Special educators from across Kansas will gather this week in Lawrence to discuss ways to improve their work with children who have special needs.

The educators will meet for the 44th Annual Conference of Kansas Council for Exceptional Children on Thursday and Friday at the Lawrence Holidome, 200 W. McDonald Drive.

The first session will begin at 9 a.m. Thursday with a panel presentation on “Multicultural/Urban Special Education: Issues, Trends and Perspectives.”

Friday’s conference will begin at 8:30 a.m. The featured speaker is Dr. Ira Chasnoff, one of the country’s leading researchers on maternal drug use during pregnancy and its effects on newborns and children.