Association websites
- American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD):
http://www.aapd.com
The largest national nonprofit cross-disability member organization in the United States, dedicated to ensuring economic self-sufficiency and political empowerment for the more than 56 million Americans with disabilities. AAPD works in coalition with other disability organizations for the full implementation and enforcement of disability nondiscrimination laws, particularly the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. - American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR):
http://www.aamr.org
An organization that provides information about mental retardation and developmental disabilities. - Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD):
http://www.aucd.org
A national organization that provides information and technical assistance relating to developmental disabilities. - American Council for the Blind:
http://www.acb.org
A national organization that provides information and referral on all aspects of blindness, leadership and legislative training, and governmental monitoring hotline. - American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today (ADAPT):
http://www.adapt.org
An organization that promotes services in the community instead of putting people with disabilities in institutions and nursing homes. - American Foundation for the Blind (AFB):
http://www.afb.org
A national organization that provides information and technical assistance on equal access and opportunity for the individuals that are blind or visually impaired. - American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR):
http://ancor.org
A nonprofit trade association representing private providers who provide supports and services to people with disabilities. - American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA):
http://www.aota.org
A nationally recognized professional association of more than 40,000 occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, and students of occupational therapy. - American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA):
http://www.asha.org
An association that provides information on legislative activities, conferences, reports relating to audiology, speech-language pathology and speech and hearing science. - The Arc of the United States (The Arc):
http://TheArc.org
A national organization that provides education, research, and advocacy relating to mental retardation. - Autism Society of America (ASA):
http://www.autism-society.org
The Autism Society has developed into the leading source of information and referral on autism. - Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law (BCMHL):
http://www.bazelon.org
A national legal advocate for people with mental disabilities. Through precedent-setting litigation and in the public policy arena, the Bazelon Center works to advance and preserve the rights of people with mental illnesses and developmental disabilities. - Beach Center on Families and Disabilities:
http://www.beachcenter.org/
A research and training center that focuses on improving the functioning of families who have members with disabilities. Excellent site for fact sheets pertaining to families and disability issues. - The Brain Injury Association, Inc.:
http://www.biausa.org
An association that provides advocacy, develops community-based services and promotes prevention for individuals with brain injuries. - Center for the Study and Advancement of Disability Policy (CSADP):
http://www.disabilitypolicycenter.org
A center that provides public education, leadership development and training, technical assistance and information, and conducts action-research and analysis of public policy issues affecting individuals with disabilities and their families. - Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP):
http://www.cbpp.org
A national organization that works at the federal and state levels on fiscal policy and public programs that affect low- and moderate-income families and individuals. - Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorders (C.H.A.D.D.):
http://www.chadd.org
A national organization that provides support and information relating to attention deficit disorders. Excellent site for support services. - Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities Home Page (CCD):
http://www.c-c-d.org
A coalition of national disability organizations working together to advocate for national public policy that ensures independence, empowerment, integration and inclusion of children and adults with disabilities. Excellent site for current legislative activities relating to disabilities. - Consortium of Developmental Disabilities Councils (CDDC):
http://www.cddc.org
A member driven organization that is committed to representing the diverse interests of Developmental Disabilities Councils and the people with disabilities that Councils were created to serve. - Council for Exceptional Children (CEC):
http://www.cec.sped.org
The largest international professional organization dedicated to improving educational outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities, students with disabilities, and/or the gifted. - The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA):
http://www.copaa.net
An independent, nonprofit, tax-exempt organization of attorneys, advocates and parents established to improve the quality and quantity of legal assistance for parents of children with disabilities. - Council of State Administrators (CSVAR):
http://www.rehabnetwork.org
The Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation is composed of the chief administrators of the public rehabilitation agencies serving individuals with physical and mental disabilities in the States, District of Columbia, and the territories. These agencies constitute the state partners in the State-Federal program of rehabilitation services provided under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. The Council's members supervise the rehabilitation of some 1.2 million persons with disabilities. - Disability Rights, Education and Defense Fund (DREDF):
http://www.dredf.org
A national law and policy center dedicated to protecting and advancing the civil rights of people with disabilities. - Easter Seals (ES):
http://www.easter-seals.org
Easter Seals provides services to children and adults with disabilities and other special needs, and support to their families. - The EdLaw Center:
http://www.edlaw.net
A center that provides assistance to parents, schools, attorneys to identify problem areas and develop possible solutions that will enable children with disabilities obtain the free appropriate public education promised them by law. - Empowerment Zone:
http://www.empowermentzone.com
A comprehensive site that provides information on: accessible housing, accessible education, accessible travel, civil rights, employment, funding assistive technology, independent living, political action, rehabilitation, social security, telecommunications, and much more. - Epilepsy Foundation:
http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/
