Acknowledgements

We would like to express our appreciation to a number of individuals and organizations who participated in the development of this curriculum. We are grateful for your efforts and generous cooperation.

In recognition for their support of the Yes I Can program and the inclusion of students with disabilities in their schools, we would like to thank the participating instructors and special education directors from the following Minnesota school districts: Roseville, Bloomington, Minneapolis, Eden Prairie, St. Cloud, Milaca, Wilmar, and Osseo. These districts demonstrated the commitment and vision needed to make the program successful in their schools. In addition, instructors from these schools have met with and will continue to meet with Yes I Can developers annually to further revise and enhance the curriculum.

We would also like to thank the graduate research assistants at the Institute on Community Integration who contributed to the development of the program. They include Susan Ricker, Dawne Phillips, and Liz Rudrud.

We would like to give special thanks to the high school students who have participated in the program over the years. Their willingness to see each other as friends despite societal attitudes and misconceptions about disabilities opens the prospect of a future in which all persons are valued for their unique capacities and abilities.

Finally, a debt of gratitude is extended to the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation for its ongoing support and encouragement during the curriculum development and initial program implementation process. Through additional support from the foundation, it will become possible to establish the Yes I Can program in at least one state in every region of the country.