The University of Ballarat has recognised that low literacy levels arise from a range of causes, learning disability among them, and that the accurate assessment of cause is often of less importance than the response to the functional disadvantage experienced by the individual.

An initiative of the Disability Liaison Unit over the past 2 years has been the universal provision of literacy software to all students across Technical Education, TAFE and Higher Education Programs. Included in the student group are people in correctional facilities enrolled in prison education programs.

This poster presentation uses a case study method to demonstrate the hugely positive impact the literacy software has had on the learning lives of prisoners. It draws on the qualitative personal stories and reflections of those individuals, and quantitative data from the teaching staff engaged in their learning journey.

The presentation concludes that the literacy software has been a very powerful tool in redressing the disproportionate levels of low literacy found in our correction facilities, and suggests that its broader application should be considered.