Intellectual Disability

IDEA §300.8 (6) Mental retardation (now Intellectual Disability) means significantly sub-average general intellectual functioning, existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.

Training information and documents are available by following the links below:

The permanent capacity for performing cognitive tasks, functions, or problem solving is significantly limited or impaired and is exhibited by more than one of the following: a slower rate of learning; disorganized patterns of learning; difficulty with adaptive behavior; and/or difficulty understanding abstract concepts. Such term shall include students with intellectual disabilities.

The ARC
The Arc of the United States advocates for the rights and full participation of all children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

CDC - Intellectual Disability
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is one of the 13 major operating components of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which is the principal agency in the United States government for protecting the health and safety of all Americans and for providing essential human services. This site presents information and resources on intellectual disabilities.

Department of Developmental Services (DDS) - Massachusetts
DDS provides assistance in job placement, transportation, housing, or intense levels of treatment, monitoring and care. DDS provides these services through state-operated programs and with 265 provider agencies across the state.

Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center (IDDRC)
The IDDRC Program at UMass Medical School provides core support and facilities for cohesive, interdisciplinary research and research training to advance efforts to understand, ameliorate, and prevent intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Intellectual Disability - KidsHealth
KidsHealth is the largest and most visited site on the Web providing doctor-approved health information about children from before birth through adolescence. KidsHealth has separate areas for kids, teens, and parents - each with its own design, age-appropriate content, and tone. There are literally thousands of in-depth features, articles, animations, games, and resources - all original and all developed by experts in the health of children and teens.

Intellectual Disability -- National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities
The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities serves the nation as a central source of information on: disabilities in infants, toddlers, children, and youth, IDEA, which is the law authorizing special education, No Child Left Behind (as it relates to children with disabilities), and research-based information on effective educational practices.

The President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities
The Committee acts in an advisory capacity to the President and the Secretary of The Department of Health and Human Services on matters relating to programs and services for persons with intellectual disabilities.

The learning capacity of a young child (3-9 years old) is significantly limited, impaired, or delayed and is exhibited by difficulties in one or more of the following areas: receptive and/or expressive language; cognitive abilities; physical functioning; social, emotional, or adaptive functioning; and/or self-help skills.

Developmental Delay Resources (DDR)
DDR is a nonprofit organization dedicated to meeting the needs of those working with children who have developmental delays in sensory motor, language, social, and emotional areas.

The Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children (DEC)
DEC is a nonprofit organization advocating for individuals who work with or on behalf of children with special needs, birth through age eight, and their families. The DEC is dedicated to promoting policies and practices that support families and enhance the optimal development of children. Children with special needs include those who have disabilities, developmental delays, are gifted/talented, and are at risk of future developmental problems.

The National Institute on Developmental Delays (NIDD)
NIDD is a national resource center with a global outlook that strives to help children with developmental delays and their families. Their services extend to children, not only in the USA, but also across geographical boundaries, in keeping with their watchword 'Service for All Children'.