Kellar Institute for Human DisAbilities (KIHd) - College of Education and Human Development - George Mason University
About KIHd
About Us

The Kellar Institute for Human DisAbilities (KIHd) is an interdisciplinary campus-based organization focusing on improving the lives and productivity of children and adults with disabilities. KIHd combines the resources of the university with local, state, regional, national, public, and private sector agencies and organizations to develop products, services, and programs for persons with disabilities.

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Licensure, Certificates & Training Grants

The Kellar Institute for Human DisAbilities (KIHd) collaborates with a consortium of Virginia universities to offer training/licensure options for teachers of students with visual impairments and severe disabilities. Distance education makes the programs more accessible and maximizes the number of individuals who can receive the training.

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VDOE Grants

With the support from Virgina Department of Education KIHd serves teachers, parents, therapists, and community service providers by providing a variety of continuing learning experiences via annual workshops, conferences, and project activities. In many cases, KIHd uses distance education to provide teacher training and professional development across the state.

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Project We Got It
Research

The Kellar Institute for Human DisAbilities (KIHd) continues to build and support numerous educational research projects that vary across disciplines spearheaded by the Mason faculty members. Our goal is to increase evidence based instructional and behavioral strategies to improve academic outcomes for all students with disabilities.

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Leadership Grants
DOCTORAL AND MASTERS STUDENTS

The Kellar Institute for Human DisAbilities (KIHd) doctoral and masters students conduct cutting edge research at George Mason University that is aimed to serve persons with disabilities and their families.

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Virginia Is for Leaders

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VIRGINIA IS FOR LEADERS

The Virginia Is for Leaders: Development of Experts in Evidence-based Literacy Practices for Students with Disabilities (Virginia DEEL) program is designed to address national and state-identified needs for highly qualified personnel in special education who are leaders in the field of evidence-based literacy (reading and writing) instruction. This project is a collaboration between the University of Virginia (U.Va.) and George Mason University’s (GMU) special education programs.

Each institution will train four doctoral level personnel to become higher education faculty in special education. By drawing upon nationally recognized leaders in evidence-based practices in reading, writing, and disability research across the state of Virginia, the focus of this training program will be the development of eight new leaders in evidence-based literacy practices for individuals with disabilities. Using a focus on evidence-based practices, the training program will prepare leaders capable of conducting and applying current research in schools, teacher preparation programs, and clinical settings, while simultaneously contributing to a reduction in special education personnel shortages in Virginia and the nation.

The training program will be interdisciplinary in nature with faculty coming from the fields of special education, reading, and developmental psychology. DEEL Scholars will become experts stemming from a combination of rigorous coursework, apprenticeship experiences, and learning from skilled and experienced faculty members within the Curry School of Education and Human Development at U.Va. and the School of Education at GMU.

Scholars at both institutions will be given generous financial support so that qualified candidates, who have teaching experience, can be recruited and have the resources necessary to leave their teaching positions to pursue their doctorial training fulltime.