The issue of whether high school and postsecondary students with native language communication deficits can succeed in second language study is discussed. It is noted that before World War II, language education was considered primarily a good form of mental discipline. More recent trends toward "relevant" language learning have emphasized development of generalized cognitive, conceptualization, and critical thinking skills. Arguments against second language instruction for students with communication deficits include the positions that: (1) students with language disabilities can not be expected to manage more than adequate language usage; (2) learning disabled students will lose whatever gains they may have in native language proficiency when they study a second language; (3) special-needs students will transfer native language problems to the second language; and (4) learning disabled students may enroll in a college not requiring foreign language study on the high school transcript. However, it is proposed that these arguments can all be rebutted by current research and observation, and that if the student has a strong will to learn a suitable second language, the educator has a responsibility to find a way to attain that objective. A 15-item bibliography is included. (MSE)