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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SE Faculty Seed Grants

Every year CEHD supports new or emerging interdisciplinary research projects through the seed grant initiative.

Here is a list of CEHD seed grants for 2017-2018 with Special Education faculties.
Follow this link to see the full list of recipients of CEHD seed grants.
Name of Investigators (Bold indicates PI) Title of Proposal/Abstract or Summary of Aims
Elizabeth Levine Brown, Human Development and Family Science/Elementary Education, CEHD
Linda H. Mason, Ph.D. Special Education, CEHD
Tracy Sweet, Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology at the University of Maryland
Michael Valenti, Pressley Ridge Schools (Pittsburgh, PA) 		Collaborative Communities in Special Education: Exploring How Social Networks and Special Education Teachers’ Social and Emotional Competence Inform Positive Outcomes for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

This project investigates how special education teachers’ social emotional competence is associated with the quality of formal and informal collaborations in self-contained classrooms in schools serving students with EBD. This work informs the movement to establish more inclusive classrooms by identifying the critical competencies educators need to implement effective practices.
Grace L. Francis, Special Education, CEHD
Jodi Duke, Special Education, CEHD
Mark Thurston, School of Integrative Studies, CHSS & Center for the Advancement of Well-Being
Michael Wolf-Branigin, Social Work, CHHS 		Developing the “Be Ready, Be Well” Program Prototype: Proof of Concept

This proposal aims to (a) develop a prototype of the “Be Ready, Be Well” program, (b) mentor student researchers, (c) foster local and national partnerships, (d) result in peer-reviewed manuscripts and presentations, and (e) establish a proof of concept for the program to secure grant funding to pilot the prototype.
Sarah Nagro, Special Education, CEHD
Christan Coogle, Early Childhood Education, CEHD
Kelley Regan, Special Education, CEHD
Kristen O’Brien, Special Education, CEHD 		eCoaching Plus Video Analysis: A Comprehensive Approach to Field-Based Special Education Teacher Preparation

Leverage interdisciplinary expertise to investigate an innovative, comprehensive teacher preparation approach across both early childhood and schoolage settings in order to use findings from this project to propel a timely and relevant line of research allowing for dissemination through publication, presentation, and securing of external funds.
Anastasia P. Samaras, Elementary, Literacy, and Secondary Education, CEHD
Lynne Scott Constantine, School of Art, CVPA
Lesley Smith, School of Integrative Studies, CHSS
Paula Cristina Azevedo, Secondary Education, CEHD
Anya Evmenova, Special Education, CEHD
Margret Hjalmarson, Mathematics Education, CEHD
Arvinder Johri, Secondary Education, CEHD
Allison Ward-Parsons, Literacy and Reading, CEHD 		Adjunct Faculty Self-Study Collaborative at Mason: Building a Professional Community with Adjuncts as Faculty Associate Compeers

A one-year transdisciplinary self-study professional community for supporting the professional development and teaching of Adjunct Faculty as Associates across Colleges. Addresses immediate and urgent need at Mason. Its transdisciplinary design of both investigators and participants holds great potential for improved student learning and opportunities for large scale research and funding.