A Review of The Research Literature on Serving Adults with Learning Disabilities

Hi all,

I wanted to share something with you.  Over the weekend, I had occasion to write something which entailed accessing and citing research.  It has been a while since I reviewed my Learning to Achieve material, but in this case, it was exactly what I needed.  Learning to Achieve was developed by the National Institute for Literacy in 2009.  It is part of a larger resource including a training component that is still available from the LINCS Regional Centers.   If you haven't read the document, A Review of The Research Literature on Serving Adults with Learning Disabilities, I suggest that you might find it very useful as I did.  Go to http://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/L2ALiteratureReview09.pdf  to read the full, free version.  For your information, I have included the Table of Contents below:

Rochelle Kenyon, SME
 

FOREWORD – Introduction and Scope
CHAPTER ONE – Introduction
CHAPTER TWO – Assessment of Adults with Learning Disabilities
     Introduction
     Incidence of Reading Disabilities
     Issues in the Assessment of Reading Disabilities
     Key Issues in Validating Definitions of Reading Disabilities
     Research Questions
     Findings
     Discussion
     Recommendations: Linking Assessment to Instruction 
   
CHAPTER THREE – Issues in Identifying Learning Disabilities for English Language Learners
     Introduction
     Literature Search
     View of the Research
         Report of Findings–Part I: Key Concepts and Definitions of Language Processing  and Reading
         Report of Findings—Part II: Theories Referred to in the Review or Underlying Research
         Report of Findings—Part III: Introduction to Evidence Supporting Direct Testing of ELLs for Learning Difficulties (RD/LD)
         Report of Findings—Part IV: Native Language Skill Weaknesses and Foreign Language Learning Problems
         Report of Findings—Part V: Direct Testing to Identify RD, LD, or FLLD (Table 12) .
         Report of Findings—Part VI: Introduction to Literature Showing That Direct Testing for LD in Language Learners Is Not Possible or Is Problematic 
         Report of Findings—Part VII: Evidence Countering the Premise That Phonological or Other Specific Skills Are Universal and Can Be Reliably      Tested Across Languages
       Report of Findings—Part VIII: Studies Challenging the Applicability, Reliability, and Validity of the Current/Traditional Model and Tools of Evaluation of ELLs for Learning Difficulties
Discussion, Conclusions, and Recommendations
References
Glossary
 
CHAPTER FOUR – Accommodations: Evidence-Based Accomodation Research Specific to the Adolescent and Adult Population with LD
Introduction to Accommodations
Instructional Accommodations—A Literature Search
Test Accommodations—A Literature Search
Meta-Study Summary
Implications for Practice
General Discussion
References
 
CHAPTER FIVE – Teaching Methods: Instructional Methods and Arrangements Effective for Adults with Learning Disabilities
   Introduction
   Literature Search
   View of the Research
   Report of the Findings
   Discussion, Conclusions, and Recommendations
   References
 
CHAPTER SIX – Transition and Adults with Learning Disabilities
    Introduction
    Literature Search
    View of the Research
    Transition: Report of Findings
    Discussion, Conclusions, and Recommendations
    References
 
CHAPTER SEVEN – Impact of Learning Disabilities on Adults
     Introduction to the Topic
     Literature Search
     View of the Research
     Report of the Findings
     Discussion, Findings, and Recommendations
     References
        Table 17: Summary of Findings Regarding Impact of Learning Disabilities on Adulthood by Domain