Professional Ethical Principles and Practice Standards


Professional Dispositions and Practices (Standard 5 of the IDA Knowledge and Practice Standards) 

The International Dyslexia Association’s (IDA) professional ethical principles and practice standards are intended to safeguard and promote the well‐being of individuals with dyslexia and related learning difficulties.   IDA’s employees, members, partners, and recipients of IDA-recognized certificates and certifications are to uphold the following professional ethical principles and practice standards:

  1. Strive to do no harm, maintain confidentiality, and to act in the best interest of struggling readers and readers with dyslexia and other reading disorders.
  2. Respect confidentiality of students or clients.
  3. Support just treatment of individuals with dyslexia and related learning difficulties.
  4. Maintain the public trust by providing accurate information about currently accepted and scientifically supported best practices in the field.
  5. Avoid misrepresentation of the efficacy of educational or other treatments or the proof for or against those treatments.
  6. Avoid making unfounded claims of any kind regarding the training, experience, credentials, affiliations, and degrees of those providing services.
  7. Respect objectivity by reporting assessment and treatment results accurately, honestly, and truthfully.
  8. Respect the training requirements of established credentialing and accreditation organizations supported by IDA.
  9. Avoid conflicts of interest when possible and acknowledge conflicts of interest when they occur.
  10. Respect the intellectual property of others.
  11. Engage in fair competition.

12/2017