Return-Path: <nifl-ld@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id iANNKMQ11573; Tue, 23 Nov 2004 18:20:23 -0500 (EST) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 18:20:23 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <5.0.2.1.2.20041123150426.00a4b4f0@pop.ix.netcom.com> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-ld@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-ld@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-ld@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Michele Craig (shellcraig@ix.netcom.com)" <shellcraig@ix.netcom.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-ld@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-LD:4529] Introduction and Question about LD Assessment for GED X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.0.2 Status: O Content-Length: 2471 Lines: 45 Hello to All, I have been on the NIFL-BASICS list for some time, but a recent cross post that you all responded to about teaching long division (thank you) and Rochelle's invitation has persuaded me to add another list! I teach ABE and GED (in the same classroom) at the Woodland Adult School in Woodland, California. I have been working there for about 7 years now and previously taught college level composition courses at UC Berkeley and at the local community college. I recently attended the Area 3 Writing Project and developed a presentation on teaching writing to adults with learning disabilities. The more I work at this (and because I now have a son with ld) the more I realize how many of my adult students have learning disabilities and how few resources they have to cope with them. My latest hobby-horse is trying to get money to provide services to my ld students who want to take the GED with accomodations. The GED has a rule that the assessment has to be current within the last five years. Our school district does not provide assessments for the adult school, so I contacted the CA State Department of Education about who would provide assessments for adults. They sent me to our local community college. They said they can't provide assessments unless they are enrolled in the college (because of the cost). Then I emailed Sac State to see if they had graduate students in Special Ed who might do the assessments (no reply). Then I emailed the Bill Gates Foundation who replied, "Sorry, we are reserving our grants for "at risk" students who are unlikely to graduate from high school..." So I am still running in circles. Mostly these are students who qualified for special education services as children, but their assessments are not current according to GED rules. But learning disabilities don't go away, do they? These students tend to be intelligent and can pass the GED with extra time. One of these students has severe dysgraphia and dyslexia and can pass the essay exam with a Franklin Speller and extra time, but will not pass otherwise. I also have 3 students who are relearning (and in some cases I suspect learning for the first time) skills and two with severe mental illness. They have neurologists and psychologists, so they will probably receive accomodations for medical reasons. How do the rest of you deal with the issue of assessment and accommodations in your schools? Michele Craig
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