Becoming a member in the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) provides many benefits for those working in or interested in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities.  These include the following:  

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Educational opportunities such as presentations at the state and national conventions of the latest information in the field. The Annual Texas Chapter Convention provides a variety of presentations of broad relevance. The Texas Chapter has also provided regional trainings in the past focusing on specific topics.  AAIDD’s professional journals and books contain the latest research, best practice guidelines, and policy developments in the field. National educational web forums and electronic newsletters provide key information.    

 

Networking opportunities include Interest Network Groups for various professional and special interest groups that communicate new information and on-line participation.  The Interest Networks are varied including such examples as Direct Support Professionals, Education, Gerontology, Health and Wellness, Leadership & Management in Community Living, Legal Process and Public Policy, Psychology, Research, Sexual and Social Concerns, Social Work, Student and Early Career Professionals, and Technology. There are some others also.

 

AAIDD membership automatically makes one a member of the Texas chapter.  The Student and Early Career Professionals Interest Network Groups offer career and networking links to assist new members in making contacts with leaders in the field.  All members can access a Career Center for posting or searching for a job.  As a financial benefit, members receive discounts on bookstore purchases (AAIDD publishes some of the leading books and assessment instruments in the field), webinar courses, and convention registration (including the National and AAIDD-TX convention and regional trainings).  

 

There are a variety of membership categories.  Students receive a discount for any membership category.  The annual dues for the Basic membership are $85.  This includes access to an electronic version of one of the two journals, the American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AJIDD) or Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD).  All members have access to an electronics-only journal, Inclusion.  A Classic membership (electronic access to all journals) is $135.   The Standard category, which includes print and electronic copies of the journals, is $185.  A Premium category, which includes special gifts of Association books, is $260.  A Corporate membership for $600 is also available, with 20% discounts for the memberships of an unlimited number of employees. Students receive a 20% discount in any membership category.  

 

AAIDD has hundreds of members from over 55 countries. Our annual Texas AAIDD Conference  typically has an attendance of about 150 people.  Although AAIDD-Texas welcomes all attendees, we would like to encourage those who attend the conference to become members. We are also interested in recruiting new members including students and those attendees who are new to the field.    

 

We welcome you to join this organization and help continue its long tradition.  The Texas chapter is seeking ideas and strategies for increasing our membership.  As our current Membership Chair, I welcome any ideas or recommendations you may have about membership issues. You can contact me at cmkphd@yahoo.com.  Thank you all for your support of this valuable organization!