Why DCD?

  • Are you passionate about the development, education, and welfare of infants, toddlers, children, and youth who have a communication disability or are deaf or hard of hearing?
  • Are you looking for a place to find colleagues and peers who understand what you do and the students you work with?
  • Are you interested in joining an international community of practice?
The Division for Communication, Language, and Deaf/Hard of Hearing (DCD) is a community of professionals from across the globe, including professionals in the field of communication disabilities and deafness who range in interests from research to practice. As an official division of the CEC, DCD provides an unbiased space for the development of standards and competencies for programming, codes of equitable and ethical practices, and policy reform. The primary mission of DCD is to
  • Promote the welfare, development, and education of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with communication, language, and learning needs.
  • Support professional development of service providers and foster the growth in families as they strive to better understand the educational, communication, language, and social/emotional needs of children.

Our Mission

The Division for Communication, Language, and Deaf/Hard of Hearing (DCD formerly known as DCDD) is concerned with the well-being, development, and education of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with communication and learning disorders, ranging from mild to profound, and/or who are deaf or hard of hearing. DCD aims to provide information to professionals and families regarding

  • (a) the development of communication and learning abilities,
  • (b) the prevention of communication and learning disorders, and
  • (c) evidence-based assessment and intervention practices for individuals with speech, language, learning, and/or hearing difficulties.
Our Board

President

President-Elect

Past President

Secretary

Strategic Plan 2023

  1. Establish strategies to recruit, engage, and retain membership.
  2. Advocate for the needs of individuals with communication challenges or who are deaf and or hard of hearing.
  3. Expand professional learning opportunities and resources (Be the comprehensive community hub for communication, language, and deaf/hard of hearing resources)
  4. Undertake special projects in response to feedback from members, professionals, and other stakeholders in the field.
#dcd-cec

Division Name History​

  • 1963
    • February 20: Dr. Leo E. Connor, Lexington School for the Deaf, notified the CEC Executive Secretary of interest in establishing a division on communication disorders.
    • April 19: Organizational meeting held at the CEC convention in Philadelphia, PA. Formal application was postponed until the 1964 Chicago convention.
  • 1964
    • March 31: Application, Constitution, and Bylaws were submitted to and approved by the CEC Board of Governors. The Division for Children with Communication Disorders (DCCD) was formally affiliated with CEC.
  • 1966    
    • April 21: DCCD received its Charter from the CEC Delegate Assembly at the CEC Convention in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
  • 1995    
    • April 5: Division name change to Division for Children’s Communication Development was made official.
  • 2001    
    • April 25: The division name change to Division for Communicative Disabilities and Deafness (DCDD) was approved by the CEC Board of Directors. Effective July 1, 2001.
  • 2018    
    • August: The division name change to Division for Communication, Language, and Deaf/Hard of Hearing (DCD) was submitted to and approved by the CEC Board of Directors.