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Volume 5, Issue 2

SUMMER 2005

The Adult Learning

Network is a

quarterly publication

of the Arkansas

Adult Learning

Resource Center.

The New Adult Education Reporting Information System

(AERIS) – Trainings Conducted Across State

By Dr. Philip Less, Program Advisor of the Arkansas DWE

From June 20-24, the new AERIS student data management system

was introduced in five regional trainings in Arkansas. Program adminis-

trators and data entry personnel participated in the trainings that were

held in Fayetteville, Batesville, Little Rock, Arkadelphia, and Monticello.

The three trainers who conducted the sessions were Ray Barrentine,

Kevin Strickland, and Lindsey Price, all from the Alabama-based Ac-

cess Plus Group, the software company that developed the system.

The Access Plus Group also designed a similar system for Alabama’s

adult education office last year and has had one year of successful ex-

perience with the software. “The system is never completely finished,”

Barrentine says. “We are always making improvements, upgrading new

versions, and making adjustments as the NRS rules are changed.”

Accompanying the Access

Plus trainers were Tracy An-

drews, AERIS project analyst,

and Philip Less, Adult Educa-

tion Section program advisor.

Andrews and Less were avail-

able for questions about state

policies and the new system,

and they assisted the trainers

by providing individualized help

for the participants.

AERIS is a Web-based, student-centered data management system.

Participants at the trainings had hands-on practice creating student pro-

files, teacher profiles, and classes. They also learned how to enter test

scores, attendance hours, and student goals. An important function of

the system will be to run quick and accurate reports. According to the

trainers, the only limitation on the speed of running these reports is the

user’s Internet connection. As an example of the possible speed of run-

ning reports, the trainers ran a live NRS Table 4 report from the Ala-

bama software system that included more than 20,000 enrolled stu-

dents and more than 3 million attendance hours. It appeared in less

than one minute. Reports can be printed from the screen or exported

into a MS Word document, an MS Excel spreadsheet, or an Adobe.pdf

file. The home page is aeris.aalrc.org.

In general, the participants at the trainings were pleased with their first

introduction and training with AERIS and were looking forward to work-

ing with the new system. It was described by many as being more user-

friendly and more intuitive in navigation. The state office will be avail-

able to help all adult education and literacy programs with AERIS.

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Adult Learning Network

Tuition Reimbursement

Program

Contact your Program Advisor at the

Adult Education Section or Marsha Taylor

at the AALRC for more information on this

program. Reimbursement is applicable to

courses taken for Adult Education Licen-

sure ONLY! This form is available on the

AALRC website (www.aalrc.org).

Remember: (1) The application form must

be submitted to the AALRC 10 working

days before class begins.

(2) Your class grade and receipt of pay-

ment must be received within 30 days of

class ending.

There is a new requirement: Applicants

must provide documentation that the

class will count for adult education li-

censure.

AALRC Staff

Director

Marsha Taylor

___________________

Secretary

Toccara Pearson

Administrative

Assistant

Wanda Johnson

Professional

Development

Coordinator

Nancy Loftis

Media

Coordinator

Klaus Neu

Information

Technology

Specialist

Rob Pollan

Disabilities

Project

Manager

Patti White

Professional Development News

For a list of courses available in adult education, please contact:

NOTICE:

If you are unable to attend a work-

shop you have registered for, please

contact the AALRC as soon as possi-

ble. Participants are often placed on

waiting lists because workshops fill

up. If you find that you cannot attend

a workshop and you call ahead, this

gives us time to notify wait-listed

participants that they can attend.

When a workshop has a waiting list,

participants may not send substitutes

from their center to attend in their

place. Registrations are held for par-

ticipants and not for centers.

Arkansas State University

Jonesboro

Dr. David Agnew

(870) 972-3943

University of Arkansas

at Fayetteville

Dr. Barbara Hinton

(479) 575-5119 or

(479) 575-4578

University of Arkansas

at Little Rock

Dr. Charlotte Robertson

(501) 569-8933

University of Central Arkansas

Conway

Dr. Sherry Roberts

(501) 450-5431

TRAVEL Reimbursement

It is important to remember the guidelines when making travel plans to attend

meetings/workshops at the AALRC. Programs must follow state travel guidelines

and the policy written below. We have had to disallow many travel requests be-

cause the guidelines are not being followed. The AALRC would appreciate your

cooperation in this matter.

