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About Us

Since 1973, NILD has built the competence and confidence of those who struggle to learn by training educators, developing minds through learning programs, and implementing researched-based, best-practice interventions to bring lasting change for struggling learners. NILD exists to enable people to learn and reason effectively. Instead of adapting the learning environment to a student's unique learning struggles, we seek to change the way a person thinks so that he or she can succeed in any environment. Rather than accommodating weak cognitive connections, we strengthen them.

NILD's programs consist of diagnostic assessments as well as explicit and intentional instruction to help students overcome their learning difficulties. NILD's flagship training program, NILD Educational Therapy™, as well as Rx for Discovery Reading, SEARCH and TEACH ©, Literacy and Math Group instruction, and the Feuerstein Method, are available to schools, organizations, and individuals. Educators can also receive graduate level certification in NILD Educational Therapy®.

Over the past thirty years, we have trained almost 4,000 educators, and our programs have helped more than 75,000 students in 45 states and in 29 different countries. Our work has received numerous endorsements, and has been lauded by educators, parents, and students who have gone on to succeed and realize their potential.

• The International Dyslexia Association has endorsed our programs for children with reading difficulties... [Read more Endorsements]
• "They are a group that truly focuses on the whole child, touching both the hearts and minds of students, and reinforcing learning, hope, and resilience..." [Read more Testimonials]
• "NILD has helped me bring my grades up to honors level. Now I finish my homework quickly..." [Read our Student Success Stories]

Our History

The NILD Educational Therapy® model was developed in the 1960s by Deborah Zimmerman, a nurse and educator. Many of the educational techniques she developed were shaped by her work with early pioneers in the field of learning disabilities such as Archie Silver, M.D. and Rosa Hagin, Ph.D. In 1973, Deborah's techniques were introduced into a private school in Norfolk, Virginia. In 1982, the Norfolk Institute for Learning Disabilities was established as a 501(c)3 charitable organization under the direction of Grace Mutzabaugh. As NILD's influenced broadened, the name was changed to the National Institute for Learning Disabilities.

In 2002, following NILD's 20th anniversary celebration, the board of directors approved the development of Discovery Program, Inc. a community-based model to serve students outside private school settings. Discovery Program, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of NILD and is our prototype of community-based models currently servicing students within the cities of Hampton Roads (Discoveryprogram-inc.com).

In 2007, Dr. Kathy Hopkins, NILD's then Executive Director, led the organization through significant changes, including research and development of group models of intervention, expansion of the community-based model, Discovery Program, and our online component to the NILD courses. Dr. Hopkins also announced the organization's name change to the National Institute for Learning Development at our 25th anniversary conference. This name change more accurately reflects our organizational direction. With headquarters in Chesapeake, Virginia, NILD continues to serve educators and students around the globe.

In 2012, NILD was one of two organizations in the US to receive the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) endorsement for meeting teacher training standards in reading. The IDA standards provide a comprehensive, research-supported documentation of what every teacher needs to know and be able to demonstrate, whether they are teaching students with dyslexia, other struggling readers, or the general student population (Interdys.org).