RESEARCH Using Standardized Psychometric Tests to Identify Learning Disabilities in Students with Sensorineural

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of standardized psychoeducational diagnostic instruments to identify learning disabilities in students with sensorineural hearing impair-ments. Nineteen students were evaluated: 14 males and 5 females between the ages of 7 and 13. Results indicated that 12 were functioning at grade level, 2 had cognitive delays, and 2 had learning disabilities. Of the 3 remaining students, 2 had unilateral hearing loss and 1 had a precipitous high-frequency hearing loss; these students were used as controls. Students with hearing impairment were found to demonstrate learning disabilities with a frequency similar to that found in students with normal hearing. These results suggest that standardized instruments can be used effectively to identify learning disabilities in students with sensorineural hearing loss. O ne of the most prevalent edu-cationally handicapping con-ditions among school-age stu-dents is learning disabilities (LD). It is estimated that approximately 7 % to 15 % of all school-age students have a learning disability that interferes with their ability to perform optimally in school (Taylor, 1988). Through a bat-tery of individually administered psy-chometric evaluations, it is possible to identify students with learning disabil-ities and normal hearing and provide appropriate educational programming. Unfortunately, this has not been the case for students with hearing impair