Work

Supported primarily by volunteers, DLD strives to serve its members through a variety of activities that include print publications, an annual conference, grants and awards, and this Web site. In addition, DLD supports subdivisions in many states. Please explore this section to learn more about the many facets of our organization.

Publications

• Learning Disabilities Research and Practice (a quarterly professional journal)
• New Times for DLD PDF [see below] (a newsletter published three times a year for members)
• Current Practice Alerts (a description of the effectiveness of current practices, e.g., mnemonics, co-teaching)
• TeachingLD (this Web site, offering instructional materials, community resources, and information for all who work with individuals with learning disabilities)

Conferences

• The Division organizes special sessions and exhibits as part of the annual Convention of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
• New this year (2019) DLD is launching DLD@Night. A low cost, evening conference with specific strands so that participants can attend high quality professional development without spending a lot of money or conflicting with the school day.

Grants and Awards

DLD recognizes the contributions of its outstanding members through various grants and awards. These include outstanding educator awards, publication awards, career leadership awards, and others. For a full listing, go to our Awards and Grants page.

Advocacy

DLD works with several other national organizations to advocate on behalf of persons with learning disabilities. Such activities include participation including:

• The Council for Exceptional Children on policy issues related to specific learning disabilities. Please visit CEC’s Public Policy website.
• The Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD). This is a coalition of approximately 100 US disability organizations working together to advocate for national public policy that ensures the self-determination, independence, empowerment, integration, and inclusion of children and adults with disabilities in all aspects of society. The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and several of its divisions, including DLD, are active members of CCD. DLD participates on the Education Task Force of the consortium, which monitors federal legislation and regulations that address the educational needs of children with disabilities and their families, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) programs. The Education Task Force advocates for enhanced opportunities for children under these laws.
• The National Joint Committee on Learning Disability (NJCLD), a long-standing interdisciplinary forum that reviews issues for educational and governmental agencies. The NJCLD also prepares and disseminates statements to various organizations to clarify issues in the area of learning disabilities. Learn more about the NJCLD via its Web site, which is a subsection of LD Online, and the special page of TeachingLD where we maintain materials relevant to DLD’s participation in the NJCLD.