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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Student using assistive technology keyboard
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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students, parents, professionals attending state of the art conference
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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MECTT: Multicultural Early Childhood Team Training

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A shared project with PEATC and the Helen A. Kellar Institute for Human disAbilities. Multicultural Early Childhood Team Training (MECTT) is a model for preparing parent and professional teams to improve services to diverse families of young children with special needs--infusing cultural competence in early childhood programs. The project has produced a training package consisting of a Participant Manual and Trainer's Guide, which includes an orientation section. Since 1993, the project has provided resources and training for individual programs for community initiatives, and for statewide initiatives.

Participant teams are prepared to:

  • Increase the involvement of diverse families in their children's development and education.
  • Deliver culturally competent family centered services.
  • Provide technical assistance and training to staff to increase culturally responsive practices.
  • Work as a statewide team to develop a coordinated plan for infusing culturally responsive services.

The project's philosophy is that parents and professionals working together can effectively promote change, and participants with diverse educational backgrounds and experiences enrich the learning process.

This project is a family/professional collaboration between George Mason University's Kellar Institute for Human disAbilities and PEATC, the Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center. Materials were developed under grant #H 324R000019 from the Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education.