Understanding Learning Disability Assessments

1. Understanding Learning Disability Assessments Presented by Mike Walker Learning Strategist, Nipissing University for Checkmark 2005April 30, 2005

2. What is a Psychological Assessment? psychology (s -kol -j ) The profession (e.g., clinical psychology), scholarly discipline (academic psychology), and science (research psychology) concerned with the behavior of humans and animals, and related mental and physiologic processes. Stedman’s Online Medical Dictionary Psychological assessment …is an exploration of these mental processes; the assessment yields a snapshot of the functioning of the brain at that particular time.

3. What is a Learning Disability? A new definition from the LDAO

4. In brief… "Learning Disabilities" …refers to a variety of disorders that affect the acquisition, retention, understanding, organization or use of verbal and/or non-verbal information. …result from impairments in one or more psychological processes related to learning in combination with otherwise average abilities essential for thinking and reasoning.

5. These psychological processes are phonological processing memory and attention processing speed language processing perceptual-motor processing visual-spatial processing executive functions (e.g., planning, monitoring and metacognitive abilities)

6. Learning disabilities …range in severity and invariably interfere with the acquisition and use of one or more of the following important skills:

7. These skills are oral language (e.g., listening, speaking, understanding) reading (e.g., decoding, comprehension) written language (e.g., spelling, written expression) mathematics (e.g., computation, problem solving) organizational skills social perception social interaction

8. Learning Disabilities are Information Processing Deficits: Usually manifested as a weakness in one or more of the following steps: Processing Memory Expression People with learning disabilities have an average to above average intelligence with a weaknesses in one or more of the aforementioned areas

9. LD-related Assessments… …one may typically encounter as a classroom teacher: Screening Educational Assessment Psychological or Psycho-educational Assessment

10. Screening Usually the first step upon perception of a learning problem Typically completed by a school resource teacher Measures of student achievement Reading, writing, mathematics Sometimes measures of IQ such as a TONI May result in Implementing some remedial intervention Referral for more assessment

11. Educational Assessment Usually completed by board psychometrist Includes some measures of ability IQ WISC, TONI, WJ-III Cognitive And measures of Achievement WIAT, KTEA, WJ-III Achievement Will not likely have a diagnosis, BUT Will typically make recommendations for Identification (IPRC & IEP) Remediation, accommodation and/or modification

12. Psychological Assessment Completed by or under the supervision of a board or external psychologist Includes measures of Ability (IQ), Achievement, Information Processing & others: Attention, Memory, Phonological Processing, etc. Personality and/or Emotional functioning Typically results in a diagnosis of a disability if one exists, and Typically will make recommendations for Remediation, accommodation and/or modification Treatment or further assessment, if appropriate

13. Identification vs. Diagnosis Bill 82 allows elementary and secondary schools to “identify” students and to offer educational supports without the need of a formal diagnosis of disability. Supports for post-secondary students with disabilities falls under the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC). This requires that the persons be DIAGNOSED (not just identified) as having a disability at the post secondary level in order to receive supports.

14. Assessment Components Variations: Referral Data Assessment Procedures Assessment Presentation Interview Data Psychometric Assessment Data Summary and Diagnosis Variations: Reasons for Referral Methods of Assessment Background Information Behavioural Observations Assessment Results Summary and Recommendations

15. Assessment Components The NOARC Assessment Reason for Referral Sources of Information Interviews and other information Psychological assessment and dates administered Scoring and interpretive software used… Background Information Behavioural Observations Tests, Interview and Rating Scale Results Summary and Formulation/Diagnosis Recommendations

16. Components Up Close Reason for Referral Specific information why – suspected LD, AD/HD, other, recommendations for support, etc. Sources of Information Interviews and other information Interview with client, screening & referral data, previous assessments, medical documentation, etc. Psychological assessment and dates administered Specific testing instruments used in the assessment Scoring and interpretive software used… Other tools that may have been used including scoring software

17. Components Up Close Background Information Should include a comprehensive review of student’s developmental, social, medical and educational history Behavioural Observations Typically includes observations of student’s physical, social and emotional presentation (Was the client appropriately dressed and groomed? Did the client arrive on time, attend, cooperate, put in best effort, seem anxious or emotional, etc.)

18. Components Up Close Tests, Interview and Rating Scale Results Comprehensive report of observations, results and students responses to administered tests of Aptitude Cognitive ability (IQ) Achievement Academic achievement Information Processing Attention, Memory, Executive Functions, Processing Speed, Visuo-perceptual, Psycho-motor, Language Phonological Awareness, Auditory & Visual Processing, etc. Other: personality, emotion, career, etc.

19. Components Up Close Summary and Formulation/Diagnosis Review of all aforementioned data, from referral and current testing, formulating areas of strength and weakness and possible relation to information processing, leading to a diagnostic statement! Recommendations Remediation – strategies to help correct deficits Accommodation – strategies to help overcome deficits Treatment (if appropriate, i.e. AD/HD) Further assessment or referrals (physician, neurologist, audiologist, psychiatrist, counsellor, etc.)

