Learning Disability Assessment

Students who are struggling academically but have never been identified with a learning disability, may qualify for Learning Disability (LD) assessment.

 

To Request Testing a Student Must:

• Be enrolled in at least one course at Cañada College.
• Make an "intake" appointment with a Learning Disability Specialist by emailing us at canadadrc@smccd.edu
• The LD Specialist will contact you to discuss the process and timeline:

  • The LD Assessment Process/Timeline

    The entire assessment process averages between 8 and 10 hours, spread over 4 or 5 sessions, often taking 6-8 weeks to complete.

    1. Make an appointment - The student makes an appointment to see the Learning Disability Specialist by coming to the DRC office or emailing us at canadadrc.edu
    2. LD intake appointment – The student is given a consent form and a questionnaire asking about the student’s developmental and health history, family history, and educational history. The student may be given the questionnaire ahead of time to fill out. The student and LD specialist will review a questionnaire, going into further detail of other possible causes of the learning difficulties, and to better identify the specific learning difficulties experienced by the student. If other explanations and/or disabilities are identified, the LD assessment will usually end.
    3. Testing appointments – If assessment will continue, various achievement and cognitive tests will be spread over 3-4 sessions lasting 1 1⁄2 to 3 hours each. Some of the tests assess achievement in standard academic or “learned” information such as reading, writing, math, and more. Other tests assess the processing of different types of information and the speed at which the information is processed. None of the tests can be “passed” or “failed”, but are simply measurements against grade or age norms.
    4. Eligibility appointment – Once all the testing that is deemed necessary for that individual student is completed, the results are explained to the student. Besides confirming whether or not a learning disability has been identified, the emphasis is on relating the learning strengths and weaknesses shown by both the scores and observations from the testing sessions. Based on these strengths and weaknesses, learning strategies are discussed and recommended to the student. Finally, those students who have met the criteria to be served as “Learning Disabled” under the California Community Colleges Learning Disability Eligibility Model are approved for accommodations and complete the various paperwork needed by the DRC program.

 

How does learning disability testing benefit students?

• Learn personal strengths and weaknesses
• Determine effective strategies for learning 
• Provides ideas to guide tutors in supporting learning
• Obtain documentation that they will need to formally request accommodations for any state testing (e.g. LSAT, MSAT, NCLEX, etc)
• Obtain documentation that they will need to formally request accommodations at the workplace or at any other post-secondary institution