Presented in both French and English, the document contains extracts from a review of the literature on students with learning disabilities (LD) and on French speaking exceptional students' programs and needs. The review of LD includes sections on approaches to definition and classification, incidence, and definitional components (intelligence, process, academic, discrepancy, neurological, and exclusion). The conclusion notes differences between the neurological and educational approaches and problems with operationalizing definitions. The second part of the document reviews the literature on behavioral exceptionalities (emotional disturbance and social maladjustment); communication exceptionalities (hearing, learning disabilities, and speech/language disorders); intellectual exceptionalities (gifted/talented, mentally handicapped), physical exceptionalities (limited vision and orthopedic/other physical handicaps). The conclusion notes certain themes applicable to all types of exceptionality: (1) the importance of early identification; (2) the issue of mainstreaming; (3) the importance of regular teacher education including components on exceptional children; (4) the need for service delivery models to provide a wide range of services; and (5) the need for multidisciplinary responsibility for assessment, planning, and instruction. (DB)