Diagnosing Learning Disabilities

Parents navigating the learning disability diagnosis process may find a bewildering range of testing methods, theories of learning, and labels awaiting them. Learning disability diagnosis is an inexact science. Some experts disagree on the best ways of determining whether a learning disability exists. Why the confusion?

• Diagnostic methods and standards used to diagnose learning disabilities in public schools are different from those used by evaluators in private practice.
• Public schools and private evaluators are governed by different government agencies, boards, and regulations which define learning disability.
• The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act regulations governing diagnosis of learning disabilities and other types of disabilities in public schools are somewhat general and leave the specific requirements to states to define.
• Regulations and diagnostic systems governing evaluators in private practice, namely licensed psychologists or psychiatrists, are even less specific than those used in public schools.
• Usually, the learning disability diagnostic processes in public schools are consistent among schools within individual states.
• Different states may have different standards and practices for the diagnosis of learning disabilities. Consequently, it is possible for a student to qualify in one state but not another.
• Public school systems typically use a combination of:
  • Formal evaluations using an aptitude achievement discrepancy to determine if a learning disability exists and its severity; and
  • Response to Intervention methods to determine if a learning disability could be the cause of a student's academic problems.
• Evaluators in private practice usually use either the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual(as in DSM-IV) or the International Statistical Classifications of Diseases (as in ICD-10) criteria to diagnose learning disabilities.
• Both the ICD and DSM methods of diagnosis rely heavily on an evaluator's professional judgment, which naturally varies from evaluator to evaluator. Terms used to name and describe learning disabilities in these systems are different from those used in the IDEA in public schools.

When are Learning Disabilities Diagnosed?