Students who are seeking support services from the Sacred Heart University's Special Services Program on the basis of a diagnosed specific learning disability are required to submit documentation to verify eligibility under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.  Protection under these civil rights statutes is based upon documentation of a learning disability that substantially limits one or more major life activities. 

The Director of Special Services is available to consult with diagnosticians regarding any of these guidelines.

1.  Testing must be comprehensive.  It is not acceptable to administer only one test for the purpose of diagnosis.  Minimally, domains to be addressed must include (but not be limited to):

     a.  Aptitude.  The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale- Revised (WAIS-R) with      subtest scores is the preferred instrument.  The Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery - Revised: Tests of Cognitive Ability or the Stanford-Binet

Intelligence Scale: Fourth Edition is acceptable.

    b.  Achievement.  Current levels of functioning in reading, mathematics and written language is required.  Acceptable instruments include the Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery- Revised: Tests of Achievement; Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT); Stanford Test of Academic Skills (TASK); Scholastic Abilities Test for Adults (SATA); or specific achievement tests such as the Test of Written Language - 2 (TOWL-2), Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests-Revised, or or the Stanford Diagnostic Mathematics Test.  The Wide Range Achievement Test - Revised, or the Stanford Diagnostic Mathematics Test.  The Wide Range Achievement Test - Revised (WRAT-R) is NOT a comprehensive measure of achievement and therefore is not suitable.

c.     Information Processing.  Specific areas of information processing (e.g. short-and long-term memory; sequential memory; auditory and visual processing speed) must be assessed.  Information from subtests on the WAIS-R or the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Ability as well as other instruments relevant to the presenting learning problem(s) may be used to address these areas. [This is not intended to be an exhaustive list or to restrict assessment in other pertinent and helpful areas such as vocational interests and aptitudes.]

2.  Testing must be current.  In most cases, this means testing that has been conducted within the past three years.  Because the provision of all reasonable accommodations and services is based upon assessment of the current impact of the student's disabilities on his/her academic performance, it is in a student's best interest to provide recent and appropriate documentation.

3.  There must be clear and specific evidence and identification of a learning disability. Individual “learning styles” and “learning differences” in and of themselves do not constitute a learning disability.

4.  Actual test scores must be provided.  Standard scores and/or percentiles are acceptable; grade equivalents are not acceptable unless standard scores and/or percentiles are also included.  This is important since certain University policies and procedures (e.g., petitioning for permission to substitute courses) require actual data to substantiate eligibility.

5.  Professionals conducting assessment and rendering diagnoses of specific learning disabilities must be qualified to do so.  Trained and certified and/or licensed psychologists, learning disabilities specialists, and educational therapists are typically involved in the process of assessment.  Experience in working with an adult population is essential.

6.  Tests used to document eligibility must be technically sound (i.e., statistically  reliable and valid) and standardized for use with an adult population.

7.  Diagnostic reports must include the names, titles and professional (e.g., licensed psychologist) of the evaluators as well as the date(s) of testing.  All reports must be typed.

8.  A written summary of or background information about the student's educational, medical, and family histories that relate to the learning disability must be included.

9.  A description of any accommodation and/or auxiliary aid that has been used at the secondary or postsecondary level must  be discussed.  Include written information about the accommodations to be used and the specific conditions under which the accommodation  are to be administered. (e.g., standardized testing, final exams), and whether or not it  benefited the student.  {If no accommodations have been previously provided, a detailed explanation as to why none has been used and the rationale for the student's currently needing accommodation(s) must be provided.}

All documentation is confidential and should be submitted to:

Jill E. Angotta
Director of Special Services
Sacred Heart University
5151 Park Ave
Fairfield, CT 06825