Thanks aeh and Polarbear!
I've looked at NVLD lists of symptoms - some things fit and others don't (same with ADHD). This is why I'm confused I guess.
For example, he doesn't seem to have trouble understanding reading - he is slow at reading aloud, but when I can get him to do it (if I hold the book and move a ruler along under each line) - he reads with great expression. He knows how the words should sound and where the emphasis should be placed (he's quite picky about it and will re-read a line until it sounds right). He also makes comments that make it clear he understood the text.
He does have trouble if I ask him questions about what we just read (e.g. why do you think this character did X? What will happen next?) - he gets mad when I do that. He seems to have trouble coming up with something to say - although he has improved over the year.
He doesn't seem to have trouble socially - has a few good friends at school that he enjoys. They share common interests in Pokemon, Star Wars, Harry Potter, etc.
His teachers reported no social issues, although they did comment that he misses non-verbal cues. (Perhaps this is visual or attention?)
I've been paying more attention (ha ha) to possible ADHD symptoms lately - he does have quite a few inattentive symptoms (has trouble focusing on uninteresting tasks; gets distracted; appears not to listen when spoken to; has trouble organizing, planning; loses things) and a few of the 'H' symptoms - but these seem to be improving (fidgeting, trouble staying seated). Some of this seems to overlap with DCD, and some not.
Having researched this a bit, ADHD and DCD co-exist 50% of the time - so I'm not discounting it. And as Polarbear noted - the list of accommodations for each are quite similar. I do feel that some of the additional accommodations the psychologist suggested would be helpful.
I am just not sure what to tell DS about all this. He is already quite down on himself - says he is 'clumsy' a lot, etc. I hate to burden him with another negative label. I'd love for him to have something positive on his IEP, something to boost his confidence.
I know he's smart - he makes these amazing conceptual connections in his mind, and he absorbs any oral learning quickly (eg if I read out loud to him, or he listens to the radio). I'm just not sure how to translate that to school.
