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DOCUMENTATION
GUIDELINES FOR LEARNING DISABILITIES
Documentation of a disability must be
generated by a medical or professional expert in the related field of
disability and submitted in writing to Disability Support Services where
it will be kept in a separate, confidential file. The cost and
responsibility for providing this documentation shall be borne by the
student.
NOTE: A diagnosis of a
disorder/condition/syndrome in and of itself does not automatically
qualify an individual for accommodations under the ADA, Section 504 or
Washington State Law.
Professional
diagnostician(s) to be consulted (may include but not limited to):
Psychologist, Neuropsychologist, School Psychologist, or
Educational
Specialist who have at least a Master’s, Doctorate, or post-doctorate
degree in their specialty.
-
The documentation should be prepared on
letterhead paper from the diagnosing or attending appropriate
professional (Licensure information and address and phone number need to
be included).
-
The documentation should
be current
(within 3 to 5 years, done at the adult level) and include a description
of the disability, names and results of tests administered (if
appropriate), and a statement of how the disability impacts the student
in an educational setting.
-
The use of a single instrument (such as
Slingerland, and Scopotic Sensitivity Screening) is not acceptable for
purposes of diagnosis. Areas to be addressed must include:
-
Aptitude: For the IQ test, the WAIS-III is preferred (in lieu of
a WAIS III, a WAIS-R or two WISC-III tests that are correlated
within 15 IQ points of each other may be acceptable.) Please include
all sub-test scores. The Leiter International Performance Scale or
the Comprehensive Test of Non Verbal Intelligence is accepted when
cultural bias, or hearing loss is a concern.
-
Achievement: Current levels of functioning in reading,
mathematics and written language are required. Acceptable
instruments include the Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational
Battery-Revised: Tests of Achievement Stanford Test of Academic
Skills (TASK): or specific achievement tests such as the Test of
Written Language-2 (TOWL-2), Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests-Revised,
or the Stanford Diagnostic Mathematics Test. (Please NOTE: The
Wide Range Achievement Test Revised (WRAT) is NOT a
comprehensive measure of achievement and therefore is not suitable.)
-
Information Processing.
Specific areas of information processing (e.g., short and long term
memory; sequential memory; auditory and visual
perception/processing; processing speed) must be assessed. Use of
subtests from the WAIS-R or the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive
Ability is accepted. (This is not intended to be an exhaustive list
or to restrict assessment in other pertinent and helpful areas such
as a vocational interest and aptitudes.)
-
Note clear and specific evidence which
identifies specific learning disabilities and reflects the individual's
present level of adult functioning in processing and intelligence, as
well as achievement. Individual learning styles and learning
differences in and of themselves do not specify or constitute a learning
disability.
-
Include in the report, the exact
instruments used and procedures followed to assess the learning
disabilities, test results (including subtests score data), a written
interpretation of the results by the professional doing the evaluation,
the name of the evaluator, and dates of testing.
-
The
diagnostician should provide sufficient data to support the
particular academic adjustment or accommodations recommended.
Requests that are not supported by documentation may not be approved
without additional verification.
-
The
diagnostician should address the student’s current ability to
function in the college environment (ability to focus, organize
one’s time, attend class, work in groups, work independently, etc.).
-
The diagnostician should rule out
any alternative diagnoses or explanations of the functional learning
limitations. .
Please Note: IEP's or ITP's, and
504 Plans do not meet documentation requirements, but may be included as
part of a more comprehensive assessment battery as described in this
document. The final determination for providing appropriate and
reasonable accommodations rests with the Disability Support Services
Office and Green River Community College.
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Paula Burns, Director,
ext. 2646
Jean Carlson, Program
Coordinator, ext. 2318
Lindbloom Student Center,
2nd Floor, Room 271A
Main number:
(253) 833-9111
Greater Eastside:
(206) 464-6133
Tacoma:
(253) 924-0180
TDD: (253) 288-3359
FAX: (253) 288-3471 |
