Dedicated to support.

DirectCourse | College of Direct Support brings training in line with the latest research and partners with other leaders in the field of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Our partners.

Research and Training Center on Community Living at the University of Minnesota

Since 2002, we’ve worked with the Research and Training Center on Community Living at the University of Minnesota as our partner on every College of Direct Support course. Since 1976, they have led the industry in researching how direct support professionals can best serve people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in getting more from every day in their communities. Their team of experts author courses filled with the most recent research so that your staff can deliver the best possible support.

In addition to our content and research partner, the College of Direct Support is proud to partner with these organizations to continue empowering direct support professionals:

The American Network of Community Options and Resources

We partner with The American Network of Community Options and Resources, a group of agencies and other providers of support to people with disabilities, to provide their members with our training at a discount. To learn more, visit their site.

Council on Quality Leadership

DirectCourse has partnered with the Council on Quality and Leadership, an international provider of training, accreditation, consultation and certification services for human service organizations. As part of our partnership, we will make available online courses based on CQL’s Personal Outcome Measures – stay tuned for more information!

Our Boards

To ensure that our training is in line with best practices in direct support, we include National Advisory Board and National Editorial Board in our content creation process.

Meet our board members

Our values.

Inclusion and community membership.

People with disabilities should be included as full members of the community, while receiving necessary support from committed, skilled professionals.

Full citizenship and fundamental rights.

People with disabilities should have the chance to take full advantage of their civil and individual rights – and the support needed to exercise those rights.

Independent and productive living.

Everyone should have the opportunity to live their life as independently and productively as possible - and access to the support they need to continually expand those opportunities.

Safe and healthy lives.

Safety isn't an option - it's a fundamental human right. People with disabilities should receive the support they need to make safe and healthy decisions to maximize the benefits they receive for their own medical, dental and mental health care.

Choice and self-determined lives.

People with disabilities have the right to make their own decisions about their lives, including about the support they receive, where they live and with whom.

Sustained and valued relationships.

Every person with a disability should receive the support they need to have a family and social, spiritual and intimate relationships.

Competent and effective support.

Anyone who relies on others to fulfill basic rights, needs and responsibilities should have a direct care worker with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to do so effectively.

Stable and dependable support.

People who depend on others to live and fulfill their basic rights deserve ongoing stability and dependability from every care professional.

Ethical, value-based treatment.

Every person with a disability should receive support based on ethics and values that reflect a commitment to civil rights, freedom, privacy, autonomy and equality.

Educate. Enrich. Inspire.

That’s our mission. We want to give you everything your organization needs so you can educate your staff, enrich their knowledge and help them inspire everyone they work with on a daily basis.

Request a free trial today