ABSTRACT
Memory and Language Tasks 285 Digit Span 285 Short-Term Memory (STM) Letter Span 285 Working Memory Words 285 Durrell Listening Comprehension 285 Oral Cloze Task 286
Results 286 General Cognitive Functioning 286 Reading, Spelling, and Arithmetic Tests 286 Phonological and Orthographic Processing 288 Memory and Language Tasks 288 Reading-Level Comparisons 290
Phonological Tasks 290 Conclusions 292 Information Processing 294 Future Research and New Directions 294 Author Note 296 References 296
The assessment of college or university students to determine whether or not they have a specific learning disability has become an important part of the landscape of higher education in many parts of the world. Most colleges and test agencies have specified strict assessment guidelines specifying the type and amount of required testing to demonstrate that one is disabled by a reading disorder. Access to accommodations and services hinges on a comprehensive assessment that includes a standard measure of intelligence and comprehensive tests of information processing (see Mapou, Chapter 10, this volume). Ostensibly, the purpose of IQ testing is to allow the calculation of the so-called aptitude-achievement discrepancy. The aptitude-achievement discrepancy, which is the cornerstone of the discrepancy definition of dyslexia, specifies that the score on an achievement test must be significantly lower than the score on an IQ test in order for the individual to be considered learning disabled. The history of the development and use of this discrepancy definition is reviewed in detail in Meyer (2000).
