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Adult basic skills for students with learning difficulties or disabilities
Summary and recommendations based on evidence from LEAs, self advocacy groups and key organisations for the Moser Sub-Group
Compiled by the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE)
December 1999
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Summary and key recommendations
Section summaries:
People with learning difficulties want to develop their basic skills for a variety of purposes. The definition of basic skills should include non-verbal forms of communication such as sign, symbol or gesture.
There are gaps in the quality of provision; in assessment, individual learning programmes, in curriculum development and in assessing achievement. The clear gaps in the quality and range of provision nationally are compounded by a range of other barriers. Transport, physical access and accessible information are barriers to learning basic skills. Funding and inter-agency work require clearer structures to be helpful. Negative attitudes and bad experiences of learning in the past can also block progress in acquiring basic skills.
Basic skills provision should be an entitlement based on legal rights and accessible to all, regardless of the level of disability, who choose to learn. Access to basic skills should support independence, life planning and self advocacy. Basic skills is often best learned through other activities directly relevant to students’ lives.
The quality nationally of basic skills provision for adults with learning difficulties or disabilities is of concern. Better staff training is needed. There is clear scope for improvement. People with learning difficulties who sent evidence had mixed experiences of learning, more negative than positive.
There are gaps in materials for adults with learning difficulties or disability to learn about basic skills. New learning materials need to be developed which are adult, relevant to peoples’ lives and which address communication, literacy, numeracy and IT.
Good practice is limited in scope at present. Key indicators include an inclusive approach which is flexible, relevant, builds confidence, offers appropriate support and takes place in a multi-agency framework.
People with learning difficulties had clear ideas about what would be helpful, to include choosing to go to classes, support, good access and clear information. Tutors commented on a number of concerns, to include the need for joint training, longer time scales, effective group sizes, taster courses and the needs of deaf learners.
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The key recommendations for action are as follows:
 | Provision is limited and patchy and requires an investment of resources. |
| There should be a basic right / entitlement to basic skills education for adults with learning difficulties or disabilities, regardless of ability. |
| The Moser definition of basic skills in relation to speaking and listening should be interpreted or expanded to include people who communicate by non-verbal communication methods such as sign, symbol or gesture. |
| There should be an investment of resources for staff development to upgrade quality standards in basic skills for adults with learning difficulties or disabilities. Both colleges and LEAs offering basic skills to adults with learning difficulties or disabilities should be given appropriate support. |
| There should be a strategy to improve curriculum development, assessment, measuring achievement and progression in LEAs and the voluntary sector. |
| There is a need to conduct research into the best ways of delivering basic skills to adults with learning difficulties or disabilities. |
| Current good practice and emerging research findings should be disseminated to offer ongoing practical advice to practitioners via a planned programme of development work, publications, newsletters and seminars. A web site on the Internet could also offer a means of support and dissemination. |
| New materials should be developed, including a series of readers based on the lives and stories of people with learning difficulties or disabilities, in order to provide relevant basic reading materials. |
| Basic skills for adults with learning difficulties should include learning skills for self advocacy and skills for independence, which in turn has implications for inter-agency working. |
| The response from self advocates has been very helpful in putting this evidence together. There should be continued consultation with disabled people about their needs, wishes and priorities in relation to basic skills education. Funding participation by disabled people with basic skills needs in learners’ forums may offer one way of achieving this. |
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Ancillary recommendations drawn from the full text are:
| Transport to basic skills classes should be built into provision for people with learning difficulties or disabilities who cannot travel independently, to enable them to access provision. |
| Basic skills classes should where possible be delivered in accessible venues. |
| Basic skills provision should address the needs of learners who have more than one disability or who have multiple disabilities. |
| Good practice guidelines for support and training of front line care staff in an awareness of basic skills issues should be developed. |
| There should be better information and support available for family carers of people with learning difficulties in relation to basic skills issues. |
| Resources should be invested in developing appropriate software for adults with learning difficulties to develop their basic skills. Funds for staff development should be invested in equipping staff with the necessary skills to use IT with adults with learning difficulties or disabilities. Support for home based learning where relevant for disabled students should be considered. |
