Anecdotal evidence suggest that 30% to 50% of students in adult literacy programs have either learning disabilities or AD/HD. The funding approach and funding levels for adult literacy, particularly at Levels 1 and 2 are inadequate to allow literacy programs to address the many issues related to literacy learning for persons with disabilities.

The Department of Education program funding supports the specific programs developed and taught by the Brain Injury Association and the Society for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing to meet the needs of these students. Using these programs as models, an appropriate funding model is required to –

• Enhance existing programs; or
• Develop literacy programs which meet the needs of other disability groups; and
• Deliver and sustain these literacy training programs on a long term basis; and
• Recruit qualified instructors and / or ensure appropriate training is made available.

Current funding for adult literacy is an education–based program funding model. Little individual funding is available for adult students with or without disabilities as discussed in Section 7 earlier in this report. Findings in Section 6 of this report indicate that a variety of support needs are not being met for students with disabilities and that health and medical issues are a significant barrier to their learning.

An individualized funding approach is necessary to provide the supports for adult students with disabilities, including transportation, assistive technology and psycho–educational testing. These costs however, are, at best, only partially education related. Since disabilities are health related costs could be shared by the Departments of Health and Community Services.