Screening for Learning Disabilities in Adult Basic Education Students

The extant literature offers little to describe the processes for screening students in adult basic education (ABE) programs for potential learning disabilities, referring adult students for diagnostic assessment, or barriers to obtaining diagnostic assessment for a learning disability. Without current documentation of a learning disability, ABE students are excluded from obtaining accommodations on the GED, in the workplace, and in postsecondary education, thereby limiting opportunities for meaningful participation in these pursuits. Attentive to those two concerns, this article presents results of a study investigating learning disability screening practices in Ohio ABE programs over a four-year period. Results document that screenings have increased, particularly following the implementation of statewide policies and professional development. While the rate of screenings increased, the overall number of students who were referred and then received a diagnostic assessment has remained low. Program administrators identified assessment costs as a significant barrier to obtaining diagnostic assessment. Additional research is needed to identify and describe specific barriers to diagnostic assessment.