Can I be Tested or am I too Old?

patti
Patti White, Disabilities Project Manager Arkansas Adult Learning Resource Center

Question:

I am an adult in my 50’s and have trouble reading, finishing what I read and making progress on what I am reading. I reread the same sentence or paragraph repeatedly. It can take me hours to finish a page. I am often distracted and eventually just give up. Can I be tested or am I too old?

Answer:

Learning disabilities evaluations can be pretty expensive – usually running anywhere from $800 – $1500 for adults. So you might want to consider whether or not you actually need the diagnosis or if you’re just curious. If you need the documentation to request accommodations at work or on a standardized test, then you might want to explore getting a diagnosis. If you have a community mental health center nearby, they sometimes do LD evaluations on a sliding scale, which can cut your cost dramatically. Likewise, some colleges with graduate psychology departments may also do LD evaluations on a sliding scale.

If, however, you’re just curious, and it’s mostly a matter of being frustrated that you can’t read easily, you may want to re-consider having the formal testing done. With all the free & cheap assistive technology available for reading and writing these days, you can provide your own accommodations at home – without any formal evaluation – and sometimes at work, depending on the accommodation needed. Check out the Tools for Life App Finder at http://www.gatfl.org/ for assistive technology ideas that may work for you.

Patti White | Disabilities Project Manager | Arkansas Adult Learning Resource Center