Hi Patti,
 
Thanks for responding.  I was assuming that the case impacted on other  
states.  I can see that the impact has been positive in Arkansas.
 
Will someone from another state pitch in, please?  Has another state  had a 
similar case as the one that Ruth Bourquin described?
 
Thanks,
 
Rochelle
 
 
 
Rochelle Kenyon
Moderator, NIFL/LINCS Learning Disabilities  Discussion List
Center for Literacy Studies at the University of  Tennessee
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Arkansas has not had a similar civil rights case,  probably because our 
Department of Human Services (DHS) was well aware of Ruth  Bourquin's lawsuit and 
its nationwide repercussions.  DHS partnered with  our interagency LD training 
initiative, Bridges to Practice, in 1998, and  proceeded to participate in the 
training for five years to educate their staff  about appropriate and 
effective service provision for their clients with  learning disabilities. 
 
DHS began mandatory LD screening of all Transitional Employment  Assistance 
(TEA) clients in July 1999 using the Washington State 13-Question  Screener.  
In addition, they  contracted with Arkansas Rehabilitation Services (ARS) to 
provide follow-up  diagnosis. If the client needed a GED,  ARS included all 
tests required by GEDTS as part of the evaluation in order to  request and receive 
accommodations on the GED tests.
 
I should add that the interagency training is no longer happening, and I  
have no idea how the issue of learning disabilities is now being handled in  
local DHS offices in this state.  The agency underwent some drastic  
administrative changes a few years ago, and the last I heard, they were using  the 
disabilities kiosk approach for their clients with disabilities, including  learning 
disabilities.  That's basically a section in the office with a  computer where 
the person can search for local resources.  
 
As with all training, though, there were a lot of people who completed  the 
training and continue to apply what they learned to their clients.  I  still 
hear from some of them, and I know it has made a difference in some local  
offices despite any support or lack thereof from the  state.
 
Patti White
 
 
 
Patti White,  M.Ed.
Disabilities Project  Manager
Arkansas Adult Learning  Resource Center
804 Madison 3120
Huntsville, AR   72740
prwhite at madisoncounty.net
http://aalrc.org/resources/ld/index.aspx
800.569.3539    ph/fax/tty
 



 
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