Learning Disability Tests – Tests Used to Diagnose a Learning Disability

Diagnosing a learning disability in public schools requires several types of tests. The IDEA requires that a diagnosis of a learning disability is not made on the basis of a single test. Common tests used to diagnose a learning disability include intelligence tests, achievement tests, visual-motor integration, and language testing. This list includes some of the more common tests used in the diagnosis of a learning disability. Other tests not listed here may also be used depending on the evaluator's preferences and the child's needs.

Intelligence Tests - Intelligence tests most commonly used to diagnose a learning disability include the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WIPPSI), Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC), and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS). Other common intelligence, or cognitive, tests include the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test, Differential Abilities Scales (DAS), the Woodcock Johnson Test of Cognitive Abilities, and the Comprehensive Test of Nonverbal Intelligence (CTONI). Learn more about intelligence and intelligence tests.

Achievement Tests - Common achievement tests used to diagnose a learning disability include the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement (WJ), the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT), the Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT), and the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement (KTEA). These tests include reading, writing, and math.

Visual Motor Integration Tests - Visual motor integration tests are supplementary tests that many evaluators use to support a learning disability evaluation. Common visual motor integration tests include the Bender Visual Motor Gestalt Test and the Developmental Test of Visual Motor Integration.

Language Tests - Commonly used language tests used in the diagnosis of learning disabilities include the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals (CELF), Goldman Fristoe Test of Articulation, the Test of Language Development.