Special Education Pt.1 Module 3: Assignment "Case of Cory" (Case Study)

Assignment - Learning Disability Case Study


Review the readings above before beginning your assignment and Refer to PPM 8 for the identification of and program planning for students with learning disabilities. PPM 8



Read 'The Case of Cory' on page 95 of your course text and respond to the following questions in your case study assignment.


Does Cory have a Learning Disability?





Should he be identified with a learning disability so he can get the help he needs?


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Cory's potential "disability" in regards to learning is an early diagnosis given by a "former" teacher which carries no weight in this discussion (from my particular point of view). A teacher has their own set of experiences based on location and time served that making their opinion inconclusive to a situation at times. Therefore I feel this case is supposed to look like an open shut case of "learning disability", as the psychologist described, "Juvenile Shell Shock". This is partially why I don't believe Cory is not experiencing a "learning disability", but more of a stressful time in life. In Learning Disabilities, Bender, 4th edition, learning disabilities are characterized by Kavavale, Reese and McLeasky as "not a single or uniform condition, nor do they affect one particular area of learning" (1991). It seems like classroom academics rather than coupled with behavioural problems is the issue. This means (to me) that the learning disability is more of a classroom content understanding/communication problem. This problem is not necessarily associated with learning disabilities but also with language learners in a second language or students who are moved through different environments at a young age inconsistently. This was actually a comment made by the school board in the case study. Furthermore in Learning Disabilities, Bender, 4th edition, Kavavale, Reese and McLeasky describe a phenomenon in which professionals have "lumped just about every learning problem under the umbrella of a Learning Disability" (1991). In reality, if this "former teacher" were experienced and aware of the student's case history, they would understand that when learning two languages (upbringing in a bilingual environment) the child would develop their speech later than most children. Cory's parents seem to have two languages spoken at home as well as the grandparents which was not mentioned in the case. The characteristics regarding Cory's difficulties in communication signifies those of a ELL. These delays in language coupled with the time missed in school and inconsistent transitions to 11 schools (which is ridiculous) will prove to be severe challenges for a child to adapt to.





The school board's identification of Cory as a student with a language learning challenge (ELL) rather a learning disability is very beneficial to the student. I would question why the school board has not investigated with an initial assessment in identification of ELL characteristics. This was a subtle mention in the case of Cory, as a remark by a speech consultant. As an ELL teaching specialist, I would reckon with his experience in classrooms already, he would not need "integration", but a stable environment for him to develop his skills (socially and academically).