Hi Rochelle - in response to your request for sessions that were presented at 
COABE relevant to LD, I've listed below the two sessions I presented at COABE 
'07.  Both sessions have very specific applications as to how Adult Basic and 
Literacy Education providers work with students who have struggled with 
learning, persistence, and/or have characteristics of being learning disabled. 

Both sessions have PowerPoint slides that I am willing to share and discuss 
with listserv participants.  I can be contacted directly at 
dr.weisel at powerpath.com

Laura Weisel
The TLP Group
PO Box 21510
Columbus, Oh  43221
614.850.8677
614.850.8687 FAX
dr.weisel at powerpath.com


1.  Special Learning Needs:  Implications for Building Persistence

The incidence of special learning needs in the adult basic and literacy 
population is astonishingly high! This comes to no surprise to instructors or 
administrators, but what does it mean if these needs go unmet? 

This session presented data on the special learning needs of nearly 5,000 
adult basic and literacy students, one-stop and TANF clients, and at-risk youth.  
The data was collected in 2003 to 2006, from 108 programs, and includes 
programs from 13 states.  The data includes the incidence of individuals who 1). 
stated they had been previously been diagnosed with a learning disability, 2). 
received special education services, and 3). those who could be predicted to be 
clinically diagnosed with learning disability.  In addition, the data clearly 
uncovers numerous special learning needs that, when not identified, lead to 
an over-identification of learning disabilities.

Session participants entered into a dialogue with representatives from 
programs that are identifying and addressing the range of special learning needs.  
These programs discussed the impact of how engaging, accurately identifying 
special learning needs, and providing both specific learner and systemic 
programmatic interventions have impacted learner persistence and successful 
transitions into employment and post-secondary education.


2. Mental Health Issues: What are they and how can I handle them in my 
Program?

Mental health issues seem to be running rampant is all sectors of adults ... 
including ABE and TANF clients. As everyone can guess, there is a high 
co-morbidity between special learning needs, LD, emotional issues, and addictions. 
This session offered the basics for understanding the diagnostic categories of 
mental health issues, specific strategies to establish a recovery framework 
within basic skill programs to address mental health issues, and ways to identify 
community mental health partners.  



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