Identification Decisions: Who is the Most Consistent?

Abstract

In an attempt to analyze the assumption that a multidisciplinary team approach is necessary for identification and evaluation of LD students, this study was designed to a) examine the type of judgments on LD characteristics rendered by different team members, and b) explore which of the groups typically represented on a staffing team was most homogeneous in making decisions on LD students. A sample of 420 professionals and 30 parents were asked to complete a component disability instrument developed for the purpose of obtaining subjective judgments from each of the professional groups and the parents. The consistency of judgment among groups found in this study indicated that the judgments of the groups were comparable when making judgments on LD and non-LD characteristics. Thus, the findings were supportive of the multidisciplinary approach to identification and evaluation of LD children and youth.