MATAL is a standard computerized battery of tests and questionnaires, developed for the purpose of diagnosing students and applicants to institutions of higher educations who are requesting test accommodations and assistance in courses of study on account of learning disabilities. MATAL is targeted at diagnosing the common learning disabilities – dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia, and also at assessing the probability of the presence of attention deficiency disorder (ADD). MATAL was developed at the National Institute for Testing and Evaluation with the assistance of experts on learning disabilities, with funding from the Council for Higher Education’s Planning and Budget Committee (PBC)

MATAL’s Diagnostic Tools

MATAL comprises two questionnaires and 20 tests assessing linguistic cognitive functions (reading and writing), quantitative functions, attention, memory, perception and general processing speed. MATAL’s diagnostic tools were developed with the assistance of an advisory committee of experts and are based on up-to-date theoretical information. The efficacy of the tools for diagnosing learning disabilities was assessed by a comprehensive validation study performed on students with various learning disabilities. In a further study, country-wide performance norms were collected for each diagnostic tool.

System Features

• All tests are conducted by computer.
• An examiner is present at every stage of the testing.
• Instructions for each test are displayed on screen and are also available as audio playback.
• Sample assignments for practice are given before each test.
• The computer records all of the examinee’s oral responses.
• Reaction time is measured for each response with ±7 millisecond precision.
• The system includes monitoring to detect non-bona fide performance (malingering).

Target Population

Diagnosis via MATAL targets youth diagnosed in the past with learning disabilities or ADD, whose diagnosis is no longer valid, or youth with perceptible difficulties in at least one of the following domains: reading, writing, other linguistic functions, arithmetic, attention functions.

Determining Suitability for Diagnosis via MATAL

MATAL is suitable for applicants who meet the following criteria:

1. Age from 16 to 30.
2. Command of Hebrew at native-speaker level.
3. No physical limitations liable to interfere with performance in computerized testing (such as vision impairment, hearing impairment, or motor defects).
4. Applicant has not been diagnosed via MATAL during the last three years. If you are not sure whether you are a suitable candidate for diagnosis, you can confirm your suitability at one of MATAL’s diagnostic centers.

Applying for Diagnosis

You may have a MATAL diagnosis performed at any of the institutions that appear on the list of MATAL Diagnostic Centers. You should send the documents listed below to the diagnostic center of your choice. For the mailing address and information about fees and appointments, please contact your preferred diagnostic center directly.

1. Confirmation of payment of the registration fee.
2. Personal Questionnaire for men / for women.
3. Supporting documentation: Any document relating to the difficulties on account of which you are applying for diagnosis, and any document liable to assist the clinician in understanding your developmental history, pedagogic functioning, and medical and emotional state, both past and present. It is particularly important to include copies of the following documents:
   1. All the diplomas in your possession from elementary, middle school and high school.
   2. Bagrut (high school matriculation) certificate or up-to-date transcript of Bagrut scores.
   3. Previous diagnostic reports.
   4. Official score certificate from the Psychometric Entrance Test, if taken in the past.
   5. For students: Current grade transcript from academic institution, including grades from a pre-academic preparatory program.
   6. Certificates of entitlement to accommodations in the Bagrut or Psychometric Entrance Test.
   7. Any other documentation liable to cast light on the applicant’s past and present difficulties such as: referrals for diagnosis, referrals for treatment and assistance, assessments by teachers or counsellors, summaries of treatment, medication records.

Please note:

• You must make an effort to locate these documents by telephoning your schools, institutions where you had an evaluation done previously, and so forth. You may also ask a remedial teacher to write a letter describing your difficulties. The absence of relevant documents may make it more difficult for a diagnostician to write a clear and definite diagnosis. Moreover, even after the diagnosis is complete, the institutions that approve or reject the diagnostician's recommendations regarding test accommodations may reject those recommendations if objective documents that describe your difficulties and functioning as a child are missing.
• Documents will not be returned. We recommend sending clear copies and retaining the originals in your possession.

Verification of Eligibility for Diagnosis by MATAL

On receipt of the background material your eligibility for diagnosis by MATAL will be verified. If you are ineligible or if there is a reasonable basis to assume that your difficulties are not a consequence of learning disabilities, you will be referred to an appropriate professional for continued evaluation.