From http://aect.org: 

"AECT has become a major organization for those actively involved in the design of instruction and the development of a systematic approach to learning. It provides an international forum for the dissemination and exchange of ideas among its members and target audiences; it is the national and international advocate for the improvement of instruction; and it is the most widely recognized source of information concerning a wide range of instructional and educational technology. AECT and its members have numerous state and international affiliates, all of which are passionate about finding better ways to help people learn. AECT is the oldest professional home for this topic and continues to maintain a central position in the field, promoting high standards of scholarship and practice. AECT has 10 divisions and a Graduate Student Assembly that span the breadth and depth of the field. The association produces two print bimonthly journals, Educational Technology Research and Development and TechTrends, and three electronic journals, Journal of Formative Design in Learning, The Journal of Applied Instructional Design, and  International Journal of Designs for Learning."