Identification of Learning Disabilities: Implications of Proposed DSM-5 Criteria for School-based Assessment

This article examines the recommended eligibility determination for learning disabilities (LD) in both the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act and the proposed changes in diagnostic criteria in the DSM-5. The focus is on the inclusion of the criterion of responsiveness to intervention (RTI) and the implications for practice of school psychologists and general and special education teachers. The research base on RTI for diagnostic purposes is examined, and considerations of changing roles for clinicians and school-based practitioners are discussed.