Gunnar Dybwad

[1] At the start of his career, Dybwad focused his attention on the humane treatment for people in the criminal justice and child welfare systems.

[4][8] In 1967, Dybwad became the founding director of the Starr Center for Mental Retardation at the Heller School for Policy and Management, Brandeis University.

Maximal integration meant providing these people with opportunities to live in "ordinary family settings," and have access to "typical community services.

[14] At the 1959 Convention of the National Association for Retarded Children, he called for "research in problems of management, of residential care, including physical plant and equipment.

[18][6] In the 1950s, Dybwad, representing the Association of Retarded Citizens (known as The Arc), helped to organize family members and friends in efforts to "liberate people" from custodial institutions.

[19] He played a major role in encouraging the 1972 Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children (PARC) to file disability rights litigation with the federal court.

"[20][9] The American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities gives out the Dybwad Humanitarian Award, named after him, to individuals involved with "culturally responsive programs that have succeeded in full community inclusion and participation".