Professional Organizations

Council for Exceptional Children

The Council for Exceptional Children is a professional association of educators dedicated to advancing the success of children with exceptionalities. Their core values are visionary thinking, integrity, and inclusiveness. They demonstrate visionary thinking by forward-thinking and courageous decision-making dedicated to excellence and influence in an evolving environment. They demonstrate integrity by ethical, responsive behavior, transparency, and accountability. They demonstrate inclusiveness by a commitment to diversity, caring, and respect for the dignity and work of all individuals. The CEC accomplishes its mission through advocacy, standards, and professional development.

Council for Children with Behavior Disorders 

The Council for Children with Behavior Disorders is dedicated to supporting the professional development and enhancing the expertise of those who work on behalf of children with challenging behavior and their families. CCBD is committed to students who are identified as having emotional and behavioral disorders and those whose behavior puts them at risk for failure in school, home, and/or community. CCBD supports the prevention of problem behavior and enhancement of social, emotional, and educational well-being of all children and youth.

Division of Autism and Developmental Disabilities

The Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities is an organization composed of persons committed to enhancing the quality of life of individuals, especially children and youth, with autism, intellectual disability, and other developmental disabilities. The Division seeks to further the knowledge base of the field, thus ensuring the continued advancement of positive educational and life outcomes for those with autism and developmental disabilities.

Division for Learning Disabilities

The Division for Learning Disabilities is an international professional organization consisting of teachers, psychologists, clinicians, administrators, higher education professionals, parents, and others. The major purposes of DLD are to promote the education and general welfare of persons with learning disabilities and provide a forum for discussion of issues facing the field of learning disabilities. The Division encourages​ interaction among the many disciplinary groups whose research and service efforts affect persons with learning disabilities and fosters research regarding the various disabilities subsumed in the term "learning disabilities." The DLD promotes the dissemination of research findings and advocates exemplary professional training practices to ensure the highest quality of services in the field of learning disabilities. Finally, the Division promotes exemplary diagnostic and teaching processes in a context of tolerance for new and divergent ideas.