Students with Disabilities

The Institute for Shipboard Education is committed to providing opportunities in international studies for qualified participants with special needs. For the purpose of this document, "special needs" shall be divided into two categories: physical and educational.

Educational Disabilities

Students with educational disabilities (traditional learning disabilities, ADD, ADHD, etc.) who would like to request accommodations in connection with the Semester at Sea program must contact ISE Admissions in writing immediately upon acceptance into the program to advise us of the nature of the educational disability, the functional limitations resulting from it, and the accommodations being requested.

Requests are considered on an individualized basis. Due to the nature of the Semester at Sea program, ISE generally cannot provide all types of accommodations, auxiliary aids, and support services that might be found on a traditional land-based campus in the United States.

Physical Disabilities

Students and other passengers in the past with a variety of disabilities have negotiated the challenges of Semester at Sea, including those in wheelchairs. To be sure, it is a challenge, but it is very doable.

Flexibility is the watchword on our voyages. For example, depending on the tides and on the dock conditions, the MV Explorer often needs to load and off-load guests from a 47-step gangway on Deck 5 as opposed to direct access on Deck 2 from the dock. In such cases in the past, the crew have helped those in wheelchairs up and down the gangway by assisting them physically, carrying them, carrying the wheelchair or other equipment, etc., and negotiating the variables in that fashion.

Once on board, the MV Explorer is largely wheelchair accessible with two banks of elevators (forward and aft) and ramps in many locations.

Participants with physical challenges (crutches, walkers, wheelchairs, etc.) need to provide documentation from their physician indicating the level of functioning independence. Please contact ISE for further specific information.