Hello there, @alison_william1 ...
One option for you would be to create groups in your course, and then you could assign people to those groups and discussion groups. So, for example, in your "People" page you could create a Group Set called "Private Discussions". Then, within that Grout Set, you could create individual groups (however many you need) such as "Blue Group", "Green Group", etc. This is where you would assign the students to those groups. Then, back in your discussion topic, you would configure the topic so that it is a group discussion...selecting the "Private Discussion" that you created earlier. Canvas knows how to separate out the discussion so that members from "Blue Group" do not see posting from the "Green Group". Here are some Guides for you to look through:
Do you think this might work for your needs, Alison?
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