Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-vvkck Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-27T04:31:13.542Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Psycho-Educational Assessment of Specific Learning Disabilities: Views and Practices of Australian Psychologists and Guidance Counsellors

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 March 2015

John D. Meteyard  and
Linda Gilmore
John D. Meteyard
Affiliation:
Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Linda Gilmore*
Affiliation:
Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
*
address for correspondence: Linda Gilmore, School of Cultural and Professional Learning, Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove QLD 4059, Australia. Email: l.gilmore@qut.edu.au
Get access

Abstract

This article reports an investigation of the views and practices of 203 Australian psychologists and guidance counsellors with respect to psycho-educational assessment of students with specific learning disabilities (SLDs). Results from an online survey indicated that practitioners draw upon a wide range of theoretical perspectives when conceptualising and identifying SLDs, including both response to intervention and IQ-achievement discrepancy models. Intelligence tests (particularly the Wechsler scales) are commonly employed, with the main stated reasons for their use being ‘traditional’ perspectives (including IQ-achievement discrepancy based definitions of SLDs), to exclude a diagnosis of intellectual disability, and to guide further assessment and intervention. In contrast, participants reported using measures of academic achievement and tests of specific cognitive deficits known to predict SLDs (e.g., phonological awareness) relatively infrequently.

Keywords

specific learning disabilitiespsycho-educational assessmentresponse to interventionIQ-achievement discrepancyWechsler intelligence scales
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools , Volume 25 , Special Issue 1: Psycho-Educational Assessment , June 2015 , pp. 1 - 12
Check for updates
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

