Richard J. Robison

Executive Director, Federation for Children with Special Needs

Richard J. Robison brings to more than twenty-five years experience in the management of nonprofits, as well as six years experience on the Commissioner’s staff at the Massachusetts Department of Mental Retardation. He has served as the Executive Director of the Federation for Children with Special Needs since 1997.

Dr. Robison and his wife, Dotty, are the parents of three children, two of whom have Down syndrome. He serves on several relevant boards and commissions, representing the needs of children with disabilities and their parents, including the Massachusetts Department of Education’s Statewide Advisory Council on Special Education. He is also a four-term School Committee member in Sudbury, MA.

On a national level, Dr. Robison is a member of the Council on Consumer Affairs of the Association of University Centers on Disability (AUCD), and is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Down Syndrome Congress.

In 2000, the Robison family received the Alan C. Crocker Advocacy Award of the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress.

Dr. Robison is an ordained minister of the American Baptist Churches in Massachusetts and has served several congregations in Boston and surrounding towns. From 1991–1994, he was the Protestant Chaplain at the Fernald Development Center in Waltham, MA.

Universal Design for Learning calls for ...
  • Multiple means of representation, to give learners various ways of acquiring information and knowledge,
  • Multiple means of expression, to provide learners alternatives for demonstrating what they know,
  • Multiple means of engagement, to tap into learners' interests, offer appropriate challenges, and increase motivation.

Did You Know...?
The 'universal' in Universal Design for Learning does not imply a single optimal solution for everyone. Instead, it underscores the need for multiple approaches to meet the needs of diverse learners.