Learning Disabilities Researcher Brings Attention to Overlooked Asian American Students: When Dr. Lusa Lo began teaching elementary school in Oakland, Calif., in the mid-1990s, she felt ill prepared once she discovered that about one-fourth of her 30 students had some kind of special need or disability.At least one of her third-graders had attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); another had dyslexia. Others had speech impairments. Some of their emotional and behavioral issues resulted in frequent outbursts interrupting class and upsetting their peers.
While continuing to teach in urban schools, Lo pursued graduate studies in special education. “I didn’t have a clue how to teach the children my first year. The one course on disabilities I had as an undergraduate simply wasn’t enough.”
