Learning Disabilities
Students must
provide complete, typewritten copies of medical or psychological
documents that describe the current diagnosis, the impact of the
condition, and recommendations relevant to the college setting.
Documentation must be prepared by a qualified professional and be
up-to-date for the stated condition.
Learning
Disabilities in Adolescents and Adults
It is the policy and
practice of Northeast State to comply with the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act. Under these laws, no qualified individual with a
disability shall be denied access to or participation in services,
programs, and activities offered by Northeast State. Academic
accommodations are provided to otherwise qualified students with
documented learning disabilities so that these students are viewed
according to their abilities, not disabilities.
A learning
disability is generally defined as a significant discrepancy between
achievement and ability or an intra-cognitive discrepancy not
attributable to other handicapping conditions or to environmental
deprivation. Documentation for learning disabilities is required
for academic adjustments or accommodations.
The following
guidelines are provided in the interest of assuring that evaluation
reports are appropriate to document eligibility on the basis of a
learning disability that substantially limits learning. The
Director of the Center for Students with Disabilities is available to
consult with diagnosticians regarding any of these guidelines.
Testing must be
comprehensive. It is not acceptable to administer only one test for
the purpose of diagnosis. Minimally, domains to be addressed must
include:
- Aptitude.
The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised [WAIS-R] with subtest
scores is the preferred instrument. The Woodcock-Johnson
Psycho-Educational Battery-Revised: Tests of Cognitive Ability,
Kaufman Adolescent and Adult Intelligence Test , or
the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale: Fourth Edition are
acceptable.
- Achievement.
Current levels of functioning in reading (decoding and
comprehension), mathematics, and oral and written language are
required. A comprehensive academic achievement battery is essential
with all subtests and standard scores reported for those subtests
administered.
- 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. Other
assessment measures such as non-standard measures and informal
assessment procedures or observations may be helpful in determining
performance across a variety of domains. Other formal assessment
measures may be integrated with the above instruments to help
determine a learning disability and differentiate it from
co-existing neurological and/or psychological disorders.
Testing must be
current. In most cases, this means within the past three
years or after age 16. Since reasonable accommodations are
determined based on assessment of the impact of the student's
disability on academic performance, it is in a student’s best
interest to provide recent and appropriate documentation relevant to
the student's learning environment.
Clear and specific
evidence and identification of a learning disability must be included
in the evaluation report(s). Individual “learning styles” and
“learning differences” do not constitute a learning disability.
It is important to rule out alternative explanations for problems in
learning such as emotional, attentional or motivational problems that
may be interfering with learning but do not constitute a learning
disability. The diagnostician is encouraged to use direct language in
the diagnosis and documentation of a learning disability, avoiding
the use of terms such as “suggests” or “is indicative of.”
The test score date
should be included. The data should logically reflect a substantial
limitation to learning for which the student is requesting the
accommodation. The particular profile of the student’s strengths
and weaknesses must be shown to relate to functional limitations that
may necessitate accommodations.
Professionals
conducting assessment and rendering diagnosis of specific learning
disabilities must be qualified to do so. Comprehensive training and
direct experience with an adolescent and adult LD population is
essential. Licensed psychologists, learning disabilities specialists,
and educational therapists are typically involved in the process of
assessment. The evaluator’s name, title, signature, professional
credentials and the state in which the individual practices should be
included in the evaluation report. The evaluator's address, phone
number and place of employment should be included in the letterhead.
Evaluators should be
able to demonstrate that the selection of assessment instruments is
based upon their suitability for use with an adult population.
ALL DOCUMENTATION IS
CONFIDENTIAL AND SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO:
Coordinator, Accessibility Services
Northeast State
Community College
2425 Highway 75
P.O. Box 246
Blountville, TN
37617
423.279.7640 Voice
423.279.7649 Fax
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