Guidelines for Documentation of a Specific Learning Disability

Students who are applying to SVCC and enrolled students who are requesting support services and/or accommodations from the Student Needs Coordinator at SVCC, are required to submit documentation to verify eligibility under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This documentation should be current within 3 years, but exceptions may be necessary dependent upon individual circumstances and disability (to be determined by the Student Needs Coordinator). The following guidelines are provided to ensure that diagnostic evaluation reports are complete and adequate for establishing and providing appropriate support services and/or accommodations relevant to the disability.

Diagnostician/Evaluator Qualifications

The assessment and diagnosis of specific learning disabilities must be conducted by a qualified professional who has had comprehensive training and direct experience with an adolescent and adult LD population. This evaluation should be done by a trained and certified and/or licensed psychologist, learning disabilities specialist/diagnostician, or educational therapist. This type of evaluation can be done by appropriate public school personnel and/or individuals in private practice. It is not considered appropriate for professionals to evaluate members of their families.

Diagnosis/Verification of Learning Disability (LD)

The assessment report must contain a diagnosis of specific LD (i.e. DSM-4). Nonspecific diagnoses (i.e. learning styles, learning differences, academic problems, slow reader, and test anxiety) in and of themselves do not constitute a learning disability. The report should use direct language in the diagnosis with support of specific test results or clinical observations, and provide a need for services based on current levels of functioning in an educational setting. A school plan such as in individualized education program (IEP) or a 504 Plan alone is insufficient documentation, but can be included as part of a more comprehensive documentation file. This type of evaluation can be done by appropriate public school personnel and/or individuals in private practice.

Comprehensive Assessment Battery and the Resulting Diagnostic Report should include the following:

Evaluator Information: Name, signature, license number (if applicable), title, address, and phone of evaluator(s).
Evaluation Date(s): Dates of testing; the evaluation must have been completed within the previous 3 years.
Tests Administered and Scores: Names and specific scores of diagnostic instruments used in making the diagnosis.
Diagnostic Interview: A summary of relevant information regarding the student’s academic history and learning process.
Assessment Battery: A comprehensive battery should include:
- Aptitude/Cognitive Testing: Intellectual ability with sub-tests and standard scores.
- Academic Achievement Testing: Comprehensive achievement in reading, mathematics, and oral/written language skills reported in both grade level and standard scores.
- Information Processing Testing: Ability scores in short and long term memory, auditory and visual processing, processing speed, and reasoning skills.
Clinical Summary: Indicate how evaluator has ruled out alternative explanations for academic problems, how assessment score patterns reflect presence of LD, how LD constitutes a substantial limitation to learning or other major life activity, degree to which learning is impacted by the LD, rationale for specific accommodations needed.
Recommendations: Specific suggestions for reasonable academic-related accommodations based on diagnostic evaluation results and supported by the diagnosis.

Diagnostic Evaluation Report Guidelines

Diagnosis. The report should include a clear statement of the learning disability and the rationale for this diagnosis. Individual learning styles and learning deficits do not necessarily in and of themselves, constitute a learning disability.
Test Administration and Test Scores. The names of the tests used in making the diagnosis and the specific scores from these tests should be included in the report. Grade level scores, standard scores, and percentile scores are helpful in understanding the rationale behind the diagnosis and in recommending appropriate support services.
Recommendations/Accommodations. Recommendations should include specific suggestions for reasonable academic-related accommodations, which might be appropriate for post-secondary level. These recommendations should be based on the diagnostic evaluation results and should be supported by the diagnosis. When appropriate additional recommendations for specific learning strategies, academic support services, and any other suggested treatment procedures would also be useful.
Evaluator/Diagnostician Identifying Information. Diagnostic reports should include the name, signature, licenses number (if applicable), title, address, and phone number of the evaluator(s), and the date(s) of testing.

Diagnostic Testing Guidelines

Appropriate diagnostic testing should include the following:

Current Information. Diagnostic assessment and/or re-evaluation should be current within 3 years (particularly achievement testing).
Comprehensive Battery. A battery of more than one test and/or subtests within a diagnostic testing instrument.
Aptitude/Cognitive Ability Measurement. At least one instrument to measure aptitude or cognitive ability. This should be complete intellectual assessment with all sub-tests and standard scores reported.
Academic Achievement Measurement. At least one measure of current achievement in each of the basic skill areas of Reading, Written Language, and Math.
Information Processing Measurement. Specific areas of information processing (i.e. short and long term memory, sequential memory, auditory and visual perception/processing, processing speed, executive functioning/fluid reasoning, and motor ability) should be assessed.

Suggested Diagnostic Evaluation Instruments

The following list is not intended to be all-inclusive or to limit assessment in other areas that maybe pertinent to the individual, such as vocational interests and aptitude, etc. The instruments below are routinely used and generally widely accepted by professionals qualified in administering and interpreting such diagnostic evaluations. These guidelines are meant to provide specific information with respect to the minimum areas that should be assessed in order to verify the diagnosis and to determine appropriate academic accommodations.

Aptitude/Cognitive Ability Assessment Instruments:

Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery—III (WJ-III): Tests of Cognitive Ability is the preferred instrument. A report of the results, scored according to norms based on grade, is most appropriate for post-secondary students. Specific grade equivalent scores, standard scores, and SD Differences for each test and tests cluster administered, and/or a copy of the “Compuscore” computer printout to accompany the diagnostic report, would be acceptable and useful information.
Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery-Revised (WJ-R): Tests of Cognitive Ability is also a preferred older instrument. A report of the results, scored according to the norms based on grade, is most appropriate for post-secondary students. Specific grade equivalent scores, standard scores, and SD Difference scores for each test and test cluster administered, and/or a copy of the “Compuscore” computer printout to accompany the diagnostic report, would be acceptable and useful.
Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-3 (WAIS-3) is also a preferred instrument. Verbal IQ, Performance IQ, Full Scale IQ, and all sub-test scores should be included.
Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale (4^th Ed.)
Kaufman Adolescent and Adult Intelligence Test

Academic Achievement Assessment Instruments:

Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery-Revised or III: Tests of Achievement
Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT)
Scholastic Abilities Test for Adults (SATA)
Stanford Test of Academic Skills
Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests-Revised
Nelson Denny Reading Test
Test of Written Language-3 (TOWL-3)
Stanford Diagnostic Mathematics Test

Information Processing Assessment Instruments:

Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery-III: Tests of Cognitive Ability
WAIS-3 Subtests
WAIS-R Subtests
Detroit Tests of Learning Aptitude-3 (DTLA-3)
Detroit Tests of Learning Aptitude-Adult (DTLA-A)

All documentation is confidential and should be sent to:

Jessica L. Edwards, Student Needs Coordinator
Sauk Valley Community College
173 IL Rt. 2
Rm 1G4
Dixon, IL 61021

(815) 835-6246
Fax: (815) 288-5509

edwardj@svcc.edu