Students with disabilities plan summer trip abroad

The Office for Students with Disabilities is sending 33 people, 29 of which are students with disabilities, overseas in a trip that is the first of its kind for the university.Michelle Rigler, director of the Office for Students with Disabilities, said the research trip to Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii and Fiji will take place from June 10 to June 23.

"It's kind of a scary thing for students with disabilities to travel overseas," Rigler said.

The students will be researching global accessibility in conjunction with an education class, in order to compare what access is like in other parts of the world to what access is like in the United States for students with disabilities.

"We want to see what they're doing differently than what we are doing, so we can make some changes," Rigler said.

Amanda Jones, a Chattanooga senior who will travel with the group, said: "Basically we are going to be assessing the culture to see how people with disabilities are treated in different countries.

"We are going to see if they fit in, are they treated like everybody else, are they under the same priority as those without disabilities."

Jones said she is looking forward to the trip.

"I've never been to any of the places before," she said, "so this trip should be interesting."

Jones' sister April, also a Chattanooga senior who will participate in the trip abroad, said: "I've traveled before and I love to travel. I want to learn about the different cultures and how they deal with different types of disabilities. It will be a new experience."

According to Rigler, the trip will cost $4,000 per student, so measures have been taken to raise the money.

"We did get a little money through the Accessive Diversity Committee, to ensure multiculturalism," she said.

Students are also planning a yard sale for April 25 to raise funds. The sale will take place in the Hurricane Creek subdivision in East Brainerd.

For more information, contact the Office for Students with Disabilities at 425-4006.