Services for Learning Disabled Students. Existing community college programs for LD students can accommodate many adults who have obtained some measure of literacy through other venues, as well as providing diagnostic testing. Several of the national literacy goals focus on technological literacy and workforce productivity. Community colleges have long been involved in providing customized job training for local businesses. Many colleges and businesses are building upon these contacts so that basic skills training for workers may be provided by community colleges on a contract basis.
Computers are pervasive throughout the educational system, and certainly within community colleges.
Many of the disadvantages noted by Askov and Clark, such as lack of staff expertise and training, are not applicable to community colleges which tend to have prior experience with this form of instruction. The Center has established an adult computer lab, offering orientation, instruction, drilling, testing, and learning styles surveys. The field of adult literacy has been negatively affected by the lack of meaningful program evaluations at state, institutional and program levels. Padak and Padak's model for program evaluation includes variables related to the personal and academic growth of program participants and the value added to the quality of their lives. The model also identifies program characteristics to be considered in the evaluation, including personnel qualifications, collaborative networks, student-teacher relations, and program content.