

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