The
NAASLN Logo
From
On the Cutting Edge, The Newsletter of the National Association
for
Adults
with Special Learning Needs, Autumn 1997
You
may have noticed the NAASLN
logo and wondered what it means.
It is important, in a competitive society — even in education,
to identify an organization in a distinctive way that is easily
remembers. The NAASLN
logo focuses on the need for adult learning programs in the United
States.
The
logo circle shows that the United States is an emerging lifelong
learning
society and that learning never ends.
The NAASLN
crossbar represents adult learning and its connection to lifelong
learning. The target shows
the wide diversity of adults with disabilities within the population
of over forty million Americans without a high school diploma, who
learn best in learner-centered programs.
The
colors black and red indicate that
NAASLN
is an association of action, change, and stability, committed to
building a coordinated and integrated system of lifelong learning for
adults in the United States.
The
NAASLN
logo will identify NAASLN
as it grows and provides membership activities and services to its members.
Organization
History
Why
Was NAASLN Formed?
On
December 3, 1982 the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the
Decade of Disabled Persons (1983-1992) to improve the lives of more
than 500 million people in the world who are disabled as a result of a
mental, physical or sensory impairment.
The proclamation asserted that people with disabilities are
entitled to the same rights as ALL other human beings and prominent
among these rights is equal opportunity for education and lifelong
learning.
The
United States has taken major steps to meet the educational needs of
its 37 million Americans with disabilities including adults with
special learning needs. Indeed,
we are witnessing an ever increasing awareness and interest among
educational service providers throughout the United States in serving
adults with disabilities, including those who are deaf or hard of
hearing; blind or sight impaired; mentally ill and mentally retarded;
mobility impaired; learning disabled; and those with other
disabilities that may interfere with the learning process.
The
First National Congress for Adults with Special Learning Needs, held
at Gallaudet University in October, 1987 was a milestone event in this
effort. This Congress was
designed to address the needs of those adults whose special learning
need in some way prohibited them from fully participating and
benefiting from the lifelong learning opportunities enjoyed by other
adults in our society. The
outcome of the Congress was a nationwide commitment for developing a
system of lifelong education which is fully accessible and responsive
to the needs of ALL adults and which is designed to enhance their
quality of life.
The
theme of the Congress was “Empowering the Adult with Special
Learning Needs: A National Challenge”.
It was an invitational, working, and problem solving meeting of
national experts representing an extensive network of adult education
professionals, policy makers, family members, and organizations
concerned with lifelong learning for adults with special learning
needs. It was an historic gathering, the first of its kind in any
country in the world.
The
Congress focused on the following questions:
►
Who
are adults with special learning needs?
►
How
do adults with special learning needs learn as adults?
►
How
do we develop and plan effective adult education programs?
►
Who
cares about adults with special learning needs?
The
culmination of the Congress was a formal declaration which was adopted
by acclamation and called for a continued commitment and a program of
action for the adult and continuing education community to address the
special learning needs of adults well into the 21st
century.
What
began as a dream in October, 1986 has become a reality!
The First National Congress for Adults with Special Learning
Needs has become the foundation on which to build and move the adult
and continuing education community forward to improve programs for
adults with special learning needs. In August of 1988 The National Conference on Adults with
Special Learning Needs was held at Gallaudet University and addressed
the theme, “Building a Consensus of Understanding:
Lifelong Learning for Adults with Special Learning Needs”.
These two meetings brought together over 300 professionals from
34 states, Guam and Canada.
The
effort continued with the 1989 National Conference on Adults with
Special Learning Needs which was held at City of Industry, California
from August 9-12, 1989. The
theme of this conference was “Building Bridges” and focused on the
coordination of services, liaisons and networking which enhanced
services require.
One
major outcome of this conference was the inauguration of the National
Association for Adults with Special Learning Needs.
The
Original Mission and Purposes of the Organization
The
mission of the National Association for Adults with Special Learning
Needs, which will be an associated organization of the American
Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE) is to create,
establish, and foster an effective national and international
coalition of professionals, advocates, and consumers to provide
opportunities under the umbrella of lifelong learning for adults with
special learning needs primarily in non-formal settings.
The
purposes of the National Association for Adults with Special Learning
Needs include the following:
A. To provide national and international
leadership by advancing the education of adults with special learning
needs so that their educational goals will be met.
B. To unify the adult education profession by
clarifying the roles and responsibilities of those who serve adults
with special learning needs.
C. To encourage research and development, and
to communicate the results of that research to the profession and to
the community at large.
D. To encourage the development of exemplary
adult education programs, approaches, techniques, methodologies and
materials.
E. To facilitate and promote the national and
international exchange of information and knowledge between adults
with special learning needs and adult educators who can assist these
adults in meeting their adult education goals as lifelong productive
members of society.
F. To serve as an advocate for adults with
special learning needs, and to encourage the development and
dissemination of publications, research, methods, materials,
resources, and programs.
G. To conduct, sponsor or otherwise facilitate
professional conferences, symposiums, workshops/ seminars, staff
development and training activities which will provide the association
membership with an opportunity to develop and provide programs for
adults with special learning needs.
H. To promote adult basic education/literacy,
English as a Second Language, and GED preparatory programs which
assist adults with special learning needs to benefit from lifelong
learning opportunities in non-formal settings.
I. To represent and communicate the interests
and needs of the National Association for Adults with Special Learning
Needs to its members, American Association for Adult and Continuing
Education (AAACE), other professional organizations, legislative
bodies, community and business organizations and the nation at large.
Non
Profit Organization Status
NAASLN
is a 501C(3) non-profit organization. Donations are tax-deductible.
