Membership in AAIDD has many benefits.  A primary one is that it is an investment in your education.  By becoming a member of the national organization, the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, you are automatically a member of the Texas chapter.  Access to the Association's professional journals will keep you abreast of the latest developments in the field.  There are currently 24 professional divisions, special interest groups, and action groups that produce important information and in which you are invited to participate.  For example, the Student and Early Career Professionals group offers career and networking benefits to help new members in the field get started.  For all members there is a Career Center in which you can post or search for a job.  Members-only web forums and electronic newsletters are regularly available.  Members receive discounts on book store purchases (the Association publishes some of the leading books in the field), webinar courses, and convention registration.



There are a variety of membership categories that can make joining more financially reasonable.  Students receive a 20% discount for any membership category.  The annual dues for the Basic membership is $75.  This includes access to an electronic version of one of the journals, AJIDD and IDD, as well as access to the web forums and discounts mentioned above.  Members in this and the other categories can hold office and vote in AAIDD elections.  A Classic membership (electronic access to both journals) is $125.   The Standard category, which includes hard copies of the journals, is $175.  A Premium category, which includes special gifts of Association books, is $250.  A Corporate membership for $595 is also available, with a Premium membership for the CEO and 20% discounts for the memberships of an unlimited number of employees. On-line or printable membership registration is available at www.aaidd.org.



Although the Association has over 5,000 members from over 55 countries, our current Texas membership is only 160.  This is lower than in previous years.  The Texas chapter is seeking ideas about how to increase the membership.  If you have any ideas or recommendations, or would be willing to serve on the Membership Committee, please contact me  or our Texas Association Manager.