CWES Assessment - Learning Disabilities

An individual must be assessed for having a specific learning disability when it is determined that ALL of the following exist.

There is a severe discrepancy between intellectual ability and achievements in one or more of the following areas:

• Oral expression
• Listening comprehension
• Written expression
• Basic reading skills
• Reading comprehension
• Mathematics calculation
• Mathematics reasoning.
• The discrepancy is due to a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes and is not the result of environmental, cultural or economic disadvantages.
• The discrepancy cannot be corrected through regular categorical services offered within a regular instructional program.

Identification of Learning Disabled Client

CWES staff identify clients with possible learning disabilities through self-disclosure, one-on-one interviews and/or the learning disability screening tool. Once the possibility of a learning disability is determined, at client’s option, the EC refers the client to In-house Assessment, who will develop a WTW Plan based on results from the assessment and LD screening indicator.

Refer to Learning Disability Screenings. Service providers include:

• CBOs
• Community Colleges - some local community colleges have specialized programs on campus for the learning disabled.
• Department of Rehabilitation - evaluates and recommends specialized services via service providers who have contracts with the Department of Rehabilitation for learning disabled.

Any necessary activities for the learning disabled are included on the WTW 2. This may include but is not limited to the following items:

• Special Learning or Computer Assisted Instruction courses at the Community College.
• Customized job search through the Focus-For-Work program at Catholic Charities (Is a Department of Rehabilitation referral and provider).

Effect of a Learning Disability

It must be recognized that clients with an identified learning disability may not be able to handle full-time course work in school (particularly in college). In addition, these individuals may have other barriers such as physical limitations, mental health, drug and alcohol issues. As a result, the length of time these clients need to complete the planned vocational or educational program may exceed the 60-month time limit.