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Learning Disability

Students, faculty or staff with a learning disability who are requesting accommodations or service through the Office of Disability Services are required to provide appropriate documentation of their disability. The guidelines describe the necessary components of acceptable documentation. You are encouraged to provide your evaluator or physician with a copy of these documentation guidelines. Additional questions about documentation or accommodations may be directed to the director of disability services.

Criteria

Testing must involve a comprehensive psychoeducational evaluation using the latest versions of the tests described below. The following areas must be assessed:

Aptitude

The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) with aptitude scores is the preferred instrument. The Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery Revised: Tests of Cognitive Ability are also acceptable.

Achievement

Assessment of academic ability in the areas of reading, writing and math is required. Suggested instruments include:

1. Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery Revised: Tests of Achievement (WJ-R); Stanford Test of Academic Skills (TASK); Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT II); or
2. A combination of tests in specific skill areas such as the Test of Written Language-2 (TOWL-2); the Nelson-Denny Reading Test; or Stanford Diagnostic Mathematics Test.

Please note: The Wide Range Achievement Test-Revised (WRAT) is not a comprehensive measure of achievement and is therefore not suitable.

Information Processing

Specific areas of information processing such as short- and long-term memory, visual and auditory speed may be assessed. These areas may warrant evaluation as indicated by results from assessment of ability and achievement.

This is not intended to be an exhaustive list or to restrict assessment in other pertinent and helpful areas such as vocational interests and aptitudes.

Other Criteria

• Testing must be current. Generally, this means testing has been conducted within the past three years. Because the provision of reasonable accommodations and services is based upon assessment of the current functional limitations of the person's disability, it is in the best interest of that person to provide recent and appropriate documentation.
• Testing must state that there is a learning disability and specify the criteria for diagnosis. Terms such as learning problems, learning difference or deficiencies are not the equivalent of a diagnosed learning disability.
• Testing must be performed by a qualified evaluator. Clinical or educational psychologists, learning disability specialists or physicians known to specialize in learning disabilities are most often used. Information about their professional credentials, including licensing and certification, and their areas of specialization must be clearly indicated on the report.
• Testing must include information about the functional limitations of the student. Please indicate how the student's disability will affect participation in courses, programs, services or any other activity of the college.
• Testing must include history, test results, scores, diagnosis and recommendations.