Saturday, March 1 marks the beginning of Disability Awareness month. President Ronald Reagan was the first to recognize March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. The purpose, he first proclaimed in 1987, was to increase “public awareness of the needs and the potential of Americans with disabilities” and to provide the “encouragement and opportunities they need to lead productive lives and to achieve their full potential.” The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has included vision loss as a physical disability. Learning and behavioral impairments also constitute disabilities.

Utilizing an annual campaign during March, the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD), the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), and the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) join forces to highlight the means by which people with and without disabilities come together to form strong communities.

Throughout the month-long campaign, people with and without disabilities share their experiences through stories, photos, and videos. This year’s campaign highlights, in particular, artwork created by individuals with disabilities. The art is featured in the Developmental Disabilities Awareness campaign imagery. Resources in the form of toolkits, photos, videos, and best practices in working with people with disabilities will be shared with a national audience.

The National Disability Institute encourages its constituency to support this year’s NACDD campaign by using the hashtag #DDawareness19 on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.

Additional information on National Disability Awareness Month is available through the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities.