At Sarah Lawrence College, students who request accommodations for a disability are required to submit documentation to verify eligibility under Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the American with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).  These guidelines are provided in the interest of assuring that evaluation reports are appropriate for documenting eligibility for students who seek accommodations and services for a learning disability.

I. Testing must be comprehensive

A comprehensive assessment battery and the resulting diagnostic report must include a clinical interview and assessments of aptitude, academic achievement and information processing.  The evaluation must provide clear and specific evidence that a learning disability does or does not exist.  Any diagnosis must be based on a comprehensive assessment battery that does not rely on any one test or subtest.  Test scores and data must be included.  (This is not intended to be an exhaustive list or to restrict assessment in other pertinent and helpful areas such as career interests and aptitudes.)

Aptitude:  The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Third Edition (WAIS-III) with subtest scores is the preferred instrument.  The Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery-III: Test of Cognitive Ability and the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, Fifth Edition are also acceptable.

Achievement:  A comprehensive academic achievement battery is essential, with all subtests and standard scores reported.  Current levels of academic functioning in reading, math and writing must be included in the battery.  Acceptable instruments include the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery-III: Tests of Achievement with fluency measures; Stanford Test of Academic Skills (TASK); Scholastic Ability Test for Adults (SATA); Wechsler Individual Achievement Test II (WIAT II) with reading rate; and if applicable, additional supplemental tests such as the Test of Written Language-IV (TOWL-IV); Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests-Revised; Nelson-Denny Reading Test; or the Stanford Diagnostic Mathematics Test.  The Wide Range Achievement Test-3 (WRAT-3) is not suitable.

Information processing:  Specific areas of information processing (e.g., short and long term memory; sequential memory; auditory and visual perception/processing; processing speed; executive functioning; motor ability) should be addressed.  Acceptable instruments include Detroit Tests of Learning Aptitude-3 (DTLA-3) or Detroit Tests of Learning Aptitude-Adult (DTLA-A).  Use of specific subtests from the WAIS-III or Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Ability is acceptable.

II.  Documentation must include a specific diagnosis of a Learning Disability

There must be clear and specific evidence and identification of a learning disability.  Individual “learning styles,” “learning differences,” “academic difficulty,” “slow reader,” and “anxiety,” in and of themselves do not constitute a learning disability.   The evaluator is encouraged to use direct language, avoiding the use of “suggests” or “is indicative of.”  It is preferred that a specific learning disability or other cognitive disorder be recorded on Axis I, using the appropriate DSM-IV diagnostic codes.  It is important to rule out alternative explanations for problems in learning, such as emotional, attentional, or motivational problems, that may be interfering with learning but do not constitute a specific learning disability.  If the data does not indicate that a learning disability is present, the evaluator must state that conclusion in the report.

III.  Testing must be current

In most cases, a neuropsychological or psychoeducational evaluation should be no more than     three years old.  Assessment constitutes the basis for determining reasonable accommodations.  For this reason, it is in the student’s best interest to provide recent documentation to serve as the basis to establish a student’s need for accommodations in a college environment.  There is some flexibility in the three year currency requirement under certain conditions, as long as the assessment is with adult referenced norms.

IV.  A qualified professional must provide the documentation

Professionals conducting the assessment and rendering the diagnoses of specific learning disabilities must be qualified to do so.  Comprehensive training and relevant experience working with adolescent and adult populations are essential.  Competence in working with culturally and linguistically diverse populations is also essential.  The name, title, and professional credentials of the evaluator, including information about license or certification as well as the area of specialization, and place of employment should be clearly stated in the documentation. It is not appropriate for professionals to evaluate members of their own families.

V.  Recommendation(s) for accommodations and services

It is important to recognize that accommodation needs can change over time and are not always identified through the initial diagnostic process. Conversely, a prior history of accommodation, without demonstration of a current need, does not, in and of itself, warrant the provision of a similar accommodation.  The documentation should include specific recommendations for accommodations that are appropriate at the postsecondary educational setting, as well as an explanation of why each accommodation is recommended.  The evaluator must describe the impact the diagnosed learning disability has on a specific life activity and also the degree of significance of this impact on the individual.  A link should be drawn between specific requested accommodation and the functional limitations of the individual.

A school plan such as an IEP or a 504 plan, though useful information as to past accommodations, in and of itself is not sufficient documentation.  It may be included as part of the comprehensive report.  If no prior accommodations were provided, the evaluator must include a detailed explanation as to why no accommodations were used in the past and why accommodations are needed at this time.

VI.  Confidentiality

The documentation is confidential and will be used only for the purpose of enabling the College to provide the student with appropriate supportive academic and other services related to his or her disability.  No part of the documentation will be released without the student’s written consent.

VII.  Documentation should be sent to: