Supporting Students with Learning Disabilities: Reducing Secondary School Non-Completion and Its Associated Health Disparities
2019
This case study from the Western Public Health Casebook 2019 concerns a scenario in which funding for the Learning Disabilities Association of Sudbury (LDAS) is being terminated. LDAS provides various programs for students with learning disabilities in order to ensure these students attain the highest level of education possible. Due to the funding cuts, employees that support these students will be let go and subsequently the quality of education received by students with learning disabilities will suffer. This case study follows Shelley van Dam as she writes a policy brief for provincial ministries, like the Ministry of Education, in order to secure more permanent funding sources. Shelley intends to use current data to show how inadequate education is ultimately a social determinant of health that will increase health care costs for the government.
This case contains guidance for instructors, including learning objectives and discussion questions. It is part of a 14-case collection written by students in the MPH class of the Schulich Interfaculty Program in Public Health at Western University, Canada. The cases may be freely copied and used for educational purposes by an accredited educational institution.
Source:
Prince A et al. Supporting Students with Learning Disabilities: Reducing Secondary School Non-Completion and Its Associated Health Disparities. Western Public Health Casebook 2019. Public Health Casebook Publishing 2019. https://www.schulich.uwo.ca/publichealth/cases/casebook_2019.html.