Why do Children in grades K-12 struggle? How can teachers help students develop the competence and confidence they need to succeed? Differentiation for Special Populations uses an innovative framework to support teachers in deepening their understanding of the struggles challenging some students at all levels in school. Participants will examine a road map to early intervention strategies (EIS), review the current legal contexts for students of special needs, review the latest educational research on students identified with learning disabilities and/or giftedness, and develop effective and practical variations in classroom strategies that will foster success for all students of diverse abilities, environments, needs and learning styles.