Which instrument is commonly used to diagnose learning disabilities and provides measures for eight specific learning disability areas as defined by IDEA and DSM-5?

• A. Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement
• B. Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT-5)
• C. GRE
• D. SAT

Answer: (A)

This item focuses on an instrument that is commonly used in learning disability evaluations because it measures a broad range of academic skills and provides scores across multiple domains that align with how IDEA and DSM-5 define learning disabilities. The Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement is an individually administered achievement battery designed to assess reading, writing, and mathematics across several specific areas. Its comprehensive coverage and standardized scores allow evaluators to compare a student’s performance in different academic domains and to identify patterns of relative weakness, which is central to determining eligibility for a specific learning disability under IDEA and to documenting impairment in academic functioning per DSM-5. By contrast, the Wide Range Achievement Test offers basic skills in a more general way and is less targeted for LD diagnostic decision-making, while the GRE and SAT are college admission tests, not diagnostic tools for learning disabilities.