American Psychiatric Association (APA). (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.Google Scholar
Berkeley, S., Bender, W.N., Peaster, L.G., & Saunders, L. (2009). Implementation of response to intervention: A snapshot of progress. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 42, 85–95. doi:10.1177/0022219408326214CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Callinan, S., Cunningham, E., & Theiler, S. (2013). Revisiting discrepancy theory in learning disabilities: What went wrong and why we should go back. Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 23, 1–17. doi:10.1017jgc.2012.22CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Catholic Education Commission of Victoria. (2014). Schools Assistance Act 2008 — Administrative Guidelines: Commonwealth programs for Non-government schools. Application 2014. Literacy, numeracy and special learning needs (students with disabilities). Retrieved from http://web.cecv.catholic.edu.au/resources/LNSLN/2014/2014LNSLNGuidelines.pdfGoogle Scholar
Bracken, B.A., & McCallum, R.S. (1998). Universal Nonverbal Intelligence Test examiner's manual. Itsaka, IL: Riverside.Google Scholar
Brigance, A.H., & Glascoe, F.P. (1999). Brigance Diagnostic Comprehensive Inventory of Basic Skills, revised. Boston, MA: Curriculum Associates.Google Scholar
Cohen, M.J. (1997). Examiner's manual: Children's Memory Scale. San Antonio: Harcourt Brace.Google Scholar
Cohen, M.J., Ledbetter, M., Vaughn, M., & Benavides, D.C. (1999). Learning and memory performance of children with reading disability on the children's memory scale. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 14, 3.Google Scholar
Crews, K.J., & D’Amato, R.C. (2009). Subtyping children's reading disabilities using a comprehensive neuropsychological measure. International Journal of Neuroscience, 119, 1615–1639. doi:10.1080/00207450802319960CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
D’Angiulli, A., & Siegel, L.S. (2003). Cognitive functioning as measured by the WISC-R: Do children with learning disabilities have distinctive patterns of performance? Journal of Learning Disabilities, 36, 48–58.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Feifer, S.G. (2010). Assessing and intervening with children with reading disorders. In Miller, D.C. (Ed.), Best practices in school neuropsychology: Guidelines for effective practice, assessment, and evidence-based intervention (pp. 483–520). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.Google Scholar
Flanagan, D., Ortiz, S., & Alfonso, V. (2013). Essentials of cross-battery assessment (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.Google Scholar
Fletcher, J.M., Francis, D.J., Morris, R.D., & Lyon, G.R. (2005). Evidence-based assessment of learning disabilities in children and adolescents. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 34, 506–522.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hoskyn, M., & Swanson, H.L. (2000). Cognitive processing of low achievers and children with reading disabilities: A selective meta-analytic review of the published literature. School Psychology Review, 29, 102–119.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hughes, C.A., & Dexter, D.D. (2011). Response to intervention: A research-based summary. Theory into Practice, 50, 4–11. doi:10.1080/00405841.2011.534909CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kaufman, A. S., & Kaufman, N. L. (2004). Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service.Google Scholar
Korkman, M., Kirk, U., & Kemp, S.L. (2007). NEPSY II: Administrative manual. San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corporation.Google Scholar
Klassen, R.M., Neufeld, P., & Munro, F. (2005). When IQ is irrelevant to the definition of learning disabilities: Australian school psychologists’ beliefs and practice. School Psychology International, 26, 297–316. doi: 10.1177/0143034305055975CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Machek, G.R., & Nelson, J.M. (2007). How should reading disabilities be operationalized? A survey of practicing school psychologists. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 22, 147–157.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Machek, G.R., & Nelson, J.M. (2010). School psychologists’ perceptions regarding the practice of identifying reading disabilities: Cognitive assessment and response to intervention considerations. Psychology in Schools, 47, 230–245. doi:10.1002/pits.20467CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mather, N., & Wendling, B.J. (2012). Essentials of dyslexia assessment and intervention. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.Google Scholar
Morris, R.D., Stuebing, K.K., Fletcher, J.M., Shaywitz, S.E., Lyon, G.R., Shankweiler, D.P., . . . Shaywitz, B.A. (1998). Subtypes of reading disability: Variability around a phonological core. Journal of Educational Psychology, 90, 347–373.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Naglieri, J.A. (2003). Current advances in assessment and intervention for children with learning disabilities. In Scruggs, T.E. & Mastropieri, M.A. (Eds.), Advances in learning and behavioural disabilities Volume 16: Identification and assessment (pp. 163–190). New York, NY: Emerald Group Publishing.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Naglieri, J., & Das, J. (1995). Das-Naglieri Cognitive Assessment System. Itsaka, IL: Riverside.Google Scholar
O’Donnell, P.S., & Miller, D.N. (2011). Identifying students with specific learning disabilities: School psychologists’ acceptability of the discrepancy model versus response to intervention. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 22, 83–94. doi:10.1177/1044207310395724CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Perfetti, C.A. (2011). Phonology is critical in reading: But a phonological deficit is not the only source of low reading skills. In Brady, S.A., Braze, D., & Fowler, C.A. (Eds.), Explaining individual differences in reading: Theory and evidence (pp. 137–152). New York, NY: Psychology Press.Google Scholar
Pickering, S., & Gathercole, S. (2001). Working Memory Test Battery for Children (WMTB-C) manual. London: The Psychological Corporation.Google Scholar
Roid, G.H. (2003). Stanford Binet Intelligence Scales (5th ed.) (SB5). Itasca, IL: Riverside Publishing.Google Scholar
Roid, G.H., & Miller, L.J. (1997). Leiter International Performance Scale — Revised. Wood Dale, IL: Stoelting Co.Google Scholar
Sheslow, D., & Adams, W. (2003). Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning Second Edition administration and technical manual. Lutz, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.Google Scholar
Snowling, M.J., Stothard, S.E., Clarke, P., Bowyer-Crane, C., Harrington, A., Truelove, E., . . . Hulme, C. (2009). York assessment of reading for comprehension. London: GL Assessment. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2009.02197.xGoogle Scholar
Tabachnick, B.G., & Fidell, L.S. (2007). Using multivariate statistics (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.Google Scholar
Wagner, R., Torgesen, J., Rashotte, C., & Pearson, N.A. (2013). Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing — Second Edition. Austin, TX: PRO-ED.Google Scholar
Wechsler, D. (2002). Wechsler Individual Achievement Test — Second Edition: Australian standardised edition. Sydney, Australia: PsychCorp.Google Scholar
Wechsler, D. (2005). WISC-IV Australian. Sydney, Australia: Harcourt Assessment.Google Scholar
Wechsler, D. (2002). WPPSI-III technical and interpretive manual. San Antonio, TX: The Psychological Corporation.Google Scholar
Wechsler, D., & Naglieri, J.A. (2006). Wechsler Nonverbal Scale of Ability. San Antonio, TX: Harcourt Assessment.Google Scholar
Woodcock, R.W., McGrew, K., & Mather, N. (2001). Woodcock-Johnson III Tests. Itasca, IL: Riverside.Google Scholar