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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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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Training Grants

The Helen A. Kellar Institute for Human disAbilities collaborates with universities across Virginia to offer special educator preparation programs in a consortium format allowing students to exchange ideas with scholars and instructors throughout the Commonwealth. Distance education options and grant funding are available through the consortiums which offer accessibility to students throughout the state maximizing the number of individuals who can receive training.


Endorsement
General Curriculum

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) supports the Traineeships for Education of Special Education Personnel (Special Education: General Curriculum K-12 Endorsement Area Program). The purpose of this grant is to address the needs of provisionally licensed special education teachers in Virginia. The endorsement grant expands Mason’s existing Cohort Outreach Program. This program uniquely provides a special education - general curriculum teacher preparation program for employed teachers by providing convenience and a better link between academia and school realities. The cohort model is offered to public school divisions in Virginia.

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DCOP
General Curriculum

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) supports the Dynamic Coaching Outreach Program in Special Education: General Curriculum (DCOP). The DCOP project uses a variety of technology-based enhancements to facilitate a more dynamic coaching and feedback cycle during the teaching internship experience. The teaching internship is required for provisionally licensed teachers enrolled in our general curriculum (K-12) licensure program at George Mason University. These provisionally licensed teachers complete the internship while on-the-job in their school.

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Consortium

The Virginia Consortium for Teacher Preparation in Severe Disabilities is comprised of five state approved teacher preparation programs in severe disabilities (SD), including George Mason University, Norfolk State University, Radford University, University of Virginia, and Virginia Commonwealth University.

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VI Consortium

Virginia Consortium for Teacher Preparation in Vision Impairment is the only academic program for preparing teachers of students with visual impairments in Virginia and is comprised of five universities: George Mason University, James Madison University, Norfolk State University, Old Dominion University, and Radford University.

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