Learning Disabilities and Whole Life Learning

disability and social rights

Suzanne — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 22:54:25 +0000

I connected recently with Audrey Gardner, a literacy educator at Bow Valley College who has produced some fabulous work on literacy and community development, and literacy and disability. Our short conversation got me thinking about how we define and understand disability in our everyday lives, and in this “whole life” project.

It is often the default position that the person with the disability is the one with the “issue” that needs accommodation, or that requires something “extra” or “special”. We have created whole industries, as Audrey pointed out, in instructing people in how to manage their disability so they can integrate into the “normal” or “usual” way of doing things.

I always thought of myself as someone who supported the “inclusion” model of disability-making sure people have accommodations, and are not stigmatized and so on. But I was struck by this definition of disability that Audrey includes in her article on the “LaDS’ (Literacy and Disability Study) project.

The disability-rights model of disability presumes that all people have the same rights, regardless of disability. Disability is seen as a product of discrimination and inequality in social, economic and political life. The focus is on broad systemic factors that enable or restrict people from participating as equals in societies.

-Rioux, et al. Atlas of Literacy and Disabilities. 2003

In the “learner stories” version of this study, there are accounts of people’s lived experiences within the discourses of “literacy” and “disability”.

It’s here I feel the strongest push to move beyond the construct of disability and to pay more attention to the rights and social conditions that shape learning. Or maybe such a move would make it even more difficult for people with disabilities to be recognized and get access to resources they need?

Updated resource list – June 2010

Library — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 00:29:34 +0000

The resource list has been updated. To make the newest resources easy to find, this month’s additions are in blue.

To borrow any or all of these, email Tina at library@literacy.bc.ca.

Online course on Learning Disabilities in Adult Literacy

Suzanne — Wed, 19 May 2010 18:25:46 +0000

Sault College in Ontario offers a Certificate of Instruction for Adult Literacy tutors. One of their courses, offered May – August this year, is on the topic of learning disabilities. Here is the information about the course and the link for more information (you can cut and paste the url into your browser if necessary).

http://www.saultc.on.ca/Courses/courses.asp?UN=8535&groupcode=DED

Learning Disabilities and Adult Literacy – OEL778

Credits: 3 (Online)

You will learn to identify characteristics of adults with learning disabilites, including learning strengths and challenges. Students will learn to observe and recognize possible learning disabilities during the assessment process to plan effective instructional strategies. You will also learn strategies to support the development of self-direction skills and independence in the adult literacy learner.

Note: Go to www.textnet.ca to see your required textbook.

May 14, 2010 – August 20, 2010

$344.52

Go to www.textnet.ca to see your books. Find the course name in the listings. If the course name is not at the Textnet.ca site, then you do not require a book.

Digital storytelling and struggling readers and writers

Suzanne — Wed, 19 May 2010 07:21:39 +0000

Many “whole life” projects underway involve digital storytelling. This is using photo, text, music and voice to produce a story, usually about 2-3 minutes long and shared/uploaded onto computers, websites, blogs and so on. Recent research in literacy argues that adults develop many valuable “new literacies” , “deep literacy” and traditional print literacy skills as they create digital stories. These include the creative decision-making involved in matching text with images and music, pacing, designing text/narrative for an authentic audience, attention to voice and emotional content, editing, you name it! Because digital stories value many kinds of learning styles and modes of learning, learners who struggle with pen and paper literacy have the opportunity to express themselves in new ways. This connects to Universal Design, to building on learners’ strengths and to the all-important issue of motivation/engagement in learning disability work. What is your experience of using digital stories? Would this work in your literacy setting?

ADHD and exposure to pesticides

Suzanne — Wed, 19 May 2010 07:06:51 +0000

University of Montreal and Harvard scientists have found a link between exposure to common pesticides and a diagnosis of ADHD in children. Read more about the story in Science Daily.