I have used the IL version of the Bridges to Practice  test and used that to refer students to Voc Rehab for additional evaluation.  That screening tool plus my observations seems to smooth the process to connect students to Voc Rehab
Evelyn

Evelyn Brown
Academic Development Specialist
Parkland College
2400 West Bradley
Champaign, IL 61821
217.351.2587 
ebrown at parkland.edu


>>> "Katherine" <kgotthardt at comcast.net> 4/3/2008 8:33 AM >>>

Thank you for the links to these references!  They are quite helpful and illuminating.

Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
www.luxuriouschoices.net 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Debra Smith 
  To: The Poverty, Race,Women and Literacy Discussion List 
  Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2008 10:57 PM
  Subject: [PovertyRaceWomen 2006] Re: accommodations


  I believe that all the Adult Education and Literacy agencies in Missouri use the same screening tool as our program. You can see it on page 54 of a document from the state AEL section's website: http://www.dese.mo.gov/divcareered/AEL/AEL_Guidelines_For_Serving_Students.doc 

  The document as a whole details the rules we follow for providing all students an equal opportunity to learn in our program; a program-specific adaptation of the document is the Learning Differences portion of our program handbook. I think all adult education programs that receive federal money have to follow pretty much the same protocols we do; the explanations we got from the LD listserv today were exactly how I've heard it all explained. 

  To answer Angela's questions -- first about cooperating with other agencies: Sometimes we locate classes within an agency and specifically serve that organization's clientele. In that case, the building is already accessible and students have case managers helping them get the tools and accommodations they need. More often, though, agencies bring their clients to us and provide support for them if what's needed is more than we can manage. Teachers and/or our director and case managers stay in touch about the students' needs (with their permission, of course). Students with identified disabilities are in many ways easier to accommodate because they do have specific diagnoses and professional recommendations for effective learning strategies. It's more difficult to help students with learning issues that have not been professionally identified. We use the assessment tools we have and recommend further testing if it seems indicated, and we implement strategies we think might help, but our efforts can't approach professional evaluation.

  Second, about getting IEPs and so forth: We are lucky in the St. Louis area that a single agency, Special School District, provides the special ed services to most of the school districts in the county. Teachers have easy access to a centralized source of most IEPs and request those themselves using a standard form filled out and signed by the student. When we need an IEP from anywhere else, teachers turn in the form to the ABE/ASE coordinator (me), whose responsibility it is to find out where to fax the request form. 

  Debra



   
  On Wed, Apr 2, 2008 at 9:08 PM, Ryan Hall <sryanhall at gmail.com> wrote:

    Thanks for answering my questions, Debra. Is the 17-question screening tool something your agency came up with? 
    ryan 



    On 4/2/08 10:28 AM, "Debra Smith" <dlmsmith at sbcglobal.net> wrote:


      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
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