Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: Special Education, Depression, or Defiance? I have a student who has an identified Specific Learning Disability (SLD). At the beginning of the year, the student would put a minimal amount of effort into their work. I always followed accommodations and worked one-on-one as often as the classroom dynamics permitted. During the middle of the year, I had a student intern who worked solely with this student but the student's performance began decreasing and they were becoming more detached. After the student intern left, we had the student re-evaluated and it was determined they have a visual processing disorder in addition to their SLD. I saw hope after this news because I thought this was the answer to this student's lack of motivation and involvement. I went through all the modifications (and extra) for the visual processing disorder-still nothing. I contacted the mother and she has yet to return my phone calls, emails, and the Special Education teachers phone calls. I am at a loss on how to help this student. I recently ask them if they were happy and they simply shrugged. I asked if they knew a way that I could help them and again shrugged. The student will not make eye contact with me or other students, will not accept assistance from myself or others, and will only put their head down during class. I've never experienced a student this withdrawn in sixth grade. I can't figure it out if the student is struggling because of their special education needs, if they are being defiant, or if they are depressed. Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) I would get your team together and do a manifestation determination. Start documenting everything. Ask the counselor to talk to the student and see if they can use their professional opinion to determine if the student is depressed or defiant. Talk to other members on your team and learn about other resources you can use to figure out the student's needs.