Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment Can disability accommodation be used on the WJ III

If a student has a well-documented condition of severe dyslexia and dysgraphia, should the recommendations made in the psychoeducational evaluation for testing be used on the WJ III or any other achievement test?

I'm curious because on the WJ (we do it every year for our EOG as homeschoolers)math fluency brings his broad math score down significantly and his reading comprehension score would be much different if he'd had it read aloud. Also, anything that required written output isn't reflective of what he could knows because his dysgraphia is so severe.

The testing accommodations recommended in his eval are:
Extended Time
Audio Version
Large Font
Ability to circle answers in test booklet to be copied by teacher/proctor
Oral Exams

I think that is all the ones that apply to testing. If there is anything the psych may have missed, I'd appreciate if you'd share it. She said she'd be willing to add to the list if we encountered something she failed to mention.

The ACT people approved these accommodations after I went through sending in all his evals, OT notes, etc. so I feel like that validates them somewhat--just wondering if any of the psychoed tests allow exemption from timed sections, having the reading sections read aloud by the tester, and oral answers.

Thanks! I really appreciate any input.

Indy

Good luck Indy - I haven't heard of WJ using accomidations - part of it's job is to measure what the bottlenecks are - but it sure would be nice to measure the areas of strength to see progress year after year...Have you heard of the MAP test? It is on a computer and 'self-adjusts' - might be helpful to document achievement...

I am a psychologist. I do not make accommodations for LDs on these tests because they are diagnostic and they show from one year to another if progress has been made- which you need a standard administration for. That said, if I child has a LD, the psychologist would not use composite test scores, but use each test individually because lumping the tests all together does not paint an accurate picture of the child. Does that make sense?

An LD should not disqualify a child from gifted services - one can have an LD and be very gifted.

Drea - thanks for the feedback. Although I didn't post the original question, I had a similar issue with my son. He did not test gifted in his overall achievement score although two subtests were in the gifted range. Each of his teachers for the past 6 years have said that they are convinced he is gifted, but I've yet to be able to get an IQ test to show what the rest of us see. He is severely dysgraphic, and although he has made massive strides in the past couple of years, it doesn't seem to be enough to break the gifted barrier which would allow him far greater accomodations in mid and high school where I know he is going to get turned off with all the worksheets, etc.

Do you have suggestions for how a parent advocates for a child that falls between the cracks like this?

ABQMom- Has he had a WISC-IV or WJ Cognitive scales? IQ tests like those do not require writing (or subtest can be omitted/substituted), and would show his potential. Then his scores could be contrasted to achievement scores and he could get the accommodations he needs on both sides (disability and giftedness).

Yes - the school diagnostician tested him this past summer (http://giftedissues.davidsongifted....info_on_Dysgraphia_skewin.html#Post83481). But the issue is that dysgraphia affects a lot more than reading. It affects writing, memorization of things like multiplication tables, and speed. The school has been fantastic about accommodating for needs - and we kept the special ed LD designation and only classroom accommodations as needed this year with no pull-out special ed services, but having had two kids go through the mid-school already, I know this won't be as much the case next year. If he's kept in special ed for the LD, he will be with slower kids with more severe problems, not put into classes that challenge his creativity and intellect.

Sorry to hijack the thread - hope the questions have helped the OP.

Indy here, yes, your questions were helpful for me too!
I know just what you mean about the other issues pulling down the scores. Anything fluency dependent on the IQ tests is going to hang my son up, but his ACT scores are well above what Davidson requires so I'm frustrated. I see the dyslexia/dysgraphia counseling listed on the benefits page and dream of having that kind of assistance.
Please post here if you have any luck with it and I'll do the same!

Drea,

When you say using the tests individually instead of lumping together is this what you mean-- Our tester mentioned multiple times in the report that the verbal score was reflective of his true ability, not the composite.

Thanks for your feedback! I really appreciate your time!

Indy

I don't know if this will help, but one thing the diagnostician told me is that challenging students beyond the content of what is being taught in the regular classroom can often be accommodated through the special ed disability label of an LD and the IEP that accompanies that diagnosis. That is currently what we're doing, but we have a very creative teacher who is more than willing to try creative solutions to challenge for content while making accommodations for the dysgraphia.

Indy - have you applied to YSP? If not, give it a try. It really doesn't take that long and it's worth a try. They have experts they can ask about if there is a pattern that swims through the subscale scores. Congrates on the ACT scores. Remember that sometimes 2E kids develop a great work ethic that helps them all throughout their adult lives.
Love and More Love,
Grinity