From: learningdisabilities-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Glenn Young
[gyoungxlt at comcast.net]
Sent: Tuesday, April 24, 2007 12:22 PM
To: 'The Learning Disabilities Discussion List'
Subject: [LearningDisabilities 1126] Re: Washington State LD Project -
Day 1

Judy ... thanks for the overall outline .... As I said many times when
I'm out there and in making presentations, your efforts are among the
best models in the country .... However, for the purpose if this session
...  (And don't forget to thanks Israel Mendoza, the state director of
adult Ed, for the support to make it happen) 
 
I am interested in how you all link to the "other world" out side of
adult Ed ... and how you screen for the "need for contact" for your
customers (who may not be aware of other services etc)  ...and how you
take that information into account in the individualized efforts?  So I
have four kind of questions in this general area ... 
 
For example ,,, 

Glenn~

Absolutely, yes! Many many thanks go to Isael Mendoza for all the years
of support he has given to us.  We would not be where we are without
him!!

Thank you for your questions...they are important ones.   

If a person states they are trying to get a GED,  do you determine if it
for general purposes, or if the customer needs the GED for a certain
program requirement and there are timeframes involved?  (If there are
time frames do you adjust the approach?)

We definitely look at the student's educational and work goals as well
as timeframe and then adjust our approach if needed and if at all
possible. 

Do you also determine if they will need accommodations in taking the
GED, and if so if they have the documentation needed? If they have it do
you help them apply to the GED for the accommodations and if they don't
do you help them get the testing needed?

Yes, we determine if they will need accommodations and if so, we check
to see if they have the necessary documentation.  We usually act as
their advocate and pull the documentation together and submit it to the
state.  If they don't have documentation we help them get it.
 
Also since people coming in may qualify for programs not offered by
adult ED ... do you have direct links between you and say ... disabled
student services at the local CC or the VR office, or other programs
(such as SSI)? And with these direct links can you help the customer ...
not get lost in the system? (Do you also have confidentiality statements
that allow you to share information with other programs?)

We do help the student connect to other programs if appropriate.  (Yes,
we have confidentially releases for the purpose of sharing information
with other programs.) We are really fortunate to have a program right
here in our building that supports students with barriers to employment
or further education.  Quite often we are able to introduce the students
and help them make their appointment on the spot.  We also have another
program in the building that serves TANF clients and use that program as
a wonderful resource as well. (For example, if the student does not have
documentation, we present its value in terms of the student's future
education and  work potential to the case manager or social worker who
then frequently orders the assessment and pays for it.)
 
And lastly, (at least for now) In your intake process ... do you
determine if the person is (for example) on TANF (or some other program
with a time frame for achievement), and if they are do you make the
adjustments to the service models (more focus on AT rather than literacy
etc) based on the timeframe of those other programs?

Exactly...the students may really need to improve their basic skills,
but if they are limited timewise (or agewise!) , we just do the best we
can to have them complete in a timely manner.   
 
Lot of questions ... but important areas I think ...
 
Thanks
 
Glenn Young
530 Auburn Ave.
Buffalo, New York 14222
Ph. and Fax 716-882-2842
Cell 703-864-3755
e-mail gyoungxlt at adelphia.net
 


Judy A. Campbell
Learning Disabilities Specialist
IEL/ABE/CCS

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/learningdisabilities/attachments/20070424/2284db07/attachment.html