Access Living is a change agent committed to fostering an inclusive society that enables Chicagoans with disabilities to live fully-engaged and self-directed lives.

Advocating Change Together ACT is a grassroots constituency driven organization, its board makeup is 90% persons with developmental and other disabilities. ACT has been around for over 33years, established in 1979 as a reaction to organizations that were not identifying persons with disabilities as being capable of making decisions about their lives. ACT has been striving to bring justice to a forgotten community, persons with developmental and other disabilities. We take every opportunity to anticipate and react to society’s absence of inclusion for persons with all disabilities. Our main principle and philosophy comes from the statement “Nothing about us, without us”.

American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) promotes progressive policies, sound research, effective practices, and universal human rights for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Founded in 1976, AAIDD is the oldest professional society concerned with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) is a convener, connector, and catalyst for change, increasing the political and economic power of people with disabilities.  As a national cross-disability rights organization AAPD advocates for full civil rights for the 50+ million Americans with disabilities.

American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) is a national, nonprofit trade association representing more than 800 private community providers of services to people with disabilities.

American Samoa University Center for Excellence on Developmental Disabilities (AS-UCEDD)  is located at the American Samoa Community College.  It is a Pacific Basin University Center for Excellence (PBUCE) project focused on building, enhancing and empowering local capacity to improve the quality of life with individuals with developmental disabilities in all facets of life in American Samoa.  The AS-UCEDD pursues to maintain and enhance cultural integrity through research, education, and services.    

The Arc of the United States The Arc is the nation’s leading and largest organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Through a national network of more than 700 chapters, The Arc advocates for and serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families, promoting and protecting their right to live, learn, work and play as valued and contributing members of their communities.

Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) is the premiere professional association committed to full participation of persons with disabilities in postsecondary education. As an international resource, AHEAD: values diversity, personal growth and development, and creativity; promotes leadership and exemplary practices; provides professional development and disseminates information; and orchestrates resources through partnership and collaboration. AHEAD dynamically addresses current and emerging issues with respect to disability, education, and accessibility to achieve universal access.

The Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living is a national membership organization dedicated to advancing the rights and responsibilities of people with disabilities in rural America.  APRIL provides leadership and resources on rural independent living through a national network of rural centers for independent living, statewide independent living councils and individuals concerned with the unique aspect of rural independent living.  The goal of APRIL is to work together to find solutions to common problems and to bring rural issues in independent living into focus on the national level. 

The Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) is a national, nonprofit organization that promotes and supports three national networks of interdisciplinary centers on disabilities representing every U.S. state and territory: 67 University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD), 43 Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) Programs, and 19 Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Centers (IDDRC). Together, these organizations advance policy and practice through research, education, leadership, and services for and with individuals with developmental and other disabilities, their families and communities, in support of independence, productivity, and a satisfying quality of life.

Bender Consulting Services, Inc.  is a for-profit company that creates employment for people with disabilities, in information technology, engineering, finance/accounting, human resources, and general business areas throughout the United States.  Founder and CEO, Joyce A. Bender hosts a weekly Internet radio show, Disability Matters with Joyce Bender on www.voiceamerica.com.

CBM US is an international Christian development organization, committed to improving the quality of life of people with disabilities in low income regions of the world.  CBM works in partnership with local organizations around the world to realize this commitment

Centre for Disability Law and Policy National University of Ireland THE CDLP is engaged in many international and European research networks and it partners with a range of national research bodies on disability in Ireland and within the University it collaborates actively with the Centre for Child and Family Support and the Centre for Social Gerontology in order to advance a coherent lifecycle approaches to policy development.

Center for Independent Living for Western Wisconsin, inc (CILWW) The Center for Independent Living for Western Wisconsin (CILWW) advocates for the full participation in society of all persons with disabilities.

Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information & Exchange (CIRRIE)  The mission of CIRRIE is to facilitate the sharing of information between rehabilitation researchers in the U.S. and those in other countries. CIRRIE makes available to the disability community in the U.S. knowledge that has been found useful in other countries.

