Clinical practice and the law for NVLD

Neuropsychologists, school psychologists, school counselors, and educational therapists are particularly well suited to perform disability and education-related evaluations. One of the key roles of these clinicians is to provide recommendations to the K-12 and college educational system for their clients. Generally these recommendations serve as the foundation for academic accommodations within special education and general education that are appropriate for the child. Qualifying a child with a nonverbal learning disability (NVLD) for these services can often be difficult as NVLD is not an accepted category within the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) unless the child has concomitant learning or attentional problems. Approximately 20 years ago, it was debated whether a social learning disability would constitute a type of learning disability that should receive services. Although it was suggested that a social learning disability category be added to the revision of IDEA in 2004, no action was taken. For adults with NVLD it is unlikely that they will qualify for assistance under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) unless there is a concomitant Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) recognized disorder (Foote, 2000).