Is there a'severe discrepancy'in identifying learning disabilities?
Although the traditional discrepancy model provides a rather objective means for identifying a learning disability (just plug in the numbers and see if there is a 'severe discrepancy') there are a couple of very significant limitations to this process.
What is the IQ-achievement discrepancy model of special education?
The IQ-achievement discrepancy model is the traditional method used to determine whether a student has a learning disability and needs special education services.
How is a learning disability determined?
Through the traditional discrepancy model, a learning disability has been determined primarily through a combination of cognitive (intellectual) and academic (achievement) testing.
What is the discrepancy model?
The discrepancy model is a way to capture and compare a student’s scores on different types of tests. It compares assessments of a child’s intellectual ability ( ) with how much progress he’s making in school (his academic achievement). In some cases, there may be a significant “discrepancy” (difference) between various sets of scores.

What does the discrepancy model assess?
The discrepancy model assesses whether a substantial difference, or discrepancy, exists between a student's scores on an individualized test of general intelligence (that is, an IQ test such as WISC-IV) and his or her scores obtained for one or more areas of academic achievement (e.g., the Woodcock-Johnson Achievement ...
What is the main difference between the RTI model and the discrepancy model?
The RTI model utilizes evidence- based data. The Discrepancy Model is a more traditional method used to identify a learning disability through cognitive and academic achievement testing. RTI focuses on the student's inability to respond to interventions and/or instruction within the classroom setting.
What is the cognitive discrepancy model?
The cognitive discrepancy model of loneliness postulates that people experience loneliness when they perceive a discrepancy between their actual and desired levels of interpersonal contact. In contrast, a social needs model proposes that loneliness arises from actual deficits in social contact.
What is a significant discrepancy in special education?
A student scoring within the first or second standard deviation above average in IQ (i.e. 118) and achieving low to below average in academic areas (standard score of 84) would be considered to have a severe discrepancy.
Which states do not use the discrepancy model?
If you live or teach in Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa or West Virginia, your state is required to use response to research-based intervention to determine if a child has a learning disability, as opposed to using the “severe-discrepancy” model based on IQ tests.
What is discrepancy analysis?
Discrepancy analysis is a type of task analysis used to organize the steps of a task to be taught and to assess instruction by identifying the discrepancy between how an individual with a disability performs the task as compared to a nondisabled person.
What is response to intervention and how does it improve upon the traditional discrepancy model of determining if a student has a learning disability?
RTI or 'Response To Intervention' is a new approach to the identification of a learning disability which is intended to alleviate the problems associated with the discrepancy model. With RTI, there is no need to formally evaluate cognitive abilities or academic achievement.
What is the wait to fail model?
The importance of early intervening Well, I think that the most critical aspect of this is that for the last thirty years we've had what we term a “wait-to-fail” model, which essentially means that students have to fail prior to receiving an evaluation or receiving services.
What are the two options for identifying students with learning disabilities briefly summarize each one quizlet?
What are the two options for identifying students with learning disabilities? The two options of identifying students with learning disabilities include the RTI approach and the IQ-‐Achievement Discrepancy Model. The IQ Discrepancy Model uses standardized assessments to identify struggling students.
What is a severe discrepancy for SLD?
'Discrepancy' is a measure of underachievement (the difference between ability and achievement) and 'severe' refers to how much underachievement is required by a given State or district before a student will qualify for special education services.
What is the primary method used to assess severe discrepancy?
Standardized tests of ability and achievement are often used. If a student's achievement scores are sufficiently below his ability scores, it indicates that the student has the severe discrepancy required for special education eligibility under this model.
What qualifies as a severe discrepancy?
In California, a severe discrepancy is defined as a difference between intellectual ability (“IQ) and achievement of 1.5 standard deviations (or more)*.
What is provus discrepancy evaluation model?
The Discrepancy Evaluation Model (DEM), developed in 1966 by Malcolm Provus, provides information for program assessment and program improvement. Under the DEM, evaluation is defined as the comparison of an actual performance to a desired standard.
Why would the RTI model approach be considered stronger than the IQ discrepancy model approach for identifying an individual with a SLD?
No IQ test and no processing tests are required. The benefit of the RTI model is that teachers do not wait until a child fails to give extra help, like they often do under the discrepancy model. RTI is a much more proactive, preventative model. Many schools begin RTI services as early as pre-school and kindergarten.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of RTI?
Thus, RTI has helped the people with transparency of the functions of public authorities....Disadvantages:Many departments of Government have appointed more than necessary public information officers (PIOs), which results in difficulty to gain information.Difficulty to people's access to the PIOs.More items...•
What are the 3 tiers of RTI?
Here's a look at the three tiers of RTI.Tier 1: The whole class.Tier 2: Small group interventions.Tier 3: Intensive interventions.
What is the only factor in determining if a student has a severe discrepancy between her intellectual?
In deciding whether a student has a severe discrepancy between her intellectual ability and her achievement in oral expression, listening comprehension, written expression, basic reading skills, reading comprehension, mathematical calculation, or mathematical reasoning, a school district must review all relevant material available on the student. No single score or product of scores or test or procedure shall be used as the only factor in making this decision.
What does it mean when a student's achievement is below his ability score?
If a student’s achievement scores are sufficiently below his ability scores, it indicates that the student has the severe discrepancy required for special education eligibility under this model.
Can standardized tests be used for African American students?
Sometimes standardized tests cannot be used for particular students (such as IQ tests for African-American students). In that case, the discrepancy between ability and achievement must be measured by some other method. The alternative method of assessment must be specified in the assessment plan, which a parent must sign before any testing may be conducted. [5 C.C.R. Sec. 3030 (b) (10) (B) (2).]
