Volunteerism has positive effects for both society and the individuals who engage in volunteering. Numerous studies have focused on the positive relationship between adolescents’ volunteering experiences and their psychological and social development, while other studies have assessed the positive attitudinal changes of adolescent volunteers in frequent contact with individuals with disabilities. However, few studies have focused on the role of education on students’ perceptions of individuals with disabilities. The present study investigated the volunteering experiences of students enrolled in American and Korean educational system schools in South Korea. Results revealed that the American-system students volunteered more often and had more positive attitudes about volunteerism compared to Korean-system students. In addition, American-system students with more positive attitudes about volunteerism had more positive perceptions of individuals with disabilities. There was no relationship in Korean-system students between these two variables. Cross-cultural findings and implications for education and social policy are discussed
