Steps in the Evaluation Process | Child Evaluations | Adult Evaluations
Learning Disorders (i.e., Learning Disabilities, Specific Learning Disorders, Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia)
Regardless of the age of the person being evaluated, our assessments of learning disabilities include the following:
Evaluation of academic achievement (i.e., reading, writing, math),
Determination of the presence or absence of underachievement (i.e., performing below average – relative to age or IQ – in an academic area),
Evaluation of language processing (i.e., listening, speaking, vocabulary, syntax),
Evaluation of cognitive processes (e.g., auditory memory, phonological awareness, rapid naming, etc.) that may contribute to the low academic achievement,
Ruling out other factors that may play a role in the underachievement (e.g., low IQ, sensory deficits, emotional variables),
Identification of any adverse effects of a disability (e.g., difficulty completing tasks within time limits, poor ability to learn from reading, difficulty expressing oneself in writing, difficulty using math to solve everyday problems).
The term Specific Learning Disorder includes difficulties learning and using academic skills despite the provision of interventions directed at strengthening those difficulties. Those difficulties may include inaccurate and slow/effortful reading, poor reading comprehension, weak spelling or written expression, difficulty mastering number sense, number facts, or calculation, and/or difficulties with mathematical reasoning. These academic skills must be substantially and quantifiably below those expected for an individual’s age and cause significant interference with academic or occupational performance or activities of daily living. These learning difficulties begin during school-age years, but may not be fully manifested until demands exceed an individual’s limited capacities (e.g., as in timed tests).
When conducting an evaluation to determine if a child or adolescent has a learning disability, it is important to also consider the rules for special education eligibility for that child’s state. Because every state has its own rules for identifying learning disabilities, these rules must be considered when choosing which tests, analytical procedures, and criteria to use. Although our evaluations cannot determine if your child is eligible for special education services (only a local school district can do that), the results of our evaluation can be helpful in providing the school with the information it needs to make eligibility decisions.
Once in college, eligibility for special education services is not an issue for adults. Nevertheless, a comprehensive evaluation can assist college students in obtaining or continuing to receive academic accommodations such as extended time on tests, a separate room for testing, the use of audiobooks, etc.