Component 1 – Finding the Facts

Let’s Talk Numbers

According to the National Institute for Literacy (NIFL), 30-50% of all adult students may have undiagnosed learning disabilities.  The sad part is that many of these students have never been properly diagnosed or ever received any services, especially the more mature adult (40+) who never had the benefit of exceptional services while in the regular school program.  Remember, Public Law 94-142, the grandfather of all current legislation related to disabilities, didn’t come along until 1975.  It wasn’t until even later that students actually got the very special services that they needed. 

In 1999, more than 40,000 adults took their GED Tests in the state of Florida. Of that number only 212 received special accommodations to take the tests.  That is less than one-half of one percent. 
 

30-50% of all adult students have learning disabilities

Less than one-half of 1% received special accommodations

 
 
 

This program was developed for the Florida Department of Education, Division of Community Colleges and Workforce Education by the Adult Secondary/GED/VPI Committee of the Practitioners' Task Force.