Writing for the Division of Leaders and Legacy, Pamela Gillet posted a remembrance of Michael J. Ward on 21 July 2026. Michael Ward provided professional and intellectual leadership for special education, particularly transition programs, while serving on the staff of the Council for Exceptional Children in the US Office of Special Education Programs and, especially, advocating for self-determination for individuals with disabilities. Here is Pam’s remembrance.
The special education community lost one of its most influential leaders with the passing of Dr. Michael James Ward on April 2, 2026. A lifelong advocate for individuals with disabilities, Mike’s work helped shape the fields of special education, transition services, and self-determination.
Born with cerebral palsy in 1951, Mike transformed his personal experiences into a lifetime of advocacy. He was a pioneering leader in the disability rights movement, co-founding Disabled in Action of New York City with Dr. Judy Heumann and participating in Camp Jened, experiences that helped fuel a national movement for disability rights.
Within the Council for Exceptional Children, Mike served as a project director during the 1970s, contributing to CEC’s efforts to improve educational opportunities for children and youth with disabilities. His time with the Council marked an important chapter in a career dedicated to expanding opportunity, independence, and inclusion.
Mike later joined the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs, where he became the driving force behind the nation’s self-determination initiative. Widely recognized as the father of self-determination in the United States, he championed practices that empowered students with disabilities to make choices, set goals, and lead their own lives. Those principles continue to influence transition planning and special education practice today.
Throughout his career, Mike remained a mentor, teacher, and role model whose leadership was grounded in lived experience and an unwavering belief in the potential of every individual.
The Division of Legacy and Leaders honors Dr. Michael J. Ward for his enduring contributions to CEC, the disability rights movement, and the advancement of self-determination. His legacy will continue to inspire future generations of educators, advocates, and leaders.
Readers of Special Education Today who would like to know more about Michael Ward and his substantial and important contributions to special education, individuals with disabilities, and families may want to read a remembrance by Hugh Berry, Emmett Cooke, Bill Halloran, Pam Leconte, George Tilson, and Michael Wehmeyer (2026).
Pam Gillet, who is a member if the executive committee for the Division of Leaders and Legacy, is a long-time leader in special education. She has taught at multiple universities and served as president for CEC,
Berry, H., Cooke, E., Halloran, B., Leconte, P., Tilson, G., & Wehmeyer, M. (2026). In memoriam: Michael J. Ward, PhD. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 49(3), 145-146. https://doi.org/10.1177/21651434261456539
Ward M. J. (1996). Coming of age in the age of self-determination: A historical and personal perspective. In D. J. Sands & M, L. Wehmeyer (Eds.), Self-determination across the life span: Independence and choice for people with disabilities (pp. 3–16). Brookes.

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