Learning Disability Testing / Assessment
A psychological assessment or clinical evaluation can be performed by Dr. Bishop to determine the presence of a learning disability. Common learning disabilities include:
- Dyslexia – a language-based disability in which a person has trouble understanding written words. It may also be referred to as reading disability or reading disorder.
- Dyscalculia – a mathematical disability in which a person has a difficult time solving arithmetic problems and grasping math concepts.
- Dysgraphia – a writing disability in which a person finds it hard to form letters or write within a defined space.
- Auditory and Visual Processing Disorders – sensory disabilities in which a person has difficulty understanding language despite normal hearing and vision.
- Nonverbal Learning Disabilities – a neurological disorder which originates in the right hemisphere of the brain, causing problems with visual-spatial, intuitive, organizational, evaluative and holistic processing functions.
- Attention disorders, such as Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD / ADHD) and learning disabilities often occur at the same time, but the two disorders are not the same. Dr. Bishop can test for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder along with learning disability testing.
Many people, both adults and children, face challenges when it comes to learning. In Florida alone there are over 350,000 identified special education students and thousands more with undiagnosed learning disabilities. Difficulties may be specific to reading, spelling, writing, mathematical calculations, short-term memory, retrieving information from long-term memory, or fine motor skills. Dr. Bishop carries up-to-date assessment tools to examine learning skills. Once this information is gathered, a plan for accommodations and skill-building strategies will be provided through the recommendations in the written report.
Testing and Assessment is necessary for children suspected of having a learning disability because:
- It is required by federal and state regulations to determine eligibility
- It provides important information about the child's suspected disability
- If the child qualifies, it provides specific data for use in developing an Individual Education Program (IEP)
- It is required by most local colleges for extended test time and other accommodations such as at The University of Tampa, St. Petersburg College, Hillsborough Community College, and University of South Florida. Additionally, all public lower, middle, and high schools require documentation of a learning disability before these accommodations are made.
Assessment and testing are complex processes of gathering information in all areas related to a student's suspected disability. Current federal regulations require that no more than sixty days should elapse from the time a student is referred until the time the IEP is developed. To a parent, those sixty days can seem like an eternity.
Depending on the area of disability and the unique questions surrounding each child, the assessment may include:
- Intellectual Ability Assessment
- Academic Achievement Assessment
- Social and Emotional Assessment
- Behavioral Assessment
- Review of educational records
- Observations
- Review of student work
- Medical, vision, and hearing and audio logical examination
- Developmental and Social History
- Fine and Gross Motor Evaluation
- Adaptive Behavior
- Speech and Language Assessment
Tampa area schools including Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco, Hernando, Polk, and Manatee County Public Schools have faced budget cutbacks and hiring freezes in recent years. Even private schools are facing quality issues in some cases due to declines in enrollment due to the economy and ever decreasing discretionary income levels. It is not uncommon for students to get passed over for learning disability testing, or to be put on a waiting list for months while they struggle in class only to fall farther and farther behind.
Dr. Bishop is available for both learning disability treatment and advocacy on your child’s behalf. Dr. Bishop will work to ensure that the school is responsive to the findings of the report and that necessary adjustments are made in the best interest of your child. Don’t wait months on end for your child to be tested. Generally Dr. Bishop can schedule an assessment in under a week and have your report back to you in ten days from first contact.
