Resources: Advocacy & Support Organizations

Association on Higher Education and Disability

AHEAD is a professional membership association for individuals committed to equity for persons with disabilities in higher education. It works to strengthen the professionalism, knowledge and expertise of personnel working with postsecondary students.

DREAM (Disability Rights, Education Activism and Mentoring)

DREAM is a national organization for and by college students with disabilities, supported in our work by sponsoring organization of the National Center for College Students with Disabilities, based at AHEAD (the Association on Higher Education And Disability).

DREAM is open to higher education students of all types, including graduate students, part-time students, and those who are auditing higher education courses. It is open to students of all ages with any kind of disability, culturally deaf students, and non-disabled students who are our allies and peers. We explicitly include people who have traditionally been marginalized or under-represented in the disability or higher education communities.

HBCU Disability Consortium

The consortium comprises a group of colleagues working in disability services at HBCUs and PBCUs who identify ways to provide culturally responsive disability services and classroom instruction to Black college students with disabilities on US campuses.

Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA)

LDA is the voice for individuals with learning disabilities of all ages and their families, providing support, opportunities and resources to individuals with learning disabilities, their families, educators and other professionals who serve the learning disability community.

Lime Connect

Lime Connect represents the largest network of high-potential university students and professionals — including veterans — who happen to have disabilities in the world. Explore these links to learn more about Lime Connect’s support for people with disabilities.

Massachusetts Advocates for Children (MAC)

Massachusetts Advocates for Children’s mission is to remove barriers to educational and life opportunities for children and youth.

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.

What started as a small group of families gathered around a kitchen table in 1979 has blossomed into the nation’s leading voice on mental health. Today, we are an alliance of more than 600 local Affiliates and 48 State Organizations who work in your community to raise awareness and provide support and education that was not previously available to those in need.

National Center for College Students with Disabilities (NCCSD)

NCCSD is the only federally funded national center in the United States for college and graduate students with any type of disability, chronic health condition, or mental or emotional illness.

National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD)

NCLD is working to create a society in which every individual possesses the academic, social and emotional skills needed to succeed in school, at work and in life. NCLD works to improve the lives of the 1 in 5 children and adults nationwide with learning and attention issues — by empowering parents and young adults, transforming schools, and advocating for equal rights and opportunities.