20. Psychometric Tests Much of the information gathered in the assessment process is in the form of psychometric testing. These psychometric instruments should be Valid: must have been tested with a large enough population to prove their accuracy Appropriate: matched to the age, language and culture of the student Normed: should be a basis of comparing the student’s results (scores) to his/her peers If the results (scores) of two instruments are to be compared, they should have been “normed” against a similar population e.g. WAIS-III & WIAT-II (Wechsler tests are co-normed)

21. Co-Normed Assessment Batteries WAIS-III (WISC-IV) & WIAT-II Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - Third Edition Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fourth Edition Wechsler Individual Achievement Test - Second Edition WJ-III Cognitive & WJ-III Achievement Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Abilities Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement SB5 & KTEA-II Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales, Fifth Edition Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement, Second Edition

22. Co-Normed Assessment Batteries WAIS-III (Ability) FSIQ – Full Scale IQ VIQ – Verbal IQ PIQ – Performance IQ Indexes Verbal Comprehension Perceptual Organizational Working Memory Processing Speed WIAT-II (Achievement) Reading Word Reading Reading Comprehension Pseudoword Decoding Mathematics Numerical Operations Math Reasoning Written Language Spelling Written Expression Oral Language Listening Comprehension Oral Expression

23. Co-Normed Assessment Batteries WJ-III Cognitive (Ability) Gen Intellectual Ability Verbal Ability Comprehension/Knowledge Thinking Ability Long-Term Retrieval Visual Spatial Thinking Auditory Processing Fluid Reasoning Cognitive Efficiency Processing Speed Short Term Memory WJ-III Achievement Broad Reading Basic Reading Skills Letter Word Identification Word Attack Comprehension. Broad Oral Language Oral Expression Listening Comprehension Broad Mathematics Calculation Skills Math Reasoning Broad Written Language Basic Writing Skills Expression

24. Co-Normed Assessment Batteries SB-5 (Ability) Domain FSIQ – Full Scale IQ VIQ – Verbal IQ NVIQ – Nonverbal IQ Factors Fluid Reasoning Knowledge Quantitative Reasoning Visual-Spatial Working Memory KTEA-II (Achievement) Reading Letter & Word Recognition Nonsense Word Decoding Reading Comprehension Mathematics Math Computation Math Concepts & Applications Written Language Written Expression Spelling Oral Language Listening comprehension Oral Expression

25. The Language of Assessments or Understanding Psycho-babble

26. Percentile Scores (%ile)

27. Notes on %ile scores A score at the 70%ile means that one scored better than 70% of the others who have taken the test but lower than 30% of the remaining test takers. Therefore, a score of 50%ile is average. 16th to the 84th %ile is the Average Range. 85 to 115 in standard scores (SS) Some use 25th to 75th %ile the Average range. 90 to 110 (SS) The limits of the average range may vary from tool to tool and psychologist to psychologist.

28. Standard Scores (SS)

29. Comparing Scores Percentile >99 95 84 75 50 25 16 5 >1 Standard 145 125 115 110 100 90 85 75 55

30. More Scores Grade Equivalent Scores* Age Equivalent Scores* These are often used with elementary-aged students as a means of comparison and understanding ability/achievement: e.g. Johnny is reading at the grade 2.5 level. * Because of the inherent psychometric problems associated with age and grade equivalents that seriously limit their reliability and validity, these scores should not be used for making diagnostic or placement decisions (Bracken, 1988; Reynolds, 1981).

31. More Vocabulary Discrepancy A difference between scores Significant Discrepancy A difference in scores of 1SD or greater Standard Deviation Indicates the “average” distance or deviation of the scores from the mean Within a group of scores, a variation of 1DS may be considered significant For the purposes of estimating discrepancy using Standard Scores, we equate 1SD = 15 points (SS), 1.5 SD = 23 points A significant discrepancy of 1.5 to 2.0 SD may be used as a measure to help formulate a diagnosis Scatter Range of scores within a group of subtests

32. Scores & Standard Deviation

33. Testing & Diagnosis Applying the Tools & Interpreting the Results

34. Role of Measurement Tools & Scores The psychometric tools are used to measure and achieve scores for various psychological functions These scores are compared to look for anomalies or significant differences Let’s look at the traditional diagnostic criteria…

35. Current Ministry of Education Criteria …A learning disorder evident in both academic and social situations… characterized by a condition that is not primarily the results of physical…, developmental…, or emotional disability or cultural difference results in a significant discrepancy between academic achievement and assessed intellectual ability… May be associated with one or more conditions diagnosed as a perceptual handicap, dyslexia, etc… Documented as “Learning Disability: Communication.”

