Section 1: Documentation                                                                                                                                  MO-AHEAD > Table of Contents > Section 1.3

 

What diagnostic information will I need for documentation of learning disabilities?
 

  • Diagnosis by a qualified professional
  • Recent data to provide a current "picture" of the individual (usually within three to five years)
  • Assessment information, including: diagnostic interview, intellectual assessment (aptitude/information processing using adult norms preferred), academic achievement levels, standard scores or percentiles should be reported for all normed measures
  • Specific diagnosis
  • Clinical summary indicating substantial limitations to learning or other major life activities
  • Any record of prior accommodations used
  • Recommendations and rationale for accommodations

It is important to realize that accommodations can change over time and with differing environmental demands. It is also important to note that accommodations provided in higher education institutions will be granted only if directly related to the disability that is documented.

For students with learning disabilities, documentation to access college accommodations requires a full standardized assessment, preferably with instruments that have adult norms. This means that the student must be 16 years or older for adult norms to be valid.

Under the current IDEA, special education is no longer mandated to conduct standardized three-year "re-evaluations". Generally, informal assessment is deemed appropriate to determine the educational program for the following year. However, this informal assessment data is not useful to higher education disability services personnel to allow access to accommodations. Schools who continue to offer the formal standardized assessment as best practice for transitioning are to be commended. Students should make a decision that college is the goal and then make this goal known to the IEP team as soon as possible. If the assessment is not offered in high school, the student will be responsible for seeking out a diagnostician and for payment.

 

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