National Council on Disability
31 Years of Disability Policy Leadership
1978 - 2009
2010 National Summit on Disability Policy
NCD: 2008 United States Senate Special Committee on Aging Award Winner
Welcome from John R. Vaughn
Dear Friends:
On behalf of the 15 members of the National Council on Disability (NCD), and our staff, I welcome you to, and thank you for visiting, our Web site. We are proud that more than 12 million visitors each year utilize our resources.
NCD is an independent federal agency composed of members appointed by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the U.S. Senate. NCD provides advice to the President, Congress, and executive branch agencies to promote policies, programs, practices, and procedures that guarantee equal opportunity for all individuals with disabilities, regardless of the nature or severity of the disability and to empower individuals with disabilities to achieve economic self-sufficiency, independent living, and inclusion and integration into all aspects of society.
We are also proud that NCD, with the input of people with disabilities and stakeholders from around the country, played a pivotal role in the adoption of the ADA in 1990 as a result of our 1986 report entitled Towards Independence (http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/1986/toward.htm). Since that time, NCD has been a valuable contributor in promoting successful disability policies in many arenas, including education, transportation, homeland security, emergency preparedness, international disability rights, employment, foster youth with disabilities, vocational rehabilitation, livable communities, and crime victims with disabilities, to cite a few. All of NCD’s policy recommendations can be found in our Newsroom under Publications (http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2008/publications.htm).
One of our ongoing initiatives is promoting best practices and programs in disability policy. I invite you to share what’s working in your community. We believe we can do this great nation a wonderful service if we share best practices with the rest of the country. We believe that what works in one part of the country may work in another part. So, please let us hear from you by writing to us at ncd@ncd.gov.
While you’re visiting, take a moment to check out some of the most viewed pages on our site: What’s New (http://www.ncd.gov/whatsnew.htm), and Resources (http://www.ncd.gov/resources.htm). You also may want to join more than 2,000 subscribers who receive the latest news from NCD via its listserv. You may sign up at http://listserv.access.gpo.gov/ and click on On-line mailing list archives, then select NCD-NEWS-L and complete the short subscription form.
NCD will continue to serve people with disabilities by publishing information and recommendations meant to enhance the quality of lives for people with disabilities. If we can be of further assistance, please contact me at jvaughn@ncd.gov or ncd@ncd.gov.
Again, thank you for visiting.
Sincerely,
John R. Vaughn
Chairperson
National Council on Disability |