Richard Lavoie: How Difficult Can This Be? F.A.T. City--A Learning Disabilities Workshop (2013) DVD

This video is so good and explains so much.

I had my students in a graduate Exploratory Education course watch this video earlier in the semester, and most course reviews listed it as one of, if not the, best resource of the course. Even though the footage (and some of the terminology) is a bit dated, how Lavoie presents learning disabilities to a room full of stakeholders is a moving experience for the viewer and created learning experiences for my students that we were able to refer to throughout the semester. People who may not fully understand the issues students with learning disabilities face will gain a lot from watching, processing, and discussing the ideas presented in this video. I can say a number of classrooms in our area have changed for the positive as a result of Lavoie's video.

I was required to watch this in college (I am a teacher) and last year it was shown as a staff development workshop at my school. I am amazed each time I watch this video as I can relate to what students experience in school. I have a son who is now 22 and was identified as LD in 1st grade. I cried the first time I watched this not realizing how he looked at the world or vice versa. It really teaches adults what a learning disability is and how these students feel trying to overcome their obstacles. This is a must see for parents who have a child with a disability and should be required every few years for teachers to view or review.

There are no words to describe how important this film is if you are a person who is dyslexic. As a woman who was tested and found to be extremely dyslexic, I couldn't understand why the world didn't get me. It was after watching this film and realizing just how different the world is, to how dyslexic people perceive things was vastly different than everyone else. As an artist, dyslexia is why I became so good in my career. This film explains how vastly different the dyslexic person experiences the world. The truth of the film is so shocking for someone who is dyslexic, that I have purchased this film over 10x and given it to people whose families dont understand why they are so different if they are extremely dyslexic. As an adult who is the CEO of a company, this film is required viewing for every employee. There have been multiples times when a new employee, after watching this film, is crying at the end of the film. They suddenly realize that someone they know is dyslexic and how wrong they were about the impressions of what the dyslexic person was doing. This film opens the window to people who are normal so that they can understand dyslexia, and how its far far more than simply switching numbers and letters.

This is an excellent video for helping people to understand what a person with learning difficulties goes through every single day. The only complaint is the very high price makes it inaccessible to many people who really need to see it. To pay three to five times what a multi-million dollar Hollywood production costs for something that cost nothing to produce (and should be a public service) tragically limits the help it could render to so many. The producers should be more interested in helping children rather than making a profit on the suffering of others.

I got this in May 2023. Watched it once. When I went to watch it again today, with a parent of a special needs child, I had to fight to get it out of the package, and it cracked! Is there any way to get a replacement?

I watched this video 8 years ago when my daughter had just been diagnosed with a learning disability and it left a huge impression on me, enough so that this year I purchased it to show to the teaching staff at the public elementary school where I teach. It is such a common misconception that we all make to assume that struggling students would do better if only they would try harder, if they weren't so lazy. This video is really effective at exposing the reality of what school and learning really looks-and feels-like from the perspective of students with learning disabilities. I know I look at struggling students differently (including my own children) now that I have seen this and I hope that my staff will gain some understanding and empathy too.

Produced in about 1993, this program continues to spread understanding to all who view it, and absolutely everyone should see it. Primarily dealing with learning difficulties, it overlaps the issues of ADHD, and in his inoffensive way Richard Lavoie includes the viewer in this workshop, so that in no time at all we see exactly How Difficult school can be, in fact life can be for the person experiencing just slightly the effects of LD or ADHD. While this program is great for teachers and families, it is especially good for teens to seniors who have battled these issues all their lives.

Whether you have a child with learning difficulties, or are someone who grew up with learning issues, you will be totally blown away by this video. Show it to everyone in the family, but most importantly show it to the child concerned. It will save their self esteem, their confidence, their life!

The fashion styles may be dated but the information is as powerful today as it was when this video was made. Excellent for personal and group education. Builds empathy and awareness.

Outstanding and eye-opening. Lavoie presents his material in a truly thoughtful and enjoyable manner.

Old video that is not enough famous. It was created to improve education level but can be useful also in the business world.

everyone should watch this