Identification and Education of the Student Who Is Gifted Learning Disabled in Western Kansas

No formal definition has been formulated for students who are gifted and learning disabled. However, a search of current literature indicated that teachers recognize that students who are gifted learning disabled exist. While there is recognition for this group of students, little research has been conducted in this area. For this study, a questionnaire was distributed to 273 certified teachers working in various areas of special education in an attempt to determine how students who are gifted learning disabled are being identified and served in western Kansas. Of those surveyed, 155 teachers chose to participate. Results showed that a large majority of the teachers believed that students could be both gifted and learning disabled, no special effort has been made to create an educational program specific to these students