On the diagnosis of learning disabilities in the Austrian school system: Official directions and the diagnostic process in practice in Styria/Austria

Abstract

There is no international consensus concerning the diagnostic criteria used to diagnose a learning disability (LD). In fact, various diagnostic criteria are used and interpreted differently in different countries. A common denominator can only be found in the fact that intelligence quotient (IQ) is often seen as important in order to identify LD, either in the framework of discrepancy models between cognitive ability and achievement or in the context of models relating LD to below-average IQ (Grünke, 2004). The present paper examines the criteria that are used for the diagnosis of LD in Styria, a federal state of Austria. For this purpose, 25 special educational needs (SEN) reports of children identified as having learning disabilities were examined. In addition, three expert interviews with school administration authorities were conducted. The results provide a first indication that IQ scores are not important for the diagnosis of LD in Styria. In fact, the diagnostic procedure seems to be quite unregulated and standardized tests are hardly ever used in this context. Moreover, the results show that a diagnosis of LD in Styria is usually based on poor reading skills, poor basic arithmetic skills, deficits in German language, and/or behavioral problems.