Making connections with organizations that really influence a learner's life is a key element, whether through case conferencing with Community Living or some other organization that supports individuals with disabilities. By doing this we can start to really help these learners move towards independence. Work by Beck and Hatt (1998) indicates that such support networks can be crucial in helping learners in "early literacy stages" advance to the point where they are prepared for entry into more mainstream literacy programming.⁴²

There are many local Community Living agencies as well as other organizations that assist adults with disabilities in communities throughout Ontario. Literacy practitioners can connect with them in order to better help learners with intellectual disabilities. There is excellent information available through the following websites or by contacting the following organizations:

Community Living Ontario

http://www.communitylivingontario.ca/

Canadian Association for Community Living

http://www.cacl.ca/

The Roeher Institute

http://www.roeher.ca/default.htm

Conclusion

Individuals with learning disabilities are very different from those with intellectual disabilities and vice versa. It is important that literacy practitioners be aware of the differences so that they can better identify learners during the intake process and provide opportunities to support each learner's individual needs. As practitioners, we work with a very diverse group of learners and the better we know and understand their literacy goals, the more successful we will be in providing a supportive learning environment.