Use of Adaptive Behavior and Discrepancy Criteria to Determine Learning Disabilities Severity Subtypes

Abstract
This paper investigated the hypothesis that when scores from intelligence, achievement, language, and process assessment measures are used in conjunction with adaptive behavior severity groupings, a more accurate description of learning disabilities subtypes and severity can be obtained than that provided by ability/performance discrepancy alone. Three severity subtypes were identified. The results suggested that severity is more appropriately determined by adaptive behavior assessment than by discrepancy between ability and academic or processing performance.