Summer Leadership Experience 2024
Multiple speakers, a banquet dinner, even a magic show - campers at HDI’s Summer Leadership Experience Camp were busy - but they learned a lot.The ...
Dr. Gooden’s work to Continue
Caroline Gooden may have retired, but that doesn’t mean her work is finished. She will continue to coordinate a grant on a part-time basis to ...
Ross makes her stage debut
It’s never too late to discover a passion, as Suzanne Ross can attest. At 62, she’s trying something new and loving every minute of it ...
Dr. Rachel Womack joins HDI!
HDI’s new training director worked with the organization before, and it had a profound impact on her life. Now, she’ll be working with some of the ...
HDI Staff Spotlight on Adam Potter
For much of his college career, Adam Potter struggled to find the right path. Despite being an avid musician, he didn’t feel like his initial ...
Making Connections
As Executive Director Dr. Kathy Sheppard-Jones tells it, 2023 was a year of connections for the Human Development Institute. Connections, according to Sheppard-Jones, are a ...
She got her wish! A staff spotlight on Bethany Hughes
Bethany Hughes always knew to some degree where her life was headed. “People always say, Hey, I always wanted to be a firefighter,” Hughes said ...
She wears many hats! A staff spotlight on Chelsea Bocard
Chelsea Bocard wears enough hats, she could open her own hatter. Bocard’s technical job title is Disability Program Assistant, but it doesn’t get across exactly ...
Applications being accepted for the 2024 Summer Leadership Experience
The University of Kentucky Human Development Institute in partnership with the Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation present the Summer Leadership Experience (SLE) in July 2024. All Kentucky ...
Kindness is Free. A Staff Spotlight on Dr. Angela Cooper
After earning her associate’s degree, Angela Cooper decided it was enough…until she wanted to learn just a bit more. She kept learning just a bit ...
HDI Staff and Students Attend AUCD Annual Conference
University of Kentucky Human Development Institute (HDI) staff and students attend the 2023 Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) conference. The theme of this ...
UK expands training to help substance-exposed children
Educators from the University of KY are providing a unique service to address a desperate need- training students to work with babies born substance exposed ...
Quilting a Life of Learning. A staff spotlight on Sally Dannenberg
Sally Dannenberg loves to learn and watch people learn. Maybe that has something to do with why she enjoys working with children so much - ...
Summer Leadership Experience 2023
What comes next after you graduate high school? When students toss their caps in the air, a whole new world opens up and they’re faced ...
HDI Photo Library Available Now!
Stock photography lacks disability representation. The photos are often staged and use models without disabilities resulting in misrepresentation and unnatural scenes. Staff from the University ...
HDI’s Preservice Health Training Stands the Test of Time
Medical knowledge can advance so quickly that it’s a wonder when any tool stands the test of more than a few years. HDI’s Preservice Training ...
From Hollywood to HDI
Gregory Bow loves using his art to tell stories. For a while, that meant working in Hollywood in the animation industry. Now, it means working ...
A Semi-Brief Fascinating History of American Sign Language + Resources for Learning
There is a vast misconception among hearing Americans that American Sign Language is English on the hands, but in fact, it is a full language ...
Lifetime access pass to national parks and recreational land offers accessible options to Americans with disabilities
Spring sunshine continues to taunt summer loving Kentuckians with its promise of the radiant afternoon rays that fade into calm evening glow. It’s a great ...
“Can You Read My Lips?” Ten Things to Know Before You Ask
Lip reading is a communication technique in which a person who does not have full access to sound closely watches the mouth of a speaker ...
Child Care Aware of Kentucky Block Project
It might be surprising to learn that one of the most powerful tools for teaching children during early development is the humble building block. And ...
New HDI project to use Universal Design to create inclusive student environments
Over the past several years, the mental health of students has declined. According to the CDC, the pandemic saw mental health concerns reach a crisis ...
A look into the Undergraduate Certificate in Universal Design
Universal Design affects everyone—students of all disciplines, people with disabilities, and any other community members. Universal design creates spaces and products that are as usable ...
