NLA Discussion: learning disabilities

Sun Jan 8 12:38:57 EST 2006

New to the Group --- My name is Glenn Young, and am a learning disabilities 
specialist with HHS - and on special assignment to NIFL to work on LD and adult 
literacy programs (been here for about a year and a half now and am the grants 
officer for the newly funded LDTD (training and dissemination) HUBS NIFL just 
funded.
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SO - if I may join in the conversation about LD an adult basic education - and 
to present another little change in the view (and sorry for the long note - you 
know, first time and all that - I want to start by giving a little data that may
have not been shared before.

In 1991 the US DEPT of Labor in a report entitled the Learning Disabled in the 
Employment and Training Programs, based on an evaluation of the literature,  
estimated that 50-80% of those in adult basic ed programs had (neurological 
based) learning disabilities - 15-24% of people in Job Training programs and 
25-40% of welfare populations also may have LD.

In 1992 the Inspector General of HHS released a report entitled Functional 
Impairments of AFDC clients where it was stated that (undiagnosed) LD was one of
the most impacting issues welfare clients and that while 50% may have LD most 
were not identified nor have ever received any services for the LD.  

Based on these reports the States of Washington and Kansas started pilot 
projects on the issue of LD in Welfare pops. and in there pilots found that apx 
35% LD and 5% mild MR - almost none of which had be previously identified in 
schools etc.

Other studies have found high rates of LD in runaway programs, prisons and youth
detention centers - and in almost all these studies most of those with LD have 
not be previously identified in public schools - and a very large proportion of 
those not identify turn out to be - poor in general, poor females in particular,
and especially poor women of color.  And when they leave schools they there is 
almost no chance of they being identified later.

It appears that the same general description of those who are coming into adult 
basic education programs - especially with welfare reform - are the same people 
who are at greatest risk not to be identified in public schools and continue not
to be identified in adult basic ed programs.

So that's some of the background data -

But the different view that I would like to suggest as far as policy goes - is 
based on the question  of what is different between someone who has not (and 
continues to not) have literacy skills and someone who has not and continues to 
not have literacy skills and who is LD. - and the answer is that the person with
LD has a disability.

They have not and continue to not learn to read or read well, not because of 
lack of effort or desire or even lack of opportunity or in many cased not 
because of lack of teaching approaches - but because they have a central nervous
system dysfunction that impacts their ability to read - 

(that is the definition of LD - a presumed central nervous system dysfunction- 
caused by genetic issues as well as insults to the system through such things as
birth trauma, lead poisoning, early untreated high fevers, fetal alcohol 
exposure and fetal drug exposures)

 - therefore, because of that neurological system issue which affects the 
process of reading - but not intelligence - many of those with LD may never 
learn to read or read well - even with the most costly of interventions.   

Many may and do increase reading capacity with the highly intensified process of
reading interventions and over time learn to read on a functional level The 
research coming out of NIH shows what these intervention models (at least for 
Children) look like - highly structured and focused on phonemic awareness, 
followed by phonics, followed by learning the rules of the language, followed by
decoding skill development, etc.  but even the most successful of those with LD 
never become great readers - and most still complain about slowness and 
comprehension skill issues (and rely on many other means to get information in 
and out)-

However - LD is not an issue of lack of intelligence or lack of educational 
opportunity - it is an issue of disability impacting the ability to read (among 
many other impacts) - 

SO - this leads to the next point - those with LD do, under federal law have a 
disability - and therefore are entitled to "reasonable accommodations" in 
education and employment settings - these include not taking tests in 
standardized fashion, but in formats that are not directly impacted by the 
disability - to get instructions in ways that are not directly impacted by the 
disability - and to be able to have work and performance settings that are not 
in conflict with the disability. (These are the standards and  guidelines of ADA
(Americans with Disabilities Act) and Section 504 of the Rehab Act of 1973 - the
adult basic ed programs are covered by these laws, not special ed laws.)

A recent study of students with LD who had dropped out of high school and were 
being offered various means of preparing and getting their GED found that 
providing "accommodations" were by far the best means of success.

Yet last year in California 310 people got accommodations (for having LD) in 
taking the Bar Exam, and only 160 for taking the GED.  (plus the ratio for 
taking the GED to Bar was about 6 to 1) so it is something like 12 times more 
likely that you can get an accommodation taking the Bar in Cal. then it is 
taking the GED.  In fact only about .3 percent of those taking the GED 
nationally received accommodations.  

