Training Teachers for College Students with Learning Disabilities

What is Bridges to Practice?
Developed by the National Institute for Literacy (NIFL), Bridges to Practice is a set of training materials designed for those who work with older youth and adults who have, or may have, learning disabilities. The materials cover the legal responsibilities of agencies and clients/students, the screening and diagnostic process for learning disabilities, and planning and instruction, including seven areas of learning disability that impact education, personal life choices, and job performance. The materials provide a foundation for understanding this hidden disability and recognizing the pool of talent that we have available if only we can find a way to utilize the strengths of these adults and young people. Bridges to Practice is based on research studies that included large numbers of students who were diagnosed with learning disabilities and who were successful in their classes and their lives.

Who is using this material?
Bridges to Practice is being used in 46 of the 50 states in the country and has been adapted for use in education programs, social services, employment, and vocational rehabilitation agencies. State steering committees have used Bridges as the foundation for making statewide changes in how adults with disabilities receive services, and for the development of seamless service systems that eliminate some of the confusion and frustration often encountered when trying to serve this population. Bridges to Practice provides a national training base that encourages all agencies to speak a common language about learning disabilities. Bridges is used in training programs by the US Department of Education, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Labor, in addition to state and local government programs.

Is Bridges to Practice useful for faculty and staff?
Hundreds of education programs have requested assistance from the NIFL in working with students who have learning disabilities. K-12 schools refer a student with possible LD to a staff member who requests student documentation and provides the basic accommodations mentioned in the diagnostic report. In adult and college education, faculty are rarely prepared to teach students with special needs. Bridges to Practice provides guidance in this area and can help faculty recognize students who may have undiagnosed learning disabilities that prevent them from performing academic work despite obvious intellectual ability. Faculty can learn what to do, where to refer the student, what the resources are for teaching, and how to measure success in an adult learner in ways other than standardized tests.

How can you find out more about Bridges to Practice?
The National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) is an agency of the federal government charged with increasing the literacy levels of adults in America. The NIFL provides training about learning disabilities and uses the Bridges to Practice materials as the basis for the instruction. Members of the Bridges to Practice Master Trainer Corps can provide faculty development workshops. The trainers are experienced teachers and trainers who are familiar with learning disabilities, and they can answer the questions that faculty have about teaching students with special needs. A new online learning course is planned for the future, and our website is adding new information daily.

Further information is available by contacting the NIFL Learning Disabilities Program Director at 202-233-2064 or jcrawford@nifl.gov