The Additional Qualification course Special Education – Communication - Learning Disabilities focuses on the theory and practice to support students with learning disabilities. Throughout this course, you will explore the various definitions and characteristics of learning disabilities. Through discussion and collaborations, you will discover cognitive, academic, and social-emotional implications of LD and generate ways to develop a positive learning environment for students with LD. You will address how social-emotional issues affect academic outcomes, research various academic strategies, and brainstorm the implications of psychological processes for students with LD. You will provided with the opportunity to apply your learning to developing student profiles, transition plans, and gain applicable strategies that you can use in your teaching practice.

This course focuses on learning disabilities (LD):

• what they are
• implications of having a learning disability
• learning theories and programs that help students with LD
• creating conditions that promote and maintain an inclusive and positive classroom and school
• importance of collaborating with school-based teams and community personnel

Course Learning Expectations

In this course you will:

• explore the various definitions and characteristics of learning disabilities
• discover cognitive, academic, and social-emotional implications of LD
• generate ways to develop a positive learning environment for students with LD
• investigate instructional approaches that enable you to adapt your teaching to meet the needs of students with LD
• consider assessment and evaluation strategies that work for students with LD
• develop professional development practices
• compare the various definitions of learning disabilities and discuss the implications
• discuss how social-emotional issues impact academic outcomes
• research various academic strategies
• describe the implications of psychological processes for students with LD
• create a student profile and transition plan