ABOUT LIL

• Introduction • Independent Living Philosophy • Tips for Literacy Practitioners • Tips for Disability Organizations • How to Make Your Literacy Program Wheelchair Accessible • Tips for Communicating with People who are Hard of Hearing • Tips for Communicating with People with a Visual Impairment • Profiles of Learners • Narrowing the Gaps • Acknowledgements

• Profiles of Learners •

These profiles are real stories of adult learners with disabilities who sought assistance from local Independent Living Resource Centres (ILRCs) to look for employment or a volunteer placement. Yet, each person encountered a barrier to the achievement of their goals: low literacy skills. We have given each learner a fictitious name to ensure privacy.

a. Sam

Sam is in his early thirties. He has held many jobs, but has had difficulty retaining them. Former employers have told him that his productivity on the job is low. Sam would like to change this pattern. When he looks back to his high school years, he thinks that he may have had some learning difficulties. Although he has taken several training courses, he still has difficulty with reading and numeracy.

Sam's goal is to return to community college and he has taken positive steps to get there. He has sought support from his local ILRC. Sam has become aware that he first needs to improve his literacy skills and have accommodations provided for his probable learning disabilities.

Presently, Sam cannot access the financial assistance to be assessed for learning disabilities. Without the appropriate accommodations in place, it will de difficult for him to succeed in a literacy program. And without literacy training, Sam will not able to achieve his goal of attending community college.

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b. Tina

Tina is a young woman with a dream to earn her living as a writer and take writing courses. Her work is usually rejected after it is submitted. People who review her writing have advised Tina that her literacy skills need improvement.

Two things impede Tina from changing her dream into reality. She still denies that her literacy skills are low. When she chooses literacy training she will require a program that is accessible to accommodate her wheelchair.

Perhaps in time, this young woman may decide to pursue literacy training. If Tina decides to pursue literacy training at an accessible location in the future, her local ILRC will support her in this choice.

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c. Diane

Diane is a 56 year-old woman whom few would describe as having low literacy skills. Now totally blind, she was legally blind until the age of 14. She attended regular elementary school and, with extra help, excelled academically. When Diane later attended a school for the blind, she acquired Braille literacy. For most of her career Diane worked as a rehabilitation teacher at The Canadian National Institute for the Blind.

Diane had to stop working professionally in the 1970s due to a number of health problems including seizures, migraines, and mobility limitations due to arthritis and deteriorating disks in her back. Despite these health problems, Diane wanted to return to the labour force. Who would hire a woman who is blind and in her mid-fifties?

Diane's reality was that she had no computer literacy skills. She was completely computer phobic and afraid that a computer would crash if she touched it! However, she knew that if she wanted to work she needed to become computer literate.

With determination and the support of her local ILRC, Diane got provincial funding to buy a computer with adaptive software. She also took computer courses paid by the local Opportunities Fund (Human Resources Development Canada). After three months of training on the computer, Diane lost her fear of computers and continued learning.

Today, three years after her quest to become computer literate, Diane works as a valued volunteer at her local ILRC. The computer literacy she has gained allows her to work independently - taking messages and opening her own files. Diane provides reception, peer support and administrative assistance as required.

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