Learning Disabilities

Both you and your parents, along with the school team, have input into the kind of program you receive. Part of the input you can have is to tell the team how you feel about being in special education.

Most students with LD have long known they were different in some way. Putting a name to the problem may bring you a sense of relief, but students differ in their attitudes toward getting help. You may welcome classes with teachers who can help you deal with your disability. Or you may not want to be singled out. You may prefer inclusion in a regular class. For inclusion to succeed, you must be willing to try to learn. In successful inclusion programs, everyone benefits.

When the school and parents of a child with special needs do not agree on what should be done for the child, a person is called in to mediate—to look at both sides and help decide on what will be done.