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Specific Learning Disorders

Disability Verification Criteria

1. Documentation must be current.
   Testing based on appropriate adult assessment. Typically this would mean conducted within the past five years.
   
   
2. Background information is important.
   Other existing disabilities or conditions should be discussed.
   
   
3. The report must include a specific diagnosis of a learning disorder.
   Individual "learning styles," "learning differences," and "academic problems" in and of themselves do not constitute a learning disorder. Nor are the statements such as: "appears to have a learning style similar to a person with a learning disorder" useful in this context. A summary of how the disability substantially limits one or more life functions is needed.
   
   
4. A qualified professional must conduct the evaluation.
   The following profesionals would generally be considered qualified: clinical or educational psychologists, neuropsychologists, learning disabilities specialists, and medical doctors known to specialize in specific learning disorder conditions. All reports must be typed, legible, signed by a qualified professional and submitted on official letterhead.
   
   
5. Tests used to determine eligibility must be technically sound and normed on an adult population.
   
   
6. Actual test scores must be provided including standard scores.
   
   
7. Testing must be comprehensive.
   It is not acceptable to administer one test, nor is it acceptable to base a diagnosis on only one of the several subtests. Domains to be addressed must include the following:
   
   
   1. Aptitude/Information Processing: A complete aptitude battery is required with all subtests and standard scores reported. This may include, but is not limited to the following:
      • Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-III) is the preferred instrument.
      • Woodcock Johnson Psychoeducational Battery Revised: Tests of Cognitive Ability.
      • Stanford Binet Intelligence Scale: Fourth Edition
      • The Slosson Intelligence Test Revised and the Kaufman Adult Intelligence Test are not sufficient to establish aptitude in this context.
        
        
   2. Achievement Testing: Acceptable instruments include but are not limited to:
      • Woodcock Johnson Psychoeducational Revised: Tests of Achievement.
      • Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT)
      • Stanford Test of Academic Skills
      • Scholastic Abilities Test for Adults (SATA)
      • Specific achievement tests such as the Test of Written Language-2 (TOWL-2); Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests Revised; or the Stanford Diagnostic Mathematics Test.
      • The Wide Range Achievement Test Revised (WRAT-R) and the Nelson Denny are not sufficient to establish appropriate information in this context.
      
      
   The above list is provided as a helpful resource but is NOT intended to be definitive or exhaustive. Disability Access Services recognizes and accepts future revisions of these instruments.
   
   
8. Any recommended accommodations by the evaluator(s) should include a detailed explanation as to why each accommodation is needed.
   Any school plan (e.g., individualized education program or 504 plan) is not sufficient in and of itself, but it can be included as additional information.
   
   
9. Other assessment measures may be integrated with the above documents.