Interdisciplinary Diagnosis

Abstract

The previous chapters have described the methods for obtaining accurate assessments of intelligence and academic achievement, as well as other information relevant to understanding the child’s learning difficulties. As stated previously, the diagnosis of learning disabilities for the school-age child is based on a significant discrepancy between a child’s intellectual abilities and academic achievement. There is, however, a fair amount of controversy regarding appropriate methods for determining whether significant discrepancy exists. As discussed in Chapter 2, even more difficulty is encountered when we attempt to apply a discrepancy definition to identify learning disabilities in children who have not yet reached school age. This chapter will examine methods for integrating information from the various assessments to establish a diagnosis of learning disability.