A&M-SA Research Guides: Special Education Research Guide: Find Professional Organizations &amp; Other Web Resources

Professional Organization & Foundation Websites of Interest--Special Education

National & International
Local & State

Center for Parent & Information Resources (CPIR)
Intended audience for this website appears to be centers that provide supports and services to families having children with disabilities. This site has replaced the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities as of 2014 with still- relevant information migrating to the new site.
Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
According to the CEC's Mission Statement (2014) on their website: "The Council for Exceptional Children is a professional association of educators dedicated to advancing the success of children with exceptionalities. We accomplish our mission through advocacy, standards, and professional development."
Innovations in Special Education Technology (ISET)
"Innovations in Special Education Technology (formally TAM) is a Division of Council for Exceptional Children focused on providing educators (current & future), professionals, and family members innovative technology-based solutions for today’s needs."
IRIS Center
"Supported by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs and located at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College, the IRIS Center develops and disseminates free, engaging online resources about evidence-based instructional and behavioral practices to support the education of all students, particularly struggling learners and those with disabilities" (From IRIS's About Us page)
Learning Disabilities Association of America
According to the organization's website: "LDA’s mission is to create opportunities for success for all individuals affected by learning disabilities and to reduce the incidence of learning disabilities in future generations."
National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET)
According to the organization's Overview statement: "The National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET) is dedicated to ensuring that all children and adolescents with special needs receive the best education possible. NASET serves the professional interest of special education teachers in order to promote the highest professional standard."
National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD)
The website's main sections include programs tailored to specific groups--parents, professionals, educators, and young adults as well as links to research study publications, resources on disability law, and scholarship applications for high school seniors.
National Organization on Disability (NOD)
According to the organization's website: "The National Organization on Disability (NOD) is a private, non-profit organization that promotes the full participation and contributions of America’s 57 million people with disabilities in all aspects of life. NOD focuses on increasing employment opportunities for the 80-percent of working-age Americans with disabilities who are not employed."
TASH
Aimed at serving and improving the lives of individuals with significant disabilities and the professionals who work with them. The organization accomplishes its mission through advocacy, education, research, individualized supports, and legislation/litigation/public policy. (See the Mission section of About TASH page.)
U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education & Rehabilitation Services (OSERS)
The OSERS Mission statement reads: "To improve early childhood, educational, and employment outcomes and raise expectations for all people with disabilities, their families, their communities, and the nation." This website includes a link to the IDEA Act and ED Data Express, the latter offering significant data on K-12th grade education in the U.S.
Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative Development Team
"The mission of the new Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative Development Team is to assist early intervention agencies, school districts, and their partners to provide assistive technology by making training and technical assistance available through our development of new and updated materials related to the provision of assistive technology tools, and services" (From the website).

Learning Disabilities Association of Texas (LDAT)
According to the organization's website, "LDAT is affiliated with the national Learning Disabilities Association of America and local affiliates across the State of Texas. Membership includes persons with learning disabilities, their families, and professionals in the fields of medicine, education and the social sciences concerned with the problems of those with learning disabilities."
Texas Council of Administrators of Special Education (TCASE)
According to the TCASE website, it is a non-profit, private organization "Led by a 13-member Board of Directors, and with guidance from a House of Delegates representing the 20 educational service regions throughout the state, TCASE is Leading Transformation of special education leaders and the students they serve in Texas."
Project First, affiliated with the Texas Education Association
Described on the website as: "A project of the Texas Education Agency committed to providing accurate and consistent information to parents and families of students with disabilities." It also states it is a resource created by parents for parents.
The ARC of Texas
According to the Who We Are page: "Founded in 1950 by a group of parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, The ARC has been instrumental in the creation of virtually every program, service, right, and benefit that is now available to more than half a million Texans with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Today, The ARC continues to advocate for including people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in all aspects of society."
The ARC of San Antonio
A chapter of the state- and national- ARC organization, SA's ARC sees its role as to "Enrich. Empower. Educate."

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Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

Getting its name from the universal design movement in architecture, which helped people realize that people without disabilities also benefit from certain architectural modifications, this approach to instructional design emphasizes building in features to promote the success of all learners from the very beginning of the lesson activity design process.

CAST Home
CAST is a nonprofit research and development organization which created the UDL framework and guidelines. Their mission is "to transform education design and practice until learning has no limits."
Universal Design for Learning (UDL): A Teacher's Guide
Important elements of UDL explained by Allison Posey from CAST, Inc., which has been credited with originally developing UDL. She addresses what UDL looks like in the classroom.