Local programs funded with state or federal adult education funds must adhere to Arkansas Department of

Finance and Administration guidelines when requesting travel reimbursement.

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Adult Learning Network

Scheduled Meetings at AALRC

unless otherwise noted

July 2005

6-8 LTA Training - Session 1

12 New GED Examiner’s Training

19-21 ESL Institute

26-28 Summer Professional Development

August 2005

4-5 LTA Training - Session 2

September 2005

12-14 Payne Jordan 2005-06

15-16 GED Examiner’s Annual Training

- Embassy Suites - Little Rock

19-20 Strategies & Accommodations

21-22 Administrators’ Meeting (Tentative)

27 Computer Security – Technology

- One day session

28 Computer Security – Technology

- Repeat of previous session

30 LTA Refresher Course

October 2005

5 Teaching the Three Rs in Adult Education in AR

10 Payne Jordan 2005

11-13 Payne Jordan 2005-06

13-14 ESL Laubach/ProLiteracy Workshop

17 ADA Program Coordinators

19-21 LTA Training (Tentative)

27-28 AACAE

- Doubletree - Little Rock

November 2005

8 Intermediate Excel – Technology

- One day session

9 Intermediate Excel – Technology

- Repeat of previous session

10 Teaching the Three Rs in Adult Education in AR

- Session 2

November 2005 (continued)

14-15 Payne Jordan 2005-06

17-18 LTA Training (Tentative)

December 2006

5 Payne Jordan 2005

- Last session

6 Web Design

- One day session

7 Web Design

- Repeat of previous session

January 2006

19-20 Literacy Strategies

27 Payne Jordan 2005-06

February 2006

6-7 Strategies & Accommodations

- Repeat of the October session

9-10 ESL Basics

- Session 1

13 Payne Jordan

- Last Session 2005-06

16-17 AALRC Numeracy Project

23-24 Literacy Strategies

March 2006

9-10 ESL Basics

- Session 2

April 2006

6-7 AALRC Numeracy Project

12-13 ESL Basics

- Session 3

20-21 Literacy Strategies

May 2006

4-5 Literacy Strategies

Professional Development Calendar 2005—2006

Training Opportunities at AALRC — Some other locations as noted

July

7 Technology Committee – 10:00 a.m.

22 Professional Development Team – 10:00 a.m.

28-29 Adult Education Advisory Council – Mena

August

26 WAGE – 9:30 a.m.

September

7 Disabilities Committee – 9:30 a.m.

9-10 ProLiteracy Pilot Program

22-23 Adult Education Advisory Council

Retreat - Location to be determined

October

18 AALRC Advisory Committee

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Adult Learning Network

Description of Scheduled Trainings

AACAE

This is the annual state association meeting which will include several different areas of professional devel-

opment including ESL, Learning Disabilities, NRS, and GED.

AALRC Numeracy Project

This workshop is based on the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Standards. Each par-

ticipant will attend a total of four days over a four month timeframe. When the class is completed, each in-

structor will receive a teacher set of manipulatives and visual mathematics materials.

ADA Program Coordinators’ Meeting

This is a workshop to help the ADA Program Coordinators to appropriately use the LD Policy Manual and

Checklist.

Administrators Meeting

This is an Annual Meeting for local program directors to meet with the state staff and review changes and

updates that are important to local programs.

Computer Security

This is a one-day session to help people learn how to improve computer security.

ESL Basics

This is a workshop series in ESL instruction for adult education and literacy providers. Following each train-

ing session, an interim task will be assigned to each participant to allow for maximum application of mate-

rial presented.

ESL Laubach/Proliteracy Workshop

This is training for teachers/tutors to learn how to deal with students who are at zero level in their English

language skills. It provides a comprehensive program in the language acquisition skills of listening, speak-

ing, reading, and writing. The skills are presented so the student always knows the correct response.

GED Examiner’s Annual Training

This is a required two-day session for chief and alternate GED Examiners to keep updated with the neces-

sary skills to give the Official GED Test.

Intermediate Excel

This is a one-day training for people who have taken beginning Excel or have a good working knowledge of

Excel.

Literacy Strategies

The workshop will include research-based practices in reading assessment, curriculum planning, readabil-

ities, and teaching strategies for students at all performance levels, including those with special needs.

