We use a 17-question screening tool that asks about visual and hearing
issues, past difficulties in school with activities such as working from a
test booklet to an answer sheet, working with numbers in a column, filling
out forms, spelling, memorizing, and other things like that. Teachers go
through the screening tool with each student during orientation when the
student enters our program. Students who answer yes to 12 or more of these
questions are referred within our agency for PowerPath screening, which
produces extensive "how to accommodate" information for the student and, if
needed, referrals for further screening. We have a list
of universities/clinics for additional screening, some of which operate on a
sliding scale, but students and their families have to follow up and pay. In
actuality, few do. If students have an IEP from their K12 years, we ask them
to let us request it from their former school, and that takes the place of
PowerPath referral. We then work with our students to develop learning
plans that support their goals and accommodate any special needs.
Debra


On Tue, Apr 1, 2008 at 10:01 PM, Ryan Hall <sryanhall at gmail.com> wrote:


> Debra,

> How does your agency screen for learning differences? And, which issues do

> you generally look for? Where do you refer students for further testing? Who

> pays for that further testing?

> Thanks,

> Ryan

>

>

>

> On 4/1/08 10:28 PM, "Debra Smith" <dlmsmith at sbcglobal.net> wrote:

>

>   There's a process for applying for accommodations on the GED, and the

> TABE provides for them too. We try to give students the same accommodations

> in class that they are likely to get on the GED, to the extent that we can

> predict that. We are required to have the ADA posted in every classroom and

> to make all reasonable accommodations. We locate our classes in accessible

> buildings as much as possible, and we provide tutors, audio/large print

> materials, color transparencies, line guides, laptops with adaptability

> features, etc.. We screen for learning differences and make referrals for

> further testing, get previous IEPs from K12 with students' permission, and

> cooperate with whatever other agencies students with special needs are

> working with. Adult education is generally underfunded, and accommodations

> can be expensive, but as much as possible, our agency works hard to provide

> suitable accommodations to meet the needs of every learner.

> Debra Smith

>

> On Tue, Apr 1, 2008 at 8:55 PM, Daphne Greenberg <alcdgg at langate.gsu.edu>

> wrote:

>

> I wonder if adult learners who need accommodations, due to physical,

> sensory, cognitive, or psychiatric reasons could "demand" these

> accommodations? Does anyone on this list know the answer to this?

>

> Do any of you work/learn in adult literacy programs where accommodations

> are offered? If yes, we would love to hear about it!

>

> >>> Angela Smith <adsmith1 at uga.edu> 04/01/08 12:39 PM >>>

> Daphne, I definitely believe your outlined (and other accommodations) are

> needed to better serve adult learners, particularly in adult literacy

> programs. It has been my experience that these services are not part of

> adult literacy (routine) offerings. Depending on the location of the

> classroom site, some kinds of physical accommodations may be offered.

>

> I believe this lack of support and resources are the result of an overall

> devaluing of adult literacy programs and the population they serve (from

> funders, policymakers and other leading stakeholders who have the power to

> make the difference).

>

> Angela

> ----------------------------------------------------

> National Institute for Literacy

> Poverty, Race, Women and Literacy mailing list

> PovertyRaceWomen at nifl.gov

> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to

> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/povertyracewomen

>

> ----------------------------------------------------

> National Institute for Literacy

> Poverty, Race, Women and Literacy mailing list

> PovertyRaceWomen at nifl.gov

> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to

> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/povertyracewomen

>

>

> ------------------------------

>  ----------------------------------------------------

> National Institute for Literacy

> Poverty, Race, Women and Literacy mailing list

> PovertyRaceWomen at nifl.gov

> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to

> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/povertyracewomen

>

>

>

> ----------------------------------------------------

> National Institute for Literacy

> Poverty, Race, Women and Literacy mailing list

> PovertyRaceWomen at nifl.gov

> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to

> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/povertyracewomen

>

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/povertyracewomen/attachments/20080402/3b1e795b/attachment.html