Concerned about traditional practice that attempted to manage the challenging behavior of learners with learning difficulty and disabilities (LLDD) in learning and social environments, I questioned the extent to which they could manage themselves. From 265 students, 15 males, median age of 19, were invited to participate in 12 weekly one-hour focus groups' discussions specific to the challenging behavior of three case study students drawn from the 15; they also participated in 12 weekly one-hour interviews that addressed challenging behavior. Thematic analysis yielded five themes related to different versions of LLDD either acting responsibly or irresponsibly: I've got a problem, I told staff, I can't, I'm disabled, and I'm not normal. Discursive analysis highlighted five variable communicative and behavior patterns: conditioned-response, role specific, inner-conflicted, retreating, and higher order in response to current practice, and students use defensive disability language, defensive positional stances, and power plays (PPs) to assert power over practitioners; yet, when invited to transition from one identity to another one, LLDD proved able to manage their challenging behavior responsibly.