LTA/FH Training

This training is to prepare WAGE programs to work with industry and prepare Literacy Task Analysis of

jobs. It is an in-depth training with five training days plus self-study.

LTA Refresher Course

This is a one-day refresher course for people who have taken the complete LTA training, but would like to

review important information.

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Adult Learning Network

Tech

Talk

Note: To link to any web address (URL) in this newsletter, go the

AALRC's home page at http://aalrc.org, look up this newsletter, and

then just click on the appropriate link.

AALRC

Advisory

Committee

Charlotte

Robertson,

Chair,

Little Rock

Emily Barrier,

Little Rock

Harriet Branch,

Monticello

Dubs Byers ,

Pine Bluff

Sharon Ellis,

Fort Smith

Jennifer Hurst,

Pine Bluff

Lloyd Huskey,

Little Rock

Steven Lilly,

Lonoke

Trece Shepherd

Williams,

Helena

George Stegall,

Texarkana

Nancy

Whitmire,

Batesville

Payne-Jordan Learning Disabilities

This is a learning disabilities training in the use of the Payne-Jordan Learning In-

ventory. The Payne-Jordan training is an in-depth workshop series that progresses

over the course of one year, with a total of five sessions and 60 PD hours.

Strategies & Accommodations

A workshop to learn instructional materials and strategies that are effective for

teaching adult students with learning disabilities. Both metacognitive and cognitive

skills are targeted. Participants receive instructional kids worth $200 each.

Teaching the Three Rs in Adult Education in Arkansas

Neil Sturomski, a national renowned consultant, will provide research-based basic

skills training to adult education teachers in the areas of reading, writing and math

issues and techniques. All participants will be trained in actual hands-on, practical

methodologies they can implement when working with students.

Web Design

This is a one-day training that will cover the basics of setting up a web page from

scratch and using Microsoft FrontPage to edit the web page. It will also include

publishing the page online and administering it off-site.

Additional Workshops:

*There will be additional workshops added to the calendar throughout the year as

needed, including a grant-writing workshop in the fall. Dates and time will be

mailed as they are scheduled.

New! Bitdefender Antivirus Suite.

We are pleased to announce the purchase of Bitdefender antivirus software for

workstations and servers. The software is now available for download or you can

request a CD to be mailed to your center. For workstations we will be using Bit-

defender 8 Professional Plus which includes antivirus, firewall, and antispam.

For servers we will be using Bitdefender V1.9 for File Servers. This is very excit-

ing news, especially since we have an agreement for free updates for 3 years.

Speaking of updates, Bitdefender updates automatically everyday, no need to

setup this function yourself. If you like Bitdefender at the office, there is also a

free edition for home use.

Who Needs Bitdefender.

Everyone that doesn’t have up-to-date antivirus software currently running on all

computers connected to the Internet. Also any computer that is not connected to

the Internet, but could be infected by floppy disk. If you have a technology de-

partment that cares for your network, check with them before installing. Remem-

ber, if your center has not paid a yearly fee, your antivirus software is out-of-date

and not effective against new viruses.

6

Adult Learning Network

Tech

Adult Education

Advisory Council

Patricia Bates, Chair

El Dorado

Diane Shores,

Vice-Chair, Helena

Marsha Taylor,

Secretary, LR

Jim Allen,

Fayetteville

Dubs Byers,

Pine Bluff

Pat Collins,

Russellville

Sharon Ellis,

Fort Smith

Lloyd Huskey,

North Little Rock

Steven Lilly,

Lonoke

Becky Linsky,

Hot Springs

Paulette Martin,

Little Rock

Sheri Rogers,

Arkadelphia

Flora Simon,

Dumas

Billy Upson,

Texarkana

Peggy Weir,

Pocahontas

Ruth Ann Williams,

Conway

Installing Bitdefender

Before installing Bitdefender you need to make sure that you remove any other

antivirus program you have installed on your system. To do this go to START –

CONTROL PANEL (SETTINGS – CONTROL-PANEL (W98,ME)) –

ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS – find anything related to your old antivirus soft-

ware, i.e. Norton / McAfee and highlight it – CHANGE/REMOVE – UNINSTALL.

You may need to reboot and go back to ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS to remove

any remaining portion of the old program.

