Learning Disability Evaluation Information
Colleges are not required to provide evaluations for students with disabilities.
Colleges are required to provide reasonable accommodations once a student provides appropriate disability documentation.
Disability Support Services (DSS) is available to process college accommodations for persons with documented disabilities.
To pursue an evaluation to determine a Learning Disability and to generate supporting documentation, consult your insurance provider for an evaluation from a psychologist or a learning disability testing specialist (LDTC) for “college academic difficulties”.
Your family physician may be able to give you the names of people or agencies that provide evaluations and a referral, if required.
Your local high school counseling department or your county’s community college (the counseling or academic advisement office) may have for a list of providers.
Review the DSS documentation guidelines at http://differingabilities.page.tcnj.edu to assist you in guiding your evaluator on the documentation required for college accommodations.
If during the evaluation, there is any indication that college level foreign language will be a challenge, have the provider specifically verify the challenge and write a recommendation for course substitution.
If an evaluation determines you have a learning disability, have a hard copy of the complete report, including testing results, on professional letterhead , sent to:
Disability Support Services
130 Roscoe West
PO Box 7718
Ewing NJ 08628-0718
Phone 609 771 3199 Fax 609 637 5121
Once it is confirmed that your papers are in place call 609 771 3199 or stop by 130 Roscoe West to schedule an appointment to review and determine your college disability accommodations.
Be advised, the evaluation process can take a month or longer. Disability accommodations are not retroactive but begin once you have provided acceptable documentation and processed your accommodation request by meeting with the DSS Administrator.
Suggested Supports for Academic Difficulties
While Seeking an Evaluation for a Learning Disability
Communicate directly with your advisor, your faculty, and any academic counselors about your academic challenges as soon as possible. Review your status in the course and any individual adjustments you can review together that may assist with completing the course.
Be aware of the option of requesting an Incomplete for a course if you have been attending class and making every effort toward the coursework. Incompletes must be approved by each individual faculty member on a case by case basis. Incompletes work best for classes including independent work and projects but may not work for classes requiring group work, in class presentations, or numerous exam or quizzes.
Tutoring Services is available for most academic subjects, Phone: 609-771-3325 Email: tutoring@tcnj.edu .
Your faculty and/or advisor can refer you to the Center for Academic Success (CAS)for study skills and time management support. Phone: 609-771-3452- Email: cas@tcnj.edu
Psychological Counseling Services – Eickhoff Hall Room 107- 609-771-2247 – psycouns@tcnj.edu is available for counseling . Be sure to let the counselor know you have already consulted the Office of Differing Abilities Services and have been directed on how to receive an evaluation.
Consider your course load to see if any adjustment is possible. If necessary, consider a course withdrawal to reduce your course load or protect your GPA. Be aware of the impact of course reduction on degree completion, scholarship, medical coverage, etc. Verify with Records and Registration the last day to withdraw from a course for the current semester.
Make sure your faculty and advisors are aware of the steps you are taking so they can have a clear understanding of the evaluation process, your efforts toward addressing your learning challenges, and your efforts to register with ODAS for disability accommodations.
