This week you chose a topic that you will focus on for the remainder of the course and will be looking at through each of the lenses in this module. The topic is special education and learning disabilities. In your initial post, identify which of the topics you chose, discuss why you chose that topic, and share two questions that you developed in your KWL chart for your chosen topic. I attached the chart.

In your responses to your peers, locate two peers who chose the same topic you did. Discuss the questions they shared in their initial post. Discuss your mutual interest and potential next steps to continue investigating the topic and seeking out answers to their unanswered questions.

Be sure to credit any sources you use to support your answer, including articles posted in the course.

To complete this assignment, review the Discussion Rubric PDF document.

Reply 1: Kaitlin Dustman

The topic that I have decided to focus on is Special Education and Learning Disabilities. This is a topic that I have chosen for a couple of reasons, the first one being that my sister in law works in the school systems with children that have learning disabilities and helps teach special education to youth. I feel like this will help me better understand the career she has chosen and prides herself on. I also am a firm believer that there is no right or wrong way to learn information, everyone has things that help them learn and things that cause a bit more of a struggle. Personally I know that I thrive with visual learning. For people with learning disabilities it is just finding the way that is easiest for them to learn that works best for them. I think it is very important that everyone, especially those that are within the community of special needs or those with learning disabilities have easy accessibility and equal opportunities in education. I am looking forward to exploring this topic more so that I can continue to expand my knowledge on the topic and have a better understanding of it, especially through the different lenses of liberal arts. Two of the questions that have developed in my chart are, what programs are set up in school systems that are designed to assist those with learning disabilities and those that need special education? And how personalized are these programs created to the needs of each individual?

Reply 2: Lisa Griffitts

Hi everyone,

I chose my topic to be special education and learning disabilities. I chose this topic because my daughter has ADHD which is having difficulty paying attention and staying on task. Experts link ADHD with the structure of the brain, and there is evidence that it may have a genetic component as well. I find this to be true because her brother and father both have ADHD. I find this topic to be very interesting because even though a child has a learning disability it doesn’t mean they are not smart. They are actually bright and capable, it is just difficult for them to process words or information. There is so much more to learn about children with learning disabilities and having to take special education courses.

My questions:

1. How do you help someone with a learning disability to learn better?

2. Can learning disabilities be overcome?