Go to

http://www.bitdefender.com

and click on SOLUTIONS – ALL SOLU-

TIONS – BITDFENDER 8 PROFESSIONAL PLUS – DOWNLOAD HERE. This

is a 15 megabyte file that will download in a minute or two over broadband but

will take considerably longer over a dialup connection. If you have dialup and

would rather have a CD, contact Rob Pollan at

rob@aalrc.org

or call 479-649-

5830.

During setup you will be asked if you want the TYPICAL, CUSTOM, or COM-

PLETE installation. Select COMPLETE if you have plenty of hard drive space,

TYPICAL if not. Selecting TYPICAL or COMPLETE will install all the compo-

nents of the suite, choose CUSTOM if you do not want to have certain parts of

the it, e.g. you do not want the firewall. Contact Rob Pollan to receive the acti-

vation code (it will work for a 30-day trial without the code.)

Using Bitdefender

Antivirus – For the most part, the antivirus program will run in the background

without any input from you. If you are wondering what the File Zone and Net

Zone boxes are in the lower right-hand corner of your screen, right-click it and

choose WHAT’S THIS. (It also gives you directions to permanently hide the

boxes.)

Firewall – If you already have another firewall running, you need to uninstall it

using the directions above for uninstalling virus programs. If you are using Win-

dows XP you need to make sure that the built-in firewall is turned off. Go to

START – CONTROL PANEL – NETWORK CONNECTIONS – RIGHT-CLICK on

the connection that you use to access the Internet (i.e. Local Area Connection /

Dialup Connection) and select PROPERTIES. Click on the ADVANCED tab

then the SETTINGS button. Turn the firewall setting to off.

The firewall will prompt you with a dialog box whenever a program tries to ac-

cess the Internet: “This program is trying to connect to the Internet. Do you

want to allow this.” With most commonly used programs, Bitdefender will give

recommendations on whether it should be allowed or not. You will want to allow

programs like Internet Explorer, Outlook, or any program that you installed that

needs to access the Internet, and be sure to check the box “Remember this An-

swer” so you will not be bothered with it again.

Antispam – This is a great function of the suite that automatically installs into

your e-mail program. For example, if you use Outlook it will install a row of but-

tons on the top of Outlook that allows you to train the filter and have all incoming

spam sent to the spam folder, automatically created by the program.

Talk

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Adult Learning Network

News from the Disabilities Project Manager

Learning Disabilities and Work Issues Tutorial

The National Institute for Literacy’s LINCS Workplace Education and Literacy & Learning Disabilities

Special Collections sites have jointly developed an online tutorial regarding learning disabilities and work

issues at

http://worklink.coe.utk.edu/ld_work_issues.htm

. This comprehensive tutorial was designed “to

address an issue of prime importance to those with learning disabilities: how to engage in satisfying and

successful work. It also raises awareness of learning disabilities for employers and workers.” The

tutorial, presented as an online PowerPoint, includes live links to resources providing more detailed

information. Tutorial topics include:

•

What it is like to have learning disabilities;

•

The various forms that learning disabilities can take;

•

How learning disabilities can affect work performance;

•

The most critical skills in the modern workplace; and

•

How a 'coach' or teacher can help to prepare adults with LD for

success at work.

The Learning Disabilities Adaptations &

Accommodations Guide

The Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center (VALRC) has published a guide for teaching adults with

learning disabilities in adult education and literacy settings. The guide is available online at

http://www.aelweb.vcu.edu/publications/LDGuide/index.htm

and includes information about choosing

appropriate instructional adaptations and accommodations by matching them to the learner’s needs.

Instructional content areas include reading, writing, math, listening and speaking, attention, organization

and study skills, memory, and personal/interpersonal skills. The guide includes a checklist teachers can

use in working with the student to choose appropriate accommodations.

Instructional Tips for Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities

Writing Essays: You probably already know that students with learning disabilities think more in images

than in words. You also probably know that graphically mapping an essay as a pre-writing exercise

works better than a traditional outline for this

population of students. For students who still

have trouble understanding and/or remembering

how to develop and structure an essay, try map-

ping with manipulatives. Have the student cut col-

ored paper into circles or ovals about the size of

saucers. They can write their topic/introduction,

supporting detail, and conclusion on the paper

and then arrange and rearrange their thoughts by

physically manipulating the pieces of paper. This

strategy will help many students with their brain-

storming, organization of thoughts, and retention

of the process and structure of essay-writing. The

finished product may look like something like the

picture shown to the right.

