“Who We Are” A
Statement of Self-Identity by the Division on Developmental Disabilities
Since the name change in 2002 from the Division on Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities to simply the Division on Developmental Disabilities, some have wondered if those individuals with mental retardation/cognitive impairment who traditionally had been the primary focus of the division were no longer central in that work. This is not the case. The following statement approved by the DDD Board of Directors in April 2004 serves to reaffirm the division’s long-standing commitment to these individuals. “The Division on Developmental Disabilities (DDD) of the Council on Exceptional Children (CEC) is a professional organization inclusive of educators, therapists, direct service providers, paraeducators, family members, and others providing a full range of supports, services, and accommodations to individuals with cognitive disabilities/mental retardation, autism, and related disabilities in educational, community living, and employment environments. The focus of the Division is on addressing the needs of all persons with developmental disabilities, regardless of the term or ‘label’ used to identify those individuals. This includes persons identified as having high incidence disabilities and/or mild support needs (e.g., educable mental retardation/mild mental retardation/cognitive impairment, developmental delay/Aspergers/ high functioning autism/Down syndrome) through those persons identified as having low incidence disabilities and/or more extensive support needs (e.g., trainable mental retardation/moderate and severe mental retardation/severe disabilities/ dual diagnosis/ multiple disabilities/ severe developmental delay/organic mental retardation/severe cognitive impairment/low functioning autism).” Robert
A. Stodden, Ph.D.
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