For example, credit-granting institutions such as community colleges, school boards, and Manitoba's learning centres favor standarized tools over diagnostic instruments. On the other hand, community-based and workplace programs prefer diagnostic assessment tools. The findings also reveal that across the delivery agencies, there are three frequently used tools: Canadian Adult Achievement Test (CAAT), Common Assessment of Basic Skills (CABS), and the Canadian Adult Reading Assessment (CARA).

In order to gather information about the complex nature of a student's literacy, numeracy, and/or essential skills, the International Reading Association (1994) recommends that educators use multiple measures. The findings indicate that the majority of respondents are using a battery of commercial tools and informal measures. However, 58 respondents (14 percent) reported that they are using only one commercial assessment tool for initial assessment. Of the 58 respondents, 37 reported that they were relying solely on a standardized assessment. It is difficult to obtain a profile of a student's knowledge, learning processes, behaviors, and skills with one assessment, especially when that tool is a standardized test.

This section will briefly describe the four different classifications of assessment tools and provide statistical information regarding their use among the different delivery agencies (See Figure 3). This will be followed by a description of the strengths and limitations of the most frequently used tools (CAAT, CABS, and CARA).

Figure 3. Types of assessment tools used by delivery agencies.