Many of the programs using SARAW, along with other materials and tools for developing literacy skills have partnerships with literacy/educational organizations (community literacy and colleges) and disabilities and rehabilitation organizations. The survey report is available at www.nald.ca/fulltext/study/final/report.pdf.

In 2000, Macht conducted a study, "Literacy and Disability" that examined barriers to employment and education, and made thirteen recommendations to improve accessibility and participation in literacy programs for adults with disabilities. While strides have been made to improve literacy programming for adults with disabilities, there remains a great need for action on these recommendations. It is our hope that this guide will help you take action. The LaDS project addresses four of the thirteen recommendations:

1. People with disabilities who are participants or potential participants in literacy programs should be consulted to determine their needs.
   
   The LaDS project was guided by the voices of learners. Twenty learners participated in the SARAW Survey, and an additional eleven learners contributed to the book of Learner Stories.
   
   
2. Efforts should be made to increase the use of computers in adult literacy programs.
   
   The intent of this guide is to inform program coordinators, instructors and support workers about the benefits of using SARAW in their programs, as well as how to set up the SARAW computer.
   
   
3. A best practice inventory of literacy programs for people with disabilities should be developed.
   
   This guide contributes to this effort by presenting proven effective practices, which can lead to the development of best practices in a broad range of programs that work with adults with disabilities.
   
   
4. To become more inclusive, literacy programs should make efforts to become more flexible in time lines and student expectation to allow for the inclusion of people with disabilities.
   
   More than half of the eleven programs in the SARAW Survey allow learners to remain in their program indefinitely. In the other programs learners can stay up to 5 years. Also, the learning pace was determined by each learner to best fit individual needs.