Special Challenges

Helping your students and their families starts with knowing them.

Quotes from the Video

"The worst thing you can do is ignore them. . . . They can tell when somebody loves them."

—Leslie Tanner, mother

"One thing that has been disconcerting for me as a parent is that others will address me: 'What would Curtis like to have on his plate?' or, 'What color does Curtis like for his flag?' I always say, 'Well, should we ask Curtis?'"

—Michelle Holbrook, mother and special educator

"Don’t worry so much about getting to know the clinical definition of what a disability is or what it may mean for a person, but just get to know the person. Get to know their likes, dislikes, their challenges, their gifts. And in getting to know the person you’ll have tremendous opportunities to know what you need to do to help them feel welcome and included. . . . The greatest work that is happening in this area is happening one person, one conversation at a time."

—Christopher Phillips, LDS Disability Services