Providing information, education, and training to build knowledge, develop skills, and change attitudes that will lead to increased independence, productivity, self determination, integration and inclusion (IPSII) for people with developmental disabilities and their families.

The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (DD Act)

« Return to DD Act Page


Administration on Developmental Disabilities Policy Memos/Information Memos

DD Definition

1977 A Study of the Definition of DD, HEW #105-76-5004 Abt Associates, February 1, 1977. 77-DEF-HEW
1977 Final Report of The National Task Force on the Definition of DD Submitted to Congressional Committees (October 1977) Elinor Gollay, Abt Associates. 77-DEF-GOL
1978 Program Data Review – A Compilation of Rates of Prevalence of the Developmental Disabilities, US Dept. HEW 78-ACR-HEW
1979 Summary of the Technical Advisory Committee Meeting on The Study of the Potential Impact of the Definition Recommended by the National Task Force on the Definition of DD, HEW 105-78-5003 February 5-6, 1979. Morgan Management Systems, Inc. 79-DEF-MOR
1979 Summary of the Second Technical Advisory Committee Meeting on The Study of the Potential Impact of the Definition Recommended by the National Task Force on the Definition of DD, HEW 105-78-5003 June 11-12, 1979. Morgan Management Systems, Inc. 79-DEF2-MOR
1979 A Numerical and Functional Description of the DD Population in the U.S. by Major Life Activities as Defined in the DD Act by Elizabeth Boggs and R. Lee Henney EMC Inst, (no date but references the 1978 DD Act). 78-DEF-BAH
1980 Operational Definition of DD (second draft), March 1980, by Elinor Gollay. 80-DEF-GOL
1981 Operational Definition of DD by Elinor Gollay, June 1981. 81-DEF-GOL
1981 Summary Report on the Implications of Modifying the Definition of a DD, Elinor Gollay, Gollay & Associates, June 1981. 81-DSR-GOL
1982 Standard Measurement Tools for Identifying the DD Population by R. Lee Henney, ICP, April & July 1982. 82-DEF-HEN
1983 Issues Regarding Operationalizing the Federal Definition of Developmental Disability; Michael W. Smull, Michael L. Sachs 83-IRO-Smull-Sachs

©2025 The Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities
Administration Building   50 Sherburne Avenue   Room G10
St. Paul, Minnesota 55155
Phone: 651-296-4018   Toll-free number: 877-348-0505   MN Relay Service: 800-627-3529 OR 711
Email: admin.dd.info@state.mn.us    View Privacy Policy    An Equal Opportunity Employer 

The GCDD is funded under the provisions of P.L. 106-402. The federal law also provides funding to the Minnesota Disability Law Center, the state Protection and Advocacy System, and to the Institute on Community Integration, the state University Center for Excellence. The Minnesota network of programs works to increase the IPSII of people with developmental disabilities and families into community life.

This project was supported, in part by grant number 2401MNSCDD, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

This website is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $1,152,808.00 funded by ACL/HHS and $222,000.00 funded by non-federal-government source(s). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government.