To make a long story short -(failed already) if a person is LD, I feel that  
adult basic ed programs should work on a two track approach - trying to teach 
how to read using LD appropriate interventions, and at the same time helping the
student learn about accommodations, and how to use them and how to access them 
on tests, schools and work - and how to be comfortable in the idea that 
accommodations are ok, and not something thrown at them at the last second, if 
all else fails -  and these accommodations are not just costly things like 
computers and such, they can just be as simple as a tape recorder, or using 
isolation, or talking about answers rather than hand-writing, etc.  According to
JAN (Job Accommodation Network) most accommodations for adult with LD in the 
work place cost less than $50.00 and the real issue is attitude - or failure to 
understand that LD is really a (neurological based) disability, and not just a 
failure for lack of effort or opportunity. - so the major steps that adult basic
ed programs need to take may not be costly interventions - a new way of look at 
how to serve adults with LD - from a disabilty view, rather than just and 
eductional view.

Well - sorry for going on - but.... have a lot to say on the issue.

GLENN YOUNG 
<GLENN_YOUNG at SMTP.nifl.gov>

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: NLA Discussion: learning disabilities -Reply
Author:  nla at world.std.com at INET
Date:    10/24/97 9:06 PM

According to EFF [the Equipped for the Future project of the National 
Institute for Literacy] the estimated annual cost per student in adult 
education is approximately $258. In comparison, the cost per student in 
the K-12 system is about $5500/yr. I recently estimated the annual cost 
per student in our program, and it is about $500 per year. This includes 
institutional and grant funds. While this is higher than the average, I 
believe that this is still pathetically low. To keep cost down, we use 
undergraduate students as instructional facilitators. They gain teaching 
experience, and we can pay them lower wages than certified teachers
and people with bachelors. Furthermore, since they are attending school, 
they work part-time so we do not have to pay benefits. 

Other programs may use graduate students and accredited teachers, 
bringing the cost up. However, there are other programs that use 
volunteers.  The end result is the average cost that I referred to at the 
beginning.

David inquires about students with learning disabilities. He also states 
that according to some, most adult learners may have a learning 
disability. He wonders about cost regarding LD students. $200 per student 
is not that much. It is possible that some programs that identify LD 
students may spend more resources on them. However, this only
brings the annual average cost per adult learner down. If we consider 
that many adults may be dyslexic and may need trained teachers, we 
can only conclude that we are underfunded. The fact is that with 
exception of a few programs, most adults are put together in classes
without considering possible learning disabilities. Therefore, even though 
most adult learners may have some learning disability, this is not a 
funding consideration in most programs. Students that  may have
obvious learning impediments that do not allow them to participate in 
traditional programs are simply excluded. In fact, most literacy programs 
are not designed to serve the deaf or the blind. Programs that do target 
students with specific learning disabilities are more costly to operate. 

The ultimate observation is that adult education is grossly underfunded. 
A few years ago, I was talking to a researcher who mentioned to me
that the reason for this is that adult learners do not have political clout. 
Therefore, politicians are not inclined to increase funding for adult 
education. In fact, for politicians, spending money in adult education may 
not be very good. After all, some money goes to educate immigrants in
ESL classes. Immigrants are often the scapegoats of politicians and take 
the blame for everything. 

In conclusion, I already forgot what my point was and I ranted and raved 
for a while....so I'll stop now. I hope  I don't get quoted on this.

Andres

>>> David J Rosen <DJRosen at world.std.com> 10/23/97 07:29pm >>>

NLA colleagues,

Like other controversial adult literacy education topics, in our discussion 
on learning disabilities we may be tempted to discuss values, methods, 
teacher training/preparation, program design or other important aspects
of learning disabilities.  And such discussions must continue in our field 
in conferences, on other listservs (especially the NIFL-LD listserv), in 
articles, and elsewhere.  On the NLA listserv, however, I hope the 
learning disabilities/differences discussion stays focused on
_public policy issues_ . 

For example, those of you who believe that the majority of students
enrolled in adult basic literacy classes have learning disabilities, if these 
students were to get what they needed, if they were to learn to read
and write well, what would it cost?  What would a reasonable cost per 
student be, for example, for someone who is dyslexic?  Or what would 
the range of costs be?  How does that compare to a reasonable cost per 
student for a basic level ESOL student, for a GED student?  In some 
states
(mine for example) we have rate-based adult education, and we can tell 
you how much it costs per student for GED classes, for ABE classes, 
and for
ESOL classes. I would like to know how much per student per hour, and 
how many hours per week might be reasonable for students who are 
dyslexic to make good progress. I would like to compare that to the cost
for students who do not have learning disabilities.  I would like to know, if 
we were seriously setting about to address the problem of adult
dyslexia, to help all adult dyslexic students who enroll in ABE programs, 
what we might expect would be the increase in cost.

In K-12 education there are requirements that schools assess and have 
specific plans for meeting special needs, including physical disabilities 
and learning disabilities.  I would also like to know what states might 
have such requirements in adult basic education.

I understand that some of the legislation for special needs in K-12 came 
as a result of lawsuits and legal advocacy.  Are there cases in any 
states now or in the recent past which are changing services proviuded 
for adults who have learning disabilities?

These are some of my LD public policy questions.  What are yours?

David J. Rosen
<DJRosen at world.std.com>