Assessed Numeracy Skills and Skill Use of Adults With Learning Disabilities in PIAAC

Abstract

Adults with learning disabilities (LD) face educational and employment challenges and may also have other disabilities and health conditions. Little is known about these adults’ numeracy skills and how they use numeracy at work or home. The article’s objective was to investigate numeracy skills and skill use for U.S. adults with LD. The author conducted descriptive and regression analyses of the data from the 2012/2014/2017 U.S. Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). Findings are presented on assessed numeracy skills and skill use, relationships of use and skills, and skill use among seven groups of adults with LD. Compared with the general population, adults with LD have lower mean numeracy scores. Skill use at home adds to the variance explained in numeracy skills, which suggests that using numeracy skills matters in gaining skills. Knowing the relationships of assessed numeracy skills with skill use helps educators implement strategies to support adult program completion. Implications of findings are discussed for adult educators and policymakers.