Bridges to Practice: Making the Connection Learning Disabilities and Adult Literacy
by Rochelle Kenyon, Ed.D., Bridges to Practice Master Trainer and Consultant, Florida Human Resources Development, Inc.

In January of 2003, the Michigan Department of Career Development sponsored a 5-day workshop in Lansing to prepare a team of Michigan professionals to become Bridges to Practice trainers. Bridges to Practice is a nationally prominent initiative of the National Institute for Literacy (NIFL). Bridges to Practice: A Research-based Guide for Literacy Practitioners Serving Adults with Learning Disabilities is the culmination of a five-year collaborative effort between the adult literacy and learning disabilities fields. Funded by the National Institute for Literacy beginning in 1993, partners included the Academy for Educational Development (AED), the National Adult Literacy and Learning Disabilities Center, and the University of Kansas Institute for Research in Learning Disabilities (KU-IRLD).

NIFL had as one of its goals "to enhance the capacity of literacy services providers to identify, teach, and support adults with learning disabilities (LD)." In addition to expanding the knowledge base on learning disabilities, beginning to use a common vocabulary, building more of a base of common knowledge about best practices for serving adults with LD, and forging the link that explains the high rate of adult illiteracy, NIFL was especially interested in developing and disseminating strategies for systemic reform of literacy programs to improve services to persons with LD. <http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/ld/bridges/about/history.html>

 
“The goal of Bridges to Practice is to increase awareness among practitioners about learning disabilities and to help program leaders address the changes they might initiate to make their programs more responsive to the needs of adults with LD.” <http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/ld/bridges/about/history.html>

 
The positive and measurable results that are expected as a result of a coordinated Bridges to Practice initiative in Michigan will be:

• The State will meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act in serving its adult population.

• The State will have a leadership team that represents major agencies.

• The State will have policies and procedures that clearly define the method to be followed in the identification of an adult with disabilities, and the method in which services will be provided.

• The State will develop a system that will guarantee that the adult will be able to move from community to community without an undue disruption in services.

• The State Governor and Legislature will recognize the work of the agencies and will understand the funding required to continue the work to meet the requirements of disability law.

• The State will have trainers who are prepared to work with specific audiences.

• The trainers will meet the requirements for certification as a Bridges to Practice trainer, and certification in one or more agency training areas.

<http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/ld/bridges/legal/legal.html>

By setting forth guidelines for best practices and by stimulating discussions among program staff, Bridges to Practice has been the catalyst that has caused some literacy programs to rethink and restructure their delivery systems to be more effective in serving adults with learning disabilities. Advances in research and training that are being accomplished around the country continue to reflect the most current knowledge and best practices concerning adults with learning disabilities. In summary, the type of systemic reform originally hailed as a major goal is now reaching fruition. <http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/ld/bridges/about/history.html>

 
Those that have successfully completed the January 2003 5-day train-the-trainer workshop on Bridges to Practice include the following (in alphabetical order):

 
Karre Ballard, Gladwin Community Schools
Lynn Boza, Ph.D., Michigan Rehabilitation Services
Dennis Burin, Ed.D., Hazel Park Adult Education
Linda Colagross, Department of Career Development
Cynthia DeFiore-Stemick, Men-O-Mee Activity Center
Mary Kay Doran, Livonia Public Schools Adult Education
Marlene E. McCormick, Rochester Adult & Community Education
Paul Mulka, Michigan Career & Technical Institute
Linda Pretzer, Carrollton Public Schools
Rosanne Renauer, Michigan Rehabilitation Services
Grace Temple, LVA – Sanilac
M. Jean Villa, Michigan Literacy, Inc.
Amy Winans, Learning Disabilities Association of Michigan

For anyone interested in more information on Bridges to Practice, there will be a Conference Pre-Symposium on Sunday, October 26, 2003. For details, click here.