Successful adults with learning disabilities stated that the key to their success was self-determination and persistence. The first step towards self-determination is actively involving learners in the assessment process. When learners understand their strengths and weaknesses, they become more alert to specific situations and tasks that are most difficult and/or frustrating for them. By involving learners in the development of alternative strategies and ongoing evaluation of their effectiveness, they are able to assume a greater sense of control.

Primary factors to consider when assessing for learning disabilities

How to distinguish between literacy challenges and potential learning disabilities

When working with adults at the basic literacy level, it is difficult to decide when the observation of some behaviours represents a normal stage of learning a new skill and when it suggests the presence of a learning disability. Janet Johnston states that people who do not have a learning disability experience small differences between their strengths and weaknesses. Usually several skills are needed to complete a task. When there are large differences in one's strengths and weaknesses related to the skills required, it can be difficult to perform the task. Some parts may be easy and others difficult. Adults who face these difficulties most likely have some form of a learning disability. Often these weaknesses are what get in the way of completing the task. Too often peoples' strengths can become masked by their weakness(es) and increased frustrations are the result.

The impact of adults' learning disabilities may increase or lessen depending on the context or specific task they are required to perform. For example, an adult with visual processing disabilities, who is required to read a passage him/herself, will more likely feel the impact of his/her disability on his/her reading comprehension versus having the opportunity to listen to the reading passage and then respond to comprehension questions. Or an adult who has organizational learning disabilities may be quite capable of writing sentences independently, but when required to do a written report will be unable to proceed and his/her writing skills may decline.