How to select a Professional

Information courtesy of Nancie Payne; Payne & Associates

205 Lilly Road NE, Building B, Suite A

Olympia, Washington  98506

360-491-7600 – 360-491-0196 (fax) – www.payneandassociates.com

Documenting a Learning Disability...

1.     Select a qualified professional who has worked with and evaluated children and/or adults with possible learning disabilities.  Make sure he or she has the qualifications to provide the service.  Licensed psychologists, neuropsychologist, school psychologist and learning disabilities diagnosticians are among those recommended.

2.     Interview the selected professional to determine if he or she will be providing services that meet your needs and requests.  Questions might include:

•      How long have you been in practice?

•      Have you tested children and/or adults with learning disabilities?

•      How long will the assessment take?

•      What will the assessment cover?

•      Will there be a written and oral report of the assessment?

§       Is there an additional charge for the report?

•      Will there be a specified diagnosis in the report?

•      Are you willing to meet with another school official (teacher, special education coordinator, counselor) or provider (counselor or advisor) to discuss the report?

•      Will our discussion provide useful information as to why I am having school and/or work difficulties?    

•      If a disability is identified, will you give me ideas on how to improve my skills and accommodate the disability? Can you give me examples of ideas you have provided others?

•      Will the report make recommendations as to where to go for immediate help?

•      What is the cost of your services?  Specifically, what does the cost cover?

•      What are the possibilities and costs for additional consultation?

•      Can insurance cover the costs? 

•      Are there other funding sources?

•      Can a payment plan be worked out?

3.     The documentation required by most elementary, secondary, and postsecondary (colleges, universities, and training facilities) as well as standardized testing services includes the following:

o      Clinical interview

o      Reliable and acceptable intelligence tests

o      Achievement and academic performance tests

o      Information processing tests

4.     Documentation must be current.  Each education facility, testing service, and/or work environment sets standards and defines “current” differently.  In most cases, the evaluation must not be older than five (5) years.

5.     Documentation must present clear and specific evidence that a learning disability exists.  Reports must include instruments used, test score data, written interpretation, the name of the evaluator and the dates of testing.  The data presented must specify the disabilities present, the functional limitations resulting from the disabilities, the accommodations recommended, and the rationale for the accommodations (relative to the functional limitations of the diagnosed disabilities).

Employers usually require a letter, on the qualified professional’s letterhead signed by the attending professional, specifying the date of the assessment, the elements of the assessment, the results of the assessment, the functional limitations that occur because of the diagnosed disability, and suggested accommodations.  Again, it is important to have the rationale for the suggested accommodations clearly identified.

6.     In all cases, documentation should provide a specific listing of recommendations for accommodations and academic adaptations.

7.     It is highly recommended that consideration of why diagnosis is needed be measured. If there is a need for services and/or interventions or accommodations in school, standardized testing situations or work, then pursuit of a diagnosis may be important. 

How to decide to pursue diagnosis and documentation...

•      Where am I or the child having difficulty?

•      What is causing the difficulty?

•      Have I or the child had this difficulty before?

•      If so, how did I or the child handle this difficulty then?

•      What might work to ease the difficulty?

•      Can I change or affect this difficulty on my own?

•      Do I need help changing or affecting this difficulty?

•      Where can I get more information to assist me?

•      Are services available at school, training, or work that might help me?

•      Will I use selected services?

•      Will I value their suggestions and assistance?

•      What is my first step?