Assessment for Students with Learning Disability

Introduction

According to Roth (2006), students with learning disabilities normally encounter difficulties in acquiring literacy and numeracy skills either due to the education structure, social cultural factors or environmental factors. She points out that students normally develop learning disabilities depending on their personal characteristics, educational standards and the nature of their surrounding environment. She notes that literacy is the concept of adequately exchanging information through various means, such as reading. On the other hand, writing entails the ability of the student to work with quantitative information. She points out that the multidimensional assessment of the students’ learning problems does not only help in identifying the cause of their learning disability but it also helps in engaging them in learning activities that match their strengths and weaknesses. This helps in enhancing both their educational and social growth.

Roth (2006) states that assessment is a procedural process of collecting data through multiple measures that helps in the identification of student’s strengths and weaknesses. It therefore allows the devising of decisive learning strategies that enhance the student’s educational and social growth. She notes that providing the basic information about multidimensional assessment regarding students who have certain forms of disabilities in learning is essential in devising appropriate education intervention. The write up addresses the relationship that exists between multidimensional assessment of students with learning disability and appropriate educational interventions. It addresses the rationale and the issues regarding the assessment and it further demonstrates the relevant instructions to the learner on how he/she can adapt the instructions to his/her abilities, deficits as well as the styles used in the assessment. 

Multidimensional Assessment and Education Intervention

According to the report presented by the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities, NJCLD (2010), it is noted that multidimensional assessment of students with learning disabilities is essential in considering appropriate education intervention. The report points out that the multidimensional assessment incorporated response to intervention (RTI) assessment model that helps in the identification of students’ learning disabilities thereby allows appropriate education intervention. According to NCLD (2010), the assessment data obtained from RTI are not only essential in determining if a student has learning disability but they also improve the chances of the student being able to give the required information regarding the literacy and numeracy skills.

For instance, Ruban & Reis (2006) point out that assessing the student’s learning disability brings out his or her potentiality in other fields of academic which then can be used in enhancing both their literacy and numeracy skills. Even though students’ learning disability has been characterized by intelligence quotient disparity, the multidimensional assessment has proven that there are other various factors such as the cultural and educational standards, and the students’ surrounding environment which has also greatly contributed to the students’ learning disabilities (Ruban & Reis, 2006). They point out that education interventional can be effective only if such undermining factors are addressed.

While addressing the rationale used in the assessment as well as the various relevant issues in this process, it is primarily important for us to consider the principles and procedures that RTI incorporate in assessing students’ learning disability. According to Roth (2006), the RTI as the assessment model is essential in the early identification and treatment of learning difficulties. She points out that the RTI has enabled various educational institutions in acquiring effective learning guidelines thereby enhancing their instructional methods. She further notes that the effectiveness of RTI in assessing students’ learning disabilities has resulted into various states’ interventions in enhancing such practices. For instance, she points out that the enactment of the act that had been formulated specifically to enhance education among the individuals with disabilities (IDEA) clearly illustrates the effectiveness of improving learning processes by assessing various students’ learning problems. She notes the IDEA Act permits the state to identify the students’ learning disabilities by using various scientific and research-based education interventions.

According to NCLD (2010), the IDEA permits the state to adopt various criteria in determining whether students have specific learning disabilities or not. It points out that by operating under the same principles in identifying specific areas where the student is flourishing and those aspects where improvement is required, the RTI measures the students’ response to early teaching and educational intervention. The report notes that the data collected in such an assessment help in evaluating the students’ style and rate of learning process during teaching. On the other hand, Roth (2006) points out that RTI model entails the administration of standardized educational test to the students. This helps in the identification of specific areas of learning difficulty as they continue to struggle. She points out that data obtained from such assessment manner are not only used in evaluating students’ ability in mastering specific learning areas, but they are also used in analyzing the curriculum requirements thereby provide another alternative education intervention that enhances the students’ learning ability.

However, in demonstrating to the learner how he/she can adapt instructions to his/her own weaknesses, strengths as well as styles, it is important to address the educational achievements that are associated with using the RTI assessment model in assessing students’ learning disabilities. According to Jimenez, J & Rodriguez (2010), the adaptation of the response to intervention assessment model in assessing students’ learning disabilities has resulted to various educational achievements. They note that the RTI data have enabled the diagnosis of various tests which have not only helped in measuring the students’ response to the ongoing education intervention, but have also the administration of comprehensive and effective educational assessments that uplift the education standards of those students who continue to show poor education progress.

Additionally, Jimenez & Rodriguez (2010) point out that the RTI assessment model helps in the development of individualized educational plans which are not only useful in devising appropriate education instruction but also help in monitoring these students. This enables the students to adapt to the learning environment. For instance, they point out that the RTI deploys the task analysis model in classroom which is useful in the identification of curriculum components that are fully understood by the students and others which still need modification to match the students’ capabilities.

However, Roth (2006) points out that the RTI model cannot effectively assess the students’ learning disabilities if it is not appropriately constituted and implemented. She notes that the RTI model normally presents the conceptual assessment framework that is intended to identify the students’ learning disabilities. This points to the fact that if no proper programs and educational assessment services are constituted then the assessment process becomes ineffective. She points out that the state may identify one of the RTI assessment models which it deemed to be effective. However, its effectiveness in assessing students’ learning capability is dependent only on effective policing and implementation. She notes that the appropriate assessment policy should normally capture the database of the previous assessments.

Conclusion

The write-up has highlighted the relationship of multidimensional assessment between students with learning disabilities and education intervention. It has pointed out that assessing students’ learning ability is an essential entity in determining the students’ strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, the write-up has also noted that students who normally show learning disabilities encounter various challenges emanating from sociocultural factors, education systems or the students’ surrounding environment. These factors, if not assessed and evaluated, result to the students’ continued poor performance. The paper has also pointed out the need to deploy effective assessment procedures that are able to identify and improve the education standard of students with learning disabilities. However, the effectiveness of assessment models in enhancing educational and psychological growth among students with learning disability can be achieved only if proper assessment procedures and methods are engaged.