More instructional tips will be discussed in future AALRC newsletters. If you have specific questions

about teaching a student with learning disabilities, please contact Patti White, AALRC Disabilities Project

Manager at

prwhite@madisoncounty.net

or 800.569.3539.

Top ic : Teac hi ng Stu den ts with

Learn in g D isa bili ti es

T h er e a re m a n y eff ec ti ve m e th o d s

fo r t e ac hi n g st u d en ts wh o h a ve

l ea rn i n g d is ab i l it i es.

C hu n k in g

M ap p i n g

M u lt is en so r y

I n str u cti o n

Bre a k i t

u p

Us e a l l

se ns es Co n cr et e

H i ghl i g ht

Ma ke a

pi ct u re Co l o r-

co d e

C on c lus io n: I n co n cl u si o n, th e r e a r e

m a n y wa ys t o e ffe ct iv el y te a ch

st u d en t s wi t h le a rn i n g d isa b i li t ie s,

h e l p in g st u d en t s a nd te a ch er s m e e t

t hei r goa l s.

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Adult Learning Network

Continued from page 7

Updates from the Field

WAGE Students Awarded Scholarships

Executive Women International, Little Rock Chapter, is awarding three of their four ASIST (Adult Students

in Scholastic Transition) scholarships to students who have completed Pulaski County Adult Education’s

WAGE Life Skills Program.

At their July 19, 2005 meeting, President Sherrie Smith will present Tamica Hubbard a two-year, fees, and

textbooks, scholarship to Pulaski Technical College. Tamica earned her GED in April through Pulaski

County Adult Education. She is enrolled in University Studies and will continue at UAMS upon completion

of her associate’s.

Elizabeth Kelley and Atia Moore will be awarded $500 scholarships from EWI. Kelley earned her GED in

February, 2005. Kelley will be entering Pulaski Technical College’s Paralegal Technology Associate pro-

gram. Moore is enrolled in the University Studies with bachelor work to be completed at UALR in journal-

ism.

These ladies were referred by DHS to the eight-week WAGE Life Skills program. The program is based on

workplace skills, goal setting and career paths, job search skills, and a plethora of basic life skills designed

to remove barriers TEA clients encounter on the path to sustainable employment. Karen Kennedy is the

coordinator of this program, contracted by DHS for two years.

News Release for AALRC from South Arkansas Adult Education Administrators

South Arkansas Adult Education Administrators reorganized their group in October 2004, and began work-

ing together to face the many challenges in adult and workforce education. The present officers are Flora

Simon, president; Janie Carter, vice president; Marva Marks, secretary; and Harriett Branch, treasurer.

The group meets quarterly at different centers to discuss current issues, trends, promotional ideas, and to

provide technical and administrative support.

On August 2 – 3, 2005, the administrators will sponsor a summer staff-development workshop for teachers

and other personnel holding a teaching license in their region. The purpose is to help adult educators ob-

tain the sixty hours of in-service they must gain each year to qualify for teacher re-certification.

The workshop will be held at SEARK College in Pine Bluff where Linda Kittler will be the host. If you need

further information, please contact Flora Simon at (870) 382-4983 or Linda Kittler at (870) 543-5915.

Regional Meetings with ADA Coordinators

The AALRC will host a series of regional, ½-day meetings with local program ADA Coordinators to dis-

cuss program compliance with the

Arkansas Adult Education and Literacy Policy & Procedure Manual

for Serving Students with Learning Disabilities and/or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (LD Policy

Manual).

The dates and locations for the meetings will be announced soon, so be on the lookout for in-

formation coming to your mailbox. All local adult education and literacy programs will be invited to send

their program’s designated ADA Coordinator and, if applicable, the ADA Coordinator for the public

school or university system with which they are affiliated.

The goals of the meetings include:

•

Clarify the policy compliance issues in the

LD Policy Manual

;

•

Establish and/or strengthen coordination of disability policy issues between local programs and their

affiliated school system; and

•

Identify local and statewide resources for disability policy compliance.

News from the Disabilities Project Manager