College Living Experience (CLE) has been providing post-secondary support services to students with ASD, ADHD, learning differences, and other varying exceptionalities since 1989. Dedicated to providing the highest quality of individualized services in the areas of academics, independent living, social skills, and career development, CLE supports are tailored to each young adult we serve. It is through personalized services, our team celebrates the uniqueness of students in such a way that we are able to make a lasting impact in their lives and in their communities at each of our six locations nationwide.

The Developmental Disabilities Institute (DDI) is located on the campus of Wayne State University in the heart of Detroit’s cultural center.  DDI is the state of Michigan’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) and is part of a national network dedicated to the development of inclusive communities, the enhancement of the quality of life of people with disabilities, and the enrichment of the field of disability research and service.

Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Inc (DREDF), founded in 1979, is a leading national civil rights law and policy center directed by individuals with disabilities and parents who have children with disabilities.  The mission of (DREDF) is to advance the civil and human rights of people with disabilities through legal advocacy, training, education, and public policy and legislative development.

Disability Rights International (DRI) is an international advocacy organization dedicated to rights enforcement and full participation in society by children and adults with disabilities worldwide.  DRI trains and supports disability and human rights activists, documents human rights violations, and works through international oversight mechanisms and the media to hold governments accountable for the discrimination and abuse of people with disabilities.

Easter Seals, Inc. is the leading Disability Service provider in the United States, delivering exceptional services, education, outreach, and advocacy so that people living with autism and other disabilities can live, learn, work and play in our communities. For nearly 90 years, Easter Seals has been helping individuals with disabilities and special needs, and their families live better lives through child development centers, physical rehabilitation and health services, job training, early intervention, transportation, and older adult services to help people with disabilities address life's challenges and achieve personal goals.

Eastern Oregon Center for Independent Living (EOCIL) is a global disability resource and advocacy center that operates the Institute for Disability Studies and Policy (IDSP).  The IDSP conducts research and policy analysis as it pertains to independent living, equitable access to services and resources, and universal human rights.

ED101, Inc.  is a U.S. firm offering international and domestic training, marketing, assessment and consulting services to groups or individuals that serve two distinct populations: those with disabilities and special needs, and at-risk youth. Best practice services include research and evaluation, training and program management, marketing and public relations, IEP advocacy, expert witnessing, grant writing and more.

The K. Lisa Yang and Hock E. Tan Institute on Employment and Disability (YTI) in the ILR School at Cornell University conducts research and provides continuing education and technical assistance to advance knowledge, policies, and practice to enhance equal opportunities for all people with disabilities in the workplace and society.

g3ict is the Global Initiative for Inclusive Information and Communication Technologies. Its mission is to facilitate and support the implementation of the dispositions of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on the accessibility of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) and assistive technologies. G3ict relies on an international network of ICT accessibility experts to develop and promote good practices, technical resources and benchmarks for ICT accessibility advocates around the world.

Handicap International is an independent and impartial aid organization working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster. We work alongside people with disabilities and vulnerable populations, taking action and bearing witness in order to respond to their essential needs, improve their living conditions and promote respect for their dignity and fundamental rights.

Houston Center for Independent Living

Illinois / Iowa Center for Independent Living

Independence First is a non-profit 501c3 Independent Living Center (ILC) directed and controlled by persons with disabilities, primarily serving the four county metropolitan Milwaukee area.  Our mission is to effectively facilitate empowerment of individuals with disabilities through:  education, advocacy, independent living services, coalition building. 

Independent Living Center of the North Shore and Cape Ann

The Institute for Human Centered Design (IHCD) is an international education and design non-profit organization committed to advancing the role of design in expanding opportunity and enhancing experience for people of all ages, abilities and cultures through excellence in design. IHCD meets its mission through an unusual mix of education, technical assistance, consulting and inter-disciplinary design services. Each activity informs the others for a dynamic interplay of expertise, learning and exploration. We are deep content experts in both accessibility and universal/inclusive design. IHCD understands accessibility as a floor or baseline for inclusive design and the practice of designing for people across the broadest spectrum of ability and age as a dynamic activity at the heart of socially sustainable design.

