Stronger Together in Advocacy
The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) strengthens its impact by collaborating with numerous coalitions, alliances, organizations, and workgroups, both long- and short-term.
The NAD Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer determine representation to these groups, ensuring alignment with the organization’s mission and priorities.
Through these partnerships, the NAD extends its reach and ensures that our community is represented in broader advocacy efforts. Together with disability rights, civil rights, educational, and professional organizations, the NAD advances laws, policies, and practices that affect our lives across many areas. The following is a partial listing of partner organizations and efforts carried out by the NAD:
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
Collaborates on legal cases and policy initiatives to advance civil rights protections (aclu.org).
Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology (COAT)
Promotes the Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act (CVTA) campaign to modernize federal accessibility laws (cvtaaccess.org).
Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf (CEASD)
Advances policies that promote high-quality educational opportunities and outcomes in schools and programs, including certification standards (ceasd.org).
Consortium of Constituents with Disabilities (CCD)
Shapes disability policy through a broad cross-disability coalition, ensuring that the priorities of our community are represented at the federal level (c-c-d.org).
Council on Education of the Deaf (CED)
Promotes quality education through teacher standards, accreditation of university preparation programs, and certification of professional educators (councilondeafed.org).
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Alliance (DHHA)
Advances shared policy priorities through a broad coalition of national consumer and professional organizations addressing deafness, hearing loss, and related issues (dhha.org)
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Consumer Advocacy Network (DHHCAN)
Champions federal legislation, policies, and regulations through a deaf-led coalition focused on consumer leadership, self-representation, and equity (dhhcan.org).
Deaf Seniors of America (DSA)
Addresses policies for older deaf adults through the Joint Task Force on Aging, which promotes inclusive programs, services and resources. (deafseniors.us).
Disability Rights Education Fund (DREDF)
Collaborates on legal cases and policy initiatives to strengthen disability rights and protections (dredf.org).
National Association of State Agencies of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (NASADHH)
Promotes the Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act (CVTA) campaign to modernize federal accessibility laws (cvtaaccess.org).
National Disability Leadership Alliance (NDLA)
Pushes for disability rights and justice through this disability-led coalition, ensuring advocacy is grounded in lived experiences.
Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID)
Advances interpreter ethics and accountability through the jointly developed NAD-RID Code of Professional Conduct (rid.org).
World Federation of the Deaf (WFD)
Serves as the U.S. affiliate to this international body, contributing to global advocacy for human rights, language rights, and the empowerment of young deaf leaders through the WFD Youth Section (wfdeaf.org).