4 - Use of the Woodcock-Johnson III in the Diagnosis of Learning Disabilities

Abstract

This chapter throws the attention on the use of the Woodcock–Johnson III in the diagnosis of learning disabilities. Learning disabilities are presented as a multidimensional construct, changing in manifestation across age, experiences, and ability. The National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (NJCLD), report concludes that “significant difficulty cannot be determined solely by a quantitative test score,” and the report encourages use of both qualitative and quantitative data in decision-making. Subsequently, the report stresses that a “learning disability can exist when a numerical discrepancy can not”. According to this chapter, it is important to remember Mather's caution that “test results assist with judgment; they are not a substitute.” Given the lack of empirically driven theoretical constructs underlying selection criteria for the diagnosis of learning disabilities, the professional judgment of evaluators is integral to decision-making. The WJ III COG and WJ III ACH provide a technically, theoretically, and practically driven instrument to be used in the diagnosis of learning disabilities. Yet, in the end, the instrument is dependent upon the judgment, knowledge, and interpretations of the examiner.