Guidelines for Documentation of Learning Disabilities
DR will accept diagnoses of specific learning disabilities that are based
on age-appropriate, comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations that are current.
The assessment must be administered by a trained and qualified (i.e., certified
and/or licensed) professional (e.g., psychologist, school psychologist, neuropsychologist,
educational diagnostician, or student clinicians who are being supervised by
a qualified professional) who has had direct experience with adolescents and
adults with learning disabilities.An age-appropriate psychoeducational evaluation
must include comprehensive measures in each of the following areas:
- Aptitude (the evaluation must contain a complete intellectual assessment,
with all subtests and standard scores reported)
- Academic achievement (the evaluation must contain a comprehensive achievement
battery with all subtests and standard scores reported). The test battery
should include current levels of functioning in the relevant areas, such as
reading (decoding and comprehension), mathematics, and oral and written expression.
- Information processing (the evaluation should assess specific information
processing areas such as short- and long-term memory, sequential memory, auditory
and visual perception/processing, processing speed, executive function and
motor ability)
Diagnostic Report
The diagnostic report must include the following information: Diagnostic interview
that addresses, relevant historical information, past and current academic achievement,
instructional foundation, past performance in areas of difficulty, and age of
initial diagnosis.
1. List of all instruments used in the test battery
2. Discussion of test behavior and specific test results
3. Diagnostic summary statement with the following information:
a. Clear and direct statement that a learning disability does or does not exist
including, a rule out of alternative explanations for the learning problems.
Terms such as "appears", "suggests" or "probable"
in the diagnostic summary statement do not support a conclusive diagnosis.
b. clear statement specifying the substantial limitations to one or more major
life activities
c. psychometric summary of scores
d. recommendations for accommodations, including rationale
Diagnoses of specific learning disabilities that do not contain psychoeducational
measures may not be used for determining eligibility for academic accommodations.
For example, school plans such as Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) or 504
Plans are helpful, but not adequate documentation. However, they can be included
with the required evaluation. DR reserves the right to request reassessment
when questions regarding previous assessment or previous service provision arise.
Examples of Measures (This is not intended to be a complete or comprehensive
list, but rather serve as a guide to clinicians)
Aptitude
a. Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition
b. Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R)
c. Stanford Binet Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition and Fifth Edition
d. Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery-3rd Edition: Tests of Cognitive
Ability
e. Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery-Revised: Tests of Cognitive Ability
f. Kaufman Adolescent and Adult Intelligence Test Achievement
Achievement
a. Wechsler Individual Achievement Tests II (WIAT II)
b. Wechsler Individual Achievement Tests (WIAT)
c. Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery-3rd Edition: Tests of Achievement
(WJ-III)
d. Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery- Revised Edition: Tests of Achievement
(W-JR)
e. Stanford Test of Academic Skills (TASK)
f. Scholastic Abilities Test for Adults (SATA)
Note: Screening tools such as the Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT III) are
not considered comprehensive measures of achievement and must be accompanied
by a comprehensive measure such as one of those listed above. All instruments
selected to measure these areas must be age appropriate.
Information Processing
a. Subtests of the WAIS-R or WAIS-Third Edition
b. Subtests of the Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery-Revised: Tests
of Cognitive Ability
c. Wechsler Memory Scales, 3rd Edition (WMS)
