HOMESTUDY: Navigating the Current Chaos in Diagnosing Specific Learning Disorders - Elaine Fletcher-Janzen, Ed.D., Julie Gettman, Ph.D. & Steven Feifer, Ed.D., 2 CEs

This webinar will serve as both an interactive presentation and open-forum discussion addressing the challenges of diagnosing specific learning disabilities in the midst of a world-wide pandemic. The panel presentations will address current assessment guidelines when determining specific learning disabilities, as well as review contemporary assessment models for SLD identification. The merits and pitfalls of utilizing the discrepancy model, RTI, cross-battery approaches, and PSW models will be reviewed. Given the instructional loss suffered by many students throughout the pandemic, coupled with the emerging evidence of potential neuropsychological sequelae of pediatric Covid-19, future directions for SLD differential diagnosis will be offered. Lastly, practical guidelines will be offered for private practitioners to collaborate more effectively with school personnel in order to better meet the learning needs of children. Objectives: Understand differences in SLD diagnostic frameworks among private practice, hospital, and school settings and methods to increase collaboration and consultation among divergent systems Identify the predominant methods of SLD identification recognized in the public schools and develop effective consultative and collaborative strategies in working with educational personnel Understand how pediatric COVID-19 neuropsychological sequelae may contribute to differential diagnosis of various subtypes of SLD