Overview

Through the LBS program, individuals access five services that contribute to the successful completion of a learner plan. Service providers may focus on preparing learners for different goal paths but each learner, regardless of the focus of the service provider’s programming, receives the same five services:

• Information and Referral
• Assessment
• Learner Plan Development
• Training
• Follow-up

The LBS program focuses on adults who reside in Ontario and are unemployed, with special emphasis on people receiving income support. The LBS program is also open to employed Ontarians who need to improve their literacy and basic skills to maintain or upgrade their work skills. Services are free and are offered on-site at approximately 185 service providers across the province, in directed and self-directed format, and online through e-Channel service delivery.

The Literacy and Basic Skills (LBS) program serves adult learners:

• who are Ontario residents;
• whose literacy and basic skills are assessed at intake as being less than the end of Level 3 in one or more of the following OALCF competencies (operating in either a print-based or using digital technology format):
  • Find and Use Information
  • Communicate Ideas and Information
  • Understand and Use Numbers
• who are at least 18 years old.  On an exception only basis, LBS service providers may serve young adults between ages 16 to 17 who demonstrate the maturity to benefit from adult education. However, returning to the regular school system should be the priority for these learners; and
• who are proficient enough in speaking and listening to benefit fully from the language of LBS instruction (English or French). This eligibility requirement does not apply to Deaf learners.

To ensure that the literacy needs of learners from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds are addressed, LBS services support programming for Deaf, Anglophone, Francophone and Indigenous learners.

e-Channel is the online platform for delivering LBS training through self-directed and/or supported learning. e-Channel training can provide hybrid learning opportunities to learners already being served by face-to-face training who wish to supplement their learning online. e-Channel services are available for learners in all four cultural streams: Indigenous, Francophone, Deaf and Anglophone.

As an alternate mode of service delivery, e-Channel can be accessed by anyone who meets the eligibility requirements of the LBS Program. However, some computer skills are required to benefit from e-Channel delivery.

The current e-Channel network consists of the following delivery organizations:

• Avon-Maitland District School Board (AMDSB) (Anglophone stream) ‘The Learning Hub’
• Sioux Hudson Literacy Council (SHLC) (Indigenous stream) ‘Good Learning Anywhere’
• Coalition Ontarienne de Formation des Adultes (COFA) (Francophone stream)
• George Brown College (Deaf stream) ‘Deaf Learn Now’
• College Sector Committee for Adult Upgrading ‘Academic & Career Entrance Program / ACE Distance’

For more information visit the e-channel website.