Where is the George Washington of the LD movement ?

Henrich,

Are you looking for a group or a person that will advocate strongly for adults with LD as we all agree the current LD organizations are not doing that? If that is the case, you can’t wait for someone to emerge because you’ll be waiting a long time. We need to take the initiative ourselves.

I had made plans to see about starting a group but I have gotten sidetracked with so many other personal issues. But if we could get some good ideas going, I would try to make time.

A person single handledly started the Aldre Centre in Toronto which is strictly geared to helping adults with LD with career planning/job hunting issues. She didn’t see anything in the US or Canada that was meeting our needs and took action herself. But she is just one person.

What are your thoughts?

PT

I think we have to be our own commander in chief and fight this as a gueralla war. Take no prisoners. Write everyday to our elected officials and consider my plan of taking DVR out of the loop and shifting the operational part of the responsibiblty to the private sector. Reward LD friendly employers and use the ADA for toilet paper to wipe the up the lawyers.

Ball,

What makes you so sure the private sector is going to be more efficient? The companies who used to provide airline screening are a perfect example. Also, I have worked at companies that would be a joke running an operational department like DVR. You think DVR is bad, you ain’t seen nothing my friend.

Also, in my opinion, you need to quit using DVR as a scapegoat. The problem goes way beyond them in my opinion. If you took them out of the equation, they would just return in another name unless you address the underlying symptoms.

I agree about rewarding LD Friendly Employers but the ADA, even though the US Supreme Court has watered it down still has some use. I wouldn’t have received the accomodations I did in college if it didn’t.

I am curious as to why you are placing faith in elected officials when both sides can’t even get the basic stuff right. The question I keep repeating and no one is answering it is what can we do personally to start a self help movement? Is everyone just content to complain on these boards? There is nothing wrong that as I am guilty of it big time but then to answer Heinrich’s question, no one is going to be the George Washington for folks with LD as if we want something done, we have to take the initiative ourselves.

PT

There are quite a few fighting on the front lines—sounds like you may be one as well. Have you read Learning Outside the Lines by Jonathan Mooney and David Cole?

Please excuse my ignorance. What does DVR stand for?

Claire

Claire - DVR stands for department of voc rehabilitative services. Alot of people use it as an acronym to represent all state voc rehab agencies.

KMoccia - I hate to admit it but I really haven’t done anything. But at least I am upfront about things. I did email someone who is the head of an adult LD support group in another state but in typical LD fashion, I didn’t follow up.

I have heard of the book “Outside the Lines”. But it was my impression they were interested primarily in reforming the education system while my concern is the lack of services for adults.

Since you mentioned that there are a few people fighting on the front lines, my question to you would be “Who is fighting to improve services for adults with LD and I just don’t mean young adults as no adult should be excluded?” I would love to know what they are doing and volunteer what I can. Also, when I get around to putting my money where my mouth is, I don’t want to start duplicating what other people are doing.

Look forward to seeing your book when it comes out. To digress, as an adult with a non verbal learning disability, I sincerely hope that you write it with the understanding that Dyslexia does not equal LD. In other words, it is not the only learning disability.

PT

It just takes one to step up to the standard- who is that going to be in the good old US of A?!….All it takes is just one…just one…one person to stand up and say,”Hey, we’ve got an issue here that needs addressing…” We get one on this side of the Canadian Border to step up, then I’m sure others will follow…anything has to be better than sitting here whining and bitching about it!
Nita