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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Endorsement General Curriculum

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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.

What is the Endorsement - General Curriculum grant?

Mason’s training has historically included numerous cohorts of students throughout the northeastern school districts of Region 4, including Page County in the southwest, as well as individuals making up a cohort in the Piedmont area. Individuals in Region 5 (i.e., Charlottesville) and Region 6 (i.e., Danville, Roanoke) have also been a part of Mason’s cohort training. The grant funding provides means (a) to establish a partnership between Mason and a partnering school district, (b) to recruit prospective teachers, and (c) to provide funding for provisionally licensed special education teachers of students who access the general education curriculum.

What are the benefits of the Endorsement - General Curriculum grant?

The endorsement grant delivers graduate-level special education courses to full-time or part-time individuals who hold an active provisional (special education) license with a Special Education: General Curriculum K-12 endorsement and who are employed in Virginia public schools as special educators of children with disabilities (accessing the general curriculum). The proposed grant funds will provide these teachers with a high-quality program to complete requirements they need to become eligible for a five-year, renewable special education teaching license.