The Institute on Disability and Public Policy (IDPP) at American University (AU) prepares transformative disability policy leaders and serves as a collaborative "think tank" on disability policy through an interdisciplinary AU community and an unparalleled network of multistakeholder partners, with founding support from The Nippon Foundation.

IDPP’s core focus areas include: global, regional and national disability policy; inclusive sustainable development; accessible global governance; inclusive cities and urban development; inclusive disaster risk reduction; information and communication technologies for development; accessible cyberlearning; and accessibility, assistive technologies and universal design.

Job Accommodations Network

The Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation

Mobility International USA (MIUSA) works to empower people with disabilities to achieve their human rights through international exchange and international development. Our vision is to ensure a just, accessible and inclusive community in which the human rights, citizenship, contribution and potential of people with disabilities are respected and celebrated, which we do through training and technical assistance to ensure that people with disabilities are leaders and participants in the international development process.

Montana Independent Living Project

National Association of the Deaf

National Council on Independent Living As a membership organization, NCIL advances independent living and the rights of people with disabilities through consumer-driven advocacy. NCIL envisions a world in which people with disabilities are valued equally and participate fully.

National Organization on Disability (NOD) is a private, non-profit organization that promotes the full participation of America’s 54 million people with disabilities in all aspects of life. NOD’s aim is to increase the employment prospects of the 79 percent of working-age Americans with disabilities who are not employed by acting as a resource to the field and to employers.

MS stops people from moving. The National MS Society exists to make sure it doesn’t. We help each person address the challenges of living with MS. In 2012 alone, the Society invested $43 million to support 350 research projects around the world while providing programs and services that assisted more than one million people. We are people who want to do something about MS now.  JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Oregon Health & Science University - University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities The University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) promotes the well-being of persons with developmental disabilities through training, research and evaluation, community services, technical assistance, dissemination, and policy development. We are committed to improving the lives of persons with disabilities and their families by focusing on best practices and the highest quality service.

Partners for Youth with Disabilities is committed to empowering young people with disabilities to reach their full potential. We do this by providing high quality one-to-one and group mentoring programs where caring adults act as positive role models and provide support, understanding and guidance for youth as they strive to reach their personal, educational and career goals.

Perkins International enables people around the world who are blind, deafblind, or have low vision, including those with additional disabilities, to fulfill their potential as integrated members of society.  As the world-renowned center of excellence for the education of children with disabilities that educated Helen Keller and her teacher Anne Sullivan, Perkins works in over 60 countries building capacity at local, regional, and national levels to develop independent, sustainable education services and to empower children with disabilities and their families.

Post-Polio Health International's mission is to enhance the lives and independence of polio survivors and home ventilator users through education, advocacy, research and networking.

Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) 

is the premier professional organization dedicated to promoting the health and well-being of people with disabilities through increasing access to technology solutions. RESNA advances the field by offering certification, continuing education, and professional development; developing assistive technology standards; promoting research and public policy; and sponsoring forums for the exchange of information and ideas to meet the needs of our multidisciplinary constituency. 

Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago

TASH is

TRIPIL Parent - Tri County Patriots for Independent Living

U.S. Fund for UNICEF

United for the Love of Children (ULoC)

VSA - The International Organization on Arts and Disability

Vermont Center for Independent Living is people with disabilities working together for dignity, independence and civil rights.

World Institute on Disability As a public policy center formed by and for persons with disabilities, the World Institute on Disability promotes long-term systems change, and past achievements in public policy research and advocacy have resulted in far-reaching and influential legislative and policy changes to improve the lives of people with disabilities in the areas of human rights, education, information technology, employment, economic security, transportation and international development.