A national organization that is dedicated to the welfare of people with epilepsy. Their mission is to work for children and adults affected by seizures through research, education, advocacy and service. - Family Voices:
http://www.familyvoices.org
A national grassroots network of families and friends, advocates for health care services that are family-centered, community-based, comprehensive, coordinated and culturally competent for all children and youth with special health care needs; promotes the inclusion of all families as decision makers at all levels of health care; and supports essential partnerships between families and professionals. - Family Village:
http://www.familyvillage.wisc.edu
A global community that integrates information, resources, and communication opportunities on the Internet for persons with cognitive and other disabilities, for their families, and for those that provide them services and support. - Goodwill Industries International, Inc.:
http://www.goodwill.org
A network of 207 community-based, autonomous member organizations worldwide that serves people with workplace disadvantages and disabilities by providing job training and employment services. To fund our mission, we collect donated clothing and household goods to sell in our 1,900 retail stores and provide contract labor services to business and government. - Halftheplanet.com:
http://www.halftheplanet.com
A comprehensive site for information, ideas, products and services for the entire adaptation community, including people with disabilities, families, friends, co-workers, employers, manufacturers, distributors, service providers, educators, legislators, regulators, and advocates. - Independent Living Research Utilization (ILRU):
http://www.ilru.org
A program that provides information, training, research, and technical assistance in independent living. - Learning Disabilities Association (LDA):
http://www.ldanatl.org
A not-profit organization that provides research, training, education, advocacy information, disseminates information and creates an atmosphere of public awareness and acceptance. - National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI):
http://www.nami.org
A nonprofit, grassroots, self-help, support and advocacy organization of consumers, families, and friends of people with severe mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic and other severe anxiety disorders, autism and pervasive developmental disorders, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and other severe and persistent mental illnesses that affect the brain. - National Association of Developmental Disabilities Councils (NADDC):
http://www.naddc.org
A national organization that promotes national policy which enables individuals with developmental disabilities the freedom of choice affecting their lives and to be included in the mainstream of society. - National Association of Protection & Advocacy Systems (NAPAS):
http://www.protectionandadvocacy.com
A national organization that represents the needs of P&As and CAPs to federal agencies and Congress and provides training and technical assistance to member agencies which helps their effectiveness on the state and local level. Excellent site for current legislative activities. - National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE):
http://www.nasdse.org
Provides support to all states and territories in the delivery of quality education to children and youth with disabilities through training, technical assistance, research, policy development and the development and modeling of powerful collaborative relationships with other organizations and all constituencies. - National Council on Independent Living (NCIL):
http://www.ncil.org
The National Council on Independent Living is a membership organization that advances the independent living philosophy and advocates for the human rights of, and services for, people with disabilities to further their full integration and participation in society. - National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS):
http://www.ndss.org
An organization that is committed to being the national leader in enhancing the quality of life, and realizing the potential of all people with Down syndrome. - National Organization on Disability (NOD):
http://www.nod.org
The mission of the National Organization on Disability (N.O.D.) is to expand the participation and contribution of America's 54 million men, women and children with disabilities in all aspects of life. - National Rehabilitation Association (NRA):
http://www.nationalrehab.org
NRA's mission is to provide advocacy, awareness and career advancement for professionals in the fields of rehabilitation. - NISH:
http://www.nish.org
National nonprofit agency designated by the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind Or Severely Disabled to provide technical assistance to Community Rehabilitation Programs (CRPs) interested in obtaining federal contracts under the Javits-Wagner-O'Day (JWOD) Program. - PACER Center:
http://www.pacer.org
A nonprofit organization that provide workshops, individual assistance and disseminates materials to help parents become informed and effective representatives for their children with disabilities in early childhood, school-age and vocational settings. - Paralyzed Veterans of American (PVA):
http://www.pva.org
A congressionally chartered veterans service organization founded in 1946, has developed a unique expertise on a wide variety of issues involving the special needs of our members-veterans of the armed forces who have experienced spinal cord injury or dysfunction. - TASH:
http://www.tash.org
An organization of members concerned with human dignity, civil rights, education, and independence for all individuals with disabilities. - The Arc of the United States (The Arc):
http://TheArc.org
A national organization that provides education, research, and advocacy relating to mental retardation. - The Brain Injury Association, Inc.:
http://www.biausa.org
An association that provides advocacy, develops community-based services and promotes prevention for individuals with brain injuries. - The EdLaw Center:
http://www.edlaw.net
A center that provides assistance to parents, schools, attorneys to identify problem areas and develop possible solutions that will enable children with disabilities obtain the free appropriate public education promised them by law. - United Cerebral Palsy (UCP):
http://www.ucp.org
A national organization that provides information and referral service, legislative advocacy, technology initiatives, and research. Good site for on line publications on assistive technology and up-to-date legislative activities. - Very Special Arts:
http://www.vsarts.org
An international nonprofit organization that promotes arts, education and creative expression, involving children and adults with disabilities. - World Institute on Disability (WID):
http://www.wid.org
WID is a nonprofit research, training and public policy center promoting the civil rights and the full societal inclusion of people with disabilities.