36. Testing Scores – Perfectly Average Aptitude vs. Achievement

37. Traditional Method of DiagnosisAptitude vs. AchievementAverage Student - normal scatter (normal differences)

38. Student with a LD (Reading)Aptitude vs. Achievement – significant differences

39. Non-verbal LDSignificant discrepancy within WAIS Profile (ability) itself

40. Problems with traditional criteria Sometimes, through extreme effort and/or remediation, students may earn average scores in achievement, yet still face learning difficulties. Yet without a significant discrepancy between ability and achievement, there would be no diagnosis. Now, as reflected in the new LDAO criteria, may also look for discrepancies between ability, achievement and/or information processing… Actually looking at the psychological processes…

41. These psychological processes are phonological processing memory and attention processing speed language processing perceptual-motor processing visual-spatial processing executive functions (e.g., planning, monitoring and metacognitive abilities)

42. Information Processing Deficits… For you visual learners…

43. Diagnosis: Central Auditory Processing Disorder & AD/HDAreas of Deficit: Attention, Impulsiveness, Reading Comprehension, Working Memory & Auditory Processing

44. Diagnosis: Dyslexia & Dysgraphia Areas of Deficit: Phonological Awareness & Visual Decoding/Tracking

45. Diagnosis: Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD)Areas of Deficit: Auditory Processing/Memory, Processing Speed & Verbal Reasoning

46. Diagnosis: Cognitive Efficiency Areas of Deficit: Working Memory & Processing Speed

47. Diagnosis: Dyslexia & Cognitive EfficiencyAreas of Deficit: Phonological Awareness, Visual Memory & Cognitive Efficiency (Working Memory & Processing Speed)

48. Some Information Processing & Personality Tools Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS-III) Comprehensive Test of Phonological Awareness (C-TOPP) Sensory/Perceptual/Motor Grooved Pegboard Colour Trails Executive Functioning, Attention, Concentration, etc. Tower of London STROOP Neurological Screening Test Trails A & B Conners’ Continuous Performance Test-II Conners’ Adult Assessment Rating scales (CAARS) AMEN AD/HD Type Questionnaire Personality: Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) Beck depression Inventory Coping Response Inventory

49. Diagnostic Language (some examples) The Dys’s Dyslexia Dysgraphia Dyscalculia DSM-IV Reading Disorder Disorder of Written Expression Mathematics Disorder ‘Plain’ Language Reading disability based on a phonological processing deficit affecting the student’s ability to decode…

50. Considerations… Information processing deficits will depress IQ scores Measuring the students areas of weakness Don’t rush to judgment of student success on IQ So many other factors - attitude, effort, motivation, self-discipline Resist the temptation to read too much into scores Might have had an off day Misunderstood the instructions Psychologist’s job to interpret the results That said, most psychologists will be glad to discuss results (my experience)

51. Considerations…2 That said… Request that the psychologist include the scores (%iles or SS) in the assessment: Specific info may be important to help both you and your student understand the LD e.g. The student’s ability is in the average range… OK, is that 90 or 110 …however, there is a significant difference between verbal and non-verbal abilities found in less than 4% of the population. This could be important; let’s get specific.

52. Considerations…3 Also, if you have specific recommendations, that is specific accommodations, technologies or other supports that you believe would benefit the student, ask the psychologist to include these in their Recommendation section. The psychologist might not be aware of the supports available. The supports might not be offered, if not specifically stated. might not be funded, if not specifically stated. might not be allowed, if not specifically stated.

53. Considerations… 4 Assessments contain a lot of valuable info, but there are other sources for information for you Learning Style & Multiple Intelligence inventories Parents, previous teachers Students themselves Just as students have different learning styles, not all accommodations will suit every student’s needs … a psych assessment is a snapshot in time… Therefore periodic assessment is required Current research suggests that the adolescent brain goes through tremendous change, especially in frontal lobe That is on reason why students should have a new assessment when transitioning to post-secondary

54. Internet Resources for Assessment Info LDAO (Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario) About Learning Disabilities (scroll down) www.ldao.ca/resources/education/pei/assessment/index.php Schwab Learning Understanding & Preparing Your Child For Psychoeducational Testing www.schwablearning.org/articles.asp?r=863&g=1 LDOnline Understanding Tests and Measurements for the Parent and Advocate www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/assessment/tests_measurements.html

55. More about understanding individual student differences PBS documentary, Misunderstood Minds www.pbs.org/wgbh/misunderstoodminds/intro.html Check out the work of Dr. Mel Levine His organization’s website www.allkindsofminds.org A Mind at a Time, excerpt www.allkindsofminds.org/Excerpt.aspx?productid=1&mode=excerpt And the work of Rick Lavoie (videos) How Difficult Can This Be? The F.A.T. City Workshop Look What You've Done! Last One Picked, First One Picked On

56. More Info. . . About learning disabilities www.schwablearning.org www.ldonline.org www.ldpride.net www.ldao.ca www.ldrc.ca http://specialed.about.com/cs/learningdisabled Activities to help understand processing deficits http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/misunderstoodminds/ Mike’s Learning Resources site www.nipissingu.ca/faculty/mikew/resource Click on “Presentations 2004/05”

57. For a copy of this Presentation Mike’s Learning Resources site www.nipissingu.ca/faculty/mikew/resource Click on “Presentations 2004/05”