The survey was mailed to each identified practitioner for completion and consisted of 66 mixed closed and open-ended questions.

• N=43
• 38/43 surveys were returned resulting in an 88% return rate
• Of these programs 36 are based in the community and 7 within correctional institutions
• The return rate for community based literacy programs was 32/36 or 88%
• The return rate for literacy programs based in correctional institutions was 6/7 or 85%

Data Collection

A database was developed using the SPSS statistical analysis program for the quantitative data collected in the closed-ended survey questions. The data was entered into a database and frequency tables were run to determine the overall percentage response rates for each question.

The qualitative data collected in the open-ended survey questions was organized into common response themes for each question. The qualitative data report will highlight these themes that emerged from the aggregate responses. The qualitative data will be used to substantiate and clarify the quantitative findings.

See Appendix C for Cover Letter, Appendix D for Consent Form and Appendix E for Survey Questionnaire.

FINDINGS

Practitioners reported unanimously that they had learners with learning disabilities in their programs. It became apparent that a general difficulty existed for practitioners to estimate how many learners experienced learning difficulties specifically due to an underlying learning disability. This was evident in the numerous side notes that practitioners wrote beside this closed ended question that asked for their estimates.