What Is the IQ-Achievement Discrepancy Model?
The IQ-achievement discrepancy model is the traditional method used to determine whether a student has a learning disability and needs special education services. The discrepancy model is based on the concept of the normal curve (click here for a review of the normal curve). The discrepancy model assesses whether a substantial difference, or discrepancy, exists between a student’s scores on an individualized test of general intelligence (that is, an IQ test such as WISC-IV) and his or her scores obtained for one or more areas of academic achievement (e.g., the Woodcock-Johnson Achievement Test ). The accepted criteria for identifying a student as having a learning disability with the IQ-achievement discrepancy is a difference of at least two standard deviations (30 points).
Why are students not identified as having a learning disability until the third grade?
They were just not identified sooner because the IQ-achievement discrepancy was not yet large enough to qualify them for special education services.
Why was the IQ achievement discrepancy not identified sooner?
They were just not identified sooner because the IQ-achievement discrepancy was not yet large enough to qualify them for special education services. Another limitation of the IQ-achievement discrepancy model is that it does not assess or inform the quality of instruction received by students.
Why do students with learning disabilities have unexpected learning difficulties?
Students with learning disabilities, however, exhibit unexpected learning difficulties because their level of achievement is far below what is predicted by their IQ scores. This figure shows scores for a fourth-grade student who qualifies for special education services because of a reading disability.
Why does a teacher not have to spend a great amount of time in the identification process?
A teacher does not have to spend a great amount of time in the identification process because a certified diagnostician or school psychologist conducts the IQ and achievement tests.
What is the IQ discrepancy model used in Rosa Parks Elementary?
Rosa Parks Elementary, like most schools in the country, uses an IQ-achievement discrepancy model to identify struggling readers who have learning disabilities. This is the traditional method, which has been used for over three decades, so some of the team members assume that it must be a good approach.
Is IQ independent of academic achievement?
First, there’s lots of ways of thinking about intelligence not captured by or explored by IQ tests. Second, IQ and academic achievement are presumed to be independent by IQ-achievement discrepancy but, in fact, are often not independent of each other.
How do psychologists diagnose learning disabilities?
Psychologists often diagnose learning disabilities by exclusion. If a child has a disability that adversely affects educational performance, and the child is not retarded, does not have a visual, hearing or motor disability, is not emotionally disturbed, and is not negatively affected by environmental, cultural or economic disadvantages, it is likely that the child has a learning disability.
When Congress reauthorized IDEA, they changed the law about how to identify children with specific learning disabilities. answer?
IDEA 2004 says schools “shall not be required to take into consideration whether a child has a severe discrepancy between achievement and intellectual ability in oral expression , listening comprehension, written expression, basic reading skill, reading comprehension, mathematical calculation, or mathematical reasoning.” (Section 1414 (b)) (See Wrightslaw: Special Education Law, page 95)
What is a three tier RTI model?
Article describes a Three-Tier RTI Model as an alternative to the Discrepancy Model (the "Wait to Fail Model"). This article describes a three-tier reading model that monitors student progress with different levels of intervention intensity.
What is RTI in special education?
Special education must focus on results and outcomes, not eligibility and process. Identification models that include RTI will lead to better achievement and behavior outcomes for students with LD and those at risk for LD. Response to Intervention (RTI): A Primer for Parents.
What is RBI 3 tier system?
Describes a "three-tier" system (beginning in general education and ending in special education) that serves the early intervention and disability identification objectives of RBI. The focus is on standard tutoring protocols, not "problem solving model," because available scientific research supports this approach.
What is the role of identification in LD?
To ensure adequate instruction for students with LD, identification must focus on assessments that are directly related to instruction. Services for struggling students must focus on intervention, not eligibility. Special education must focus on results and outcomes, not eligibility and process. Identification models that include RTI will lead to better achievement and behavior outcomes for students with LD and those at risk for LD.
What are the factors that caused a dramatic increase in children identified with LD?
The authors describe three factors that caused a dramatic increase in children identified with LD. (1) Remediation is rarely effective after 2nd grade. (2) Measurement practices work against identifying LD children before 2nd grade. (3) Federal policy and the sociology of public education allow ineffective policies to continue. The authors make a case for implementing effective early intervention programs.
What is discrepancy model?
Although the traditional discrepancy model provides a rather objective means for identifying a learning disability (just plug in the numbers and see if there is a 'severe discrepancy') there are a couple of very significant limitations to this process.
How is learning disability determined?
Through the traditional discrepancy model, a learning disability has been determined primarily through a combination of cognitive (intellectual) and academic (achievement) testing. When a 'severe discrepancy' between ability and achievement is found, along with indication of underlying information processing issues, a learning disability can be identified and special education services can be provided. Each State establishes its own formula for determining when a 'discrepancy' can be considered 'severe'.
What is RTI in education?
RTI or 'Response To Intervention' is a new approach to the identification of a learning disability which is intended to alleviate the problems associated with the discrepancy model. With RTI, there is no need to formally evaluate cognitive abilities or academic achievement. All that is required is documentation that ...
What is dysgraphia in writing?
Dysgraphia Dysgraphia is a writing disability or disorder
What is a learning disability?
The definition of a Learning Disability: Simply put, a learning disability exists when a student experiences significant difficulty learning and progressing in school due to underlying difficulty 'processing' certain types of information.
Why is a student considered learning disabled?
In other words, to be considered 'learning disabled' the student must be 'underachieving' because his/her brain has difficulty understanding or coping with certain types of information.
Is RTI a simpler approach?
In some ways it is a simpler approach, in other ways it is much more complex. Before discussing the process of RTI it is important to fully understand both the definition of a learning disability as well as the more traditional method for identification - The Discrepancy Model. The definition of a Learning Disability:
