Issues and barriers described by TWC Survey respondents and identified through the focus groups, interviews and in other research materials have been grouped by those specific to adult students with disabilities and those which are generic to literacy students. They have also been organized into four categories to provide a framework for purposes of clarity. The four categories are defined as follows:

• Program Issues – relate to barriers and concerns with the literacy, disability and funding programs;
• Personal Issues – are those which the literacy students would experience;
• Social Issues – refer to those societal barriers which adult literacy students might experience;
• Support Issues – describe those barriers and issues which would provide personal support for literacy students.

However, it should be noted that some of the issues which are identified as being generic to literacy students may be more complex or significant for persons with disabilities. The most significant barriers are described below. Others are found in the body of the report.

Program Issues –

• Learning Models – Most literacy programs are generally designed for the generic adult student and not specifically to meet the needs of students with disabilities. Those students who have disabilities which are not visible, such as brain injuries, learning disabilities (LD), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD), mental health issues and others require modifications to the literacy programs for them to participate fully.
• Volunteer Resources / Tutors – Volunteers are the backbone of adult literacy programs in North America. In Nova Scotia, as elsewhere, these volunteers make a significant difference in their students' lives. Volunteer tutors are on the front line of the literacy program in Nova Scotia but there is no requirement for these individuals to have any experience or knowledge of working with persons with disabilities nor is there any training to assist them in this regard.
• Information and Data about Adult Students with Disabilities – There is no consistent manner in which literacy organizations gather information about their students' disabilities. The end result is twofold:
  • Instructors and tutors may have limited knowledge about their students and therefore, may not have key information about potential learning limitations; and
  • There is generally no reliable data about adult literacy students with disabilities in HRM programs.