Why Commit to the Practice of Yes...

I would not say that I had a low opinion of my abilities, but I had always been afraid to travel abroad. As a visually impaired student it is hard enough to adapt to different situations. So when I thought about going to a place where the people, places, language and everything else was different, it seemed that it would be impossible...now that I am back I feel I can do anything." Paul Grenier, exchange participant to Japan

Students with disabilities are increasingly attending mainstream schools, universities, and community colleges. These students are looking for experiences such as international exchange that will set them apart and make them competitive and advance them along the path toward their goals.

Did you know?

Who are the future participants? Surveys from 2005 illustrated that almost 13% of all youth ages 13 through 16 enrolled in a U.S. school were receiving special education services (Source). More than six in ten students (62%) in this age group receiving special education were also classified as having a learning disability. Some students with disabilities in other countries may attend schools with their non-disabled peers, but outreach to special schools in many countries will be the primary source for recruiting future applicants with disabilities.

For students with disabilities, participating in international programs provides opportunities to increase self-confidence, independence, and a unique environment for skill-building that may be unavailable at home.

However, like any participant, how much a person with a disability gains from a given experience depends greatly on the pre-planning and communication that occurs between them and the international exchange provider before the experience.