Disability Rights Education Defense Fund (DRDF) is a national civil rights law and policy center directed by individuals with disabilities and parents who have children with disabilities. DRDF's mission is to advance the civil and human rights of people with disabilities through legal advocacy, training, education, and public policy and legislative development. They provide legal and other types of referrals to incarcerated people with disability issues. DRDF does not provide individual representation. They represent clients in leading-edge disability rights litigation and serve as co-counsel and prepare amicus curiae briefs on behalf of parties that include disability community representatives and members of Congress in disability rights cases heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.

They also advocate for the legal rights of individuals and families. DRDF trains and educates people with disabilities and parents of children with disabilities about their rights under state and federal disability rights laws and they also educate lawyers, service providers, government officials, and many others about disability civil rights laws and policies. Moreover, DRDF designs and carries out strategies that strengthen public policy and that lead to the enactment of federal and state laws protecting and advancing civil rights for people with disabilities such as the landmark 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act.