In an attempt to foster foreign language learning, leadership skills and global understanding among American deaf college students and within the Costa Rica deaf community, a partnership has been established between Gallaudet and two Costa Rican organizations: ANASCOR, the Costa Rica National Association of the Deaf and PROGRESO, a resource center on deafness at the University of Costa Rica. This partnership, successfully piloted with funds from the US Department of Education, provides a unique educational exchange program. This program combines a semester internship experience in Costa Rica with course work offered in Costa Rica sign language through PROGRESO for the American deaf students, and if funds are available, a semester's study and summer teaching practice at Gallaudet for the Costa Rican deaf students.