Adult Basic Literacy Education (ABLE)

The Adult Basic Literacy Education (ABLE) program offers free courses to adults with intellectual disabilities who have the academic and adaptive skills to be successful in a college classroom setting.

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Our program is designed to foster reading, writing, math, and computer literacy skills with a goal of further academic study and/or employment.

Below are the steps to be considered for admission into ACC’s ABLE program:

1. Contact ACC’s ABLE Program Coordinator, Aimee Gordon, at (336) 506-4308 to learn more about the ABLE program and whether it may be a good fit for your student.

• If special accommodations such as the extended time during testing or an emergency care plan due to a medical condition are needed, the prospective student will also need to meet with ACC Accessibility Services at disabilityservices@alamancecc.edu prior to enrollment in the program, complete bn accommodation request form, and submit appropriate documentation of the disability or medical condition to Disability Services.

2. Upon referral from a Coordinator, schedule an individual intake session with our Assessment Specialist by calling (336) 506-4327.

• This intake will include a literacy assessment, the TABE (Test of Adult Basic Education), for the ABLE applicant as well as a caregiver orientation. Applicants must be able to earn a valid score on the TABE to be eligible for admission to the ABLE program.
• Prospective students will also need to provide an ABLE Adaptive Behavior Skills Checklist completed by a professional who has direct experience working with that student. ACC’s staff will also rate the prospective student according to the checklist during the intake meeting and on an as needed basis for currently enrolled students.
• Individuals who receive non-existent scores in any category will not be accepted into and/or will no longer be eligible for continued participation in ACC’s Academic and Career Readiness programs. Failure to comply with intake session requirements will delay entry into the program.

3. Upon completion of the assessment and orientation process, the ABLE admissions committee (Director and/or Coordinator of Academic & Career Readiness, Coordinator of Special Needs and Counseling Services and/or ABLE Assessment Specialist) will make a recommendation for either admission to the ABLE program or referral to a more appropriate program outside of ACC.

• The applicant will be notified in writing as to their status in regard to entering the ABLE program. If admission is granted, students will be appropriately placed into a class at their Educational Functioning Level based on their reading and/or math TABE assessment results.

4. ABLE students, like all other Academic & Career Readiness students, will have their academic progress assessed at a minimum of twice a year on the TABE test.

• All Academic & Career Readiness students must demonstrate an increased score on a National Reporting System-approved standardized assessment within a two year period, or their continued participation in the program will be subject to review. 
• All students must also adhere to our Code of Conduct, maintain or improve their academic and adaptive skills to an acceptable level, and attend classes on a regular basis (minimum of 80% attendance) to maintain their enrollment status in the program.