Adult education is teaching something to adults. It is sometimes referred to as continuing education and many times happens in the workplace. Many businesses require it if you want to make more money and assume more responsibility in your career.

Here is a common scenario that may even be happening to you or has happened to you in the past.

You have a high school education and could not afford to go to college. You start with your company as an entry level person, let’s say a delivery person. You work hard and do a good job and are promoted inside to a warehouse worker. You show up early, stay late and over time you become the warehouse manager. So far you have invested only time into your career. You have no student loans to repay and your adult education to this point is on the job training.

As you set in meeting with other managers you begin to dream about getting out of the warehouse and into the office. The only problem is to become a office manager or branch manager for your company they require a bachelor of science degree in business. There is an opportunity here however.

Your company offers continuing education by agreeing to pay 50% of the tuition cost with an up to 100% reimbursement upon graduation. You enroll at a local state university that offers evening and weekend classes to people just like you. You buckle down and do the impossible, graduating with a B.S. in Business Administration in a few short years.

Gradually you work your way into an inside managers position and eventually you running the most profitable branch in your company, a true success story. It was all made possible by your work ethic, your brains, and your companies commitment to adult education and promoting from within.

Stories like this happen all of the time. Getting more education or even education in a whole new field is easier now then ever. Colleges recognize a huge market in workers who need more education. The internet offers a never ending supply of college courses right in the comfort of your own home.

One other market is people who just want to learn about something that does not even relate to work and they take a college course at their local community college to do it. You are never to old to learn something.

Regardless of the reasons adult education is within the reach of almost everyone. Putting together a plan and then going for it is a matter of personal choice and motivation.

First, students who have learning disabilities need to work on developing self knowledge while in high school. They need to understand what learning style works best for them. They need to have an arsenal of learning strategies in hand that they know will allow them to achieve success in school. Such strategies might include asking for extra time to take tests, listening to books read out loud instead of reading them, or making up acronyms to help them remember important material.

Next, the learning disabled student needs to understand the legal rights that he or she is entitled to. The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), which was passed in 1990, protects the confidentiality of records, so colleges do not have access to any disability records. Because of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, colleges cannot discriminate in accepting students with learning disabilities. Students with learning disabilities have to be allowed reasonable modifications in order to complete their education, such as extra time for tests, alternate test forms and other things. One difference at college over high school is the student must take the initiative to request help when at college. In high school, the law demands that the school identify and help LD students, but not so in college.

Students with learning disabilities need to make special preparation for the transition into collage life. Students need to be aware of the options they have for college. Some colleges have open admission policies, which allow anyone with a high school diploma to enter the college. Others have selective criteria and may only accept students with a certain GPA or test score. There are also two types of colleges based on the length of the education. Two-year colleges usually have open admissions policies and allow the student to earn an Associates Degree. These are sometimes referred to as Community Colleges. Four-year colleges or universities are often more selective in their admissions acceptance and offer more specialized degrees. Some colleges have programs designed for students with learning disabilities. Those with severe learning disabilities should seek one of these institutions.

Just because a student has a learning disability does not mean that he or she cannot and should not pursue higher education. The law demands reasonable accommodation for those with LD at colleges and universities. LD students who are planning to go to college need to have a good understanding of their own learning strategies and what helps them learn best. By doing some research and planning well for the transition, even students with learning disabilities can succeed and even thrive in the college setting.