WIND is part of a national network of interdisciplinary Centers advancing policy and practice for and with individuals with developmental and other disabilities, their families and communities. The Centers, mostly located on university campuses, are referred to as University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research and Service (UCEDD). WIND is a UCEDD and all UCEDD's are members of a national organization known as the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD's).

UCEDD's are established and guided by a federal law - The Development Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (DO Act). The DO Act mandates each UCEDD to do four things: Training, Community Services, Information Dissemination and Research.

At WIND, we divide our Community Service activities into Community Education and Community Supports. This is done for three reasons:

1. better service Wyoming consumers
2. better tracking of funding and grant initiatives
3. more efficiently align our efforts to meet needs in Wyoming communities

WIND emphasizes the importance of community training and technical assistance for or with individuals with developmental disabilities, family members, professionals, paraprofessionals, students and volunteers. Community service providers can have significant impact on a community's ability to develop the necessary supports for an individual with a disability. Therefore, in working to develop a community's capacity to provide appropriate services, WIND engages in a variety of service and training programs through our two-track approach of delivering supports through Community Education and Community Supports.

Community Education - WIND provides education about disabilities and for individuals with disabilities and their families, friends, and service providers throughout Wyoming. Community Education staff members are trained to provide disability education to diverse groups that include residents; University of Wyoming students, faculty, and staff; professionals; educators; and residents. Some community education staff members have expertise in assistive technology, aging, and outreach to the ranching communities.

Community Supports - The focus of Community Supports is to tie together all supports and services inside Wyoming communities in a coordinated and integrated manner and underscore the importance of allowing people needing those supports and services are defining their own needs, according to their desires for community living. Community Supports includes personal support, support needed for recreation and for vocational choices. All Community Supports grant components involve holistic approaches using local resources to ensure full community inclusion.