Graduate Certificate in Developmental Disabilities Student Spotlight: Ruhiyyih Henderson
Meet Ruhiyyih Henderson: a student in the Human Development Institute’s Graduate Certificate in Developmental Disabilities program! Ruhiyyih has worked with people with a wide range ...
KYLEND Trainee Spotlight: Micah Peace Urquilla
Meet Micah Peace Urquilla! Micah is a 28 year old Queer, Autistic, and multiply Disabled self-advocate. Micah lives in Louisville with their husband Manny and ...
KYLEND Trainee Spotlight: Clare Andres
Meet Clare Andres! Clare is a third-year graduate student in the Communication Sciences and Disorders Program at the University of Kentucky. Clare recently completed her ...
KYLEND Trainee Spotlight: Gabby Imfeld
Meet Gabby Imfeld! Gabby is currently a third-year student in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program here at the University of Kentucky. Gabby initially found ...
KYLEND Trainee Spotlight: Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Drummond USAF
Meet Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) Jonathan Drummond USAF (retired)! Jon comes to the University of Kentucky with an M.S. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology (Kansas State University) ...
KYLEND Trainee Spotlight: Nicholas Hoffman
Meet Nicholas Hoffman! Nicholas is a fourth-year student at Eastern Kentucky University’s Doctor of Psychology program and is currently enrolled in classes and accruing hours ...
ASL Team delivers services at Southeast Regional Institute on Deafness
This past October, the Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreting Team, housed at the University of Kentucky Human Development Institute, ...
KYLEND Trainee Spotlight: Hope Leet Dittmeier
Meet Hope Leet Dittmeier! Hope has worked in the field of developmental disabilities for over forty years. Hope has a master’s degree in Rehabilitation from ...
Kentucky DeafBlind Project Connects Youth from Across the State for a Week of Hands-On Education and Fun
For each of the past seven summers, DeafBlind young adults across Kentucky have come together for Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) Week, a five-day recreational learning ...
KYLEND Trainee Spotlight: Cameron Tyrrell
Cameron Tyrell is a second-year doctoral student in the Special Education program at the University of Kentucky with an emphasis in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education ...
The State of HDI Episode 1: Inclusive Higher Education in Kentucky Supported Higher Education Project
Date: 9/7/2022 Description: Students with intellectual disabilities have been significantly underrepresented in higher education. Learn more about inclusive higher education programs supporting students with education ...
Going beyond the requirements, UK HDI’s Kentucky Post School Outcomes Center sets exemplary standard for improving students with disabilities transitional outcomes after high school
In 2020, Kentucky students with disabilities who had exited high school in the previous year were asked which resource in high school had continued to ...
UK Human Development Institute Resources Formally Recommended by American Academy of Pediatrics for Families of Infants with Down Syndrome
In a clinical report released on April 18, The American Academy of Pediatrics recommended resources administered by the University of Kentucky Human Development Institute to ...
UK Human Development Institute Welcomes Kentucky High School Upperclassmen with Disabilities to Apply to its Summer Leadership Experience Camp
The University of Kentucky Human Development Institute will host its Summer Leadership Experience camp for its sixth consecutive summer. The transitional experience camp, which will ...
Funding Opportunity to Establish a Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary Program
The University of Kentucky Human Development Institute (HDI) is inviting applications from Kentucky institutions of higher education for 12-month planning funds to support them in ...
HDI Staff and Students Selected to present at National Conferences
Congratulations to HDI Staff selected to present at the 2022 National Council on Rehabilitation Education Conference in San Diego, California in March. Evaluating the Stress-Appraisal-Coping ...
Taylor Tucker named “Hometown Hero”
Congratulations to Taylor Tucker, a Quality Coach for Child Care Aware of Kentucky in the Two Rivers region. Tucker was recently named a Hometown Hero ...
University of Kentucky Human Development Institute releases 2022-2023 Strategic Plan
The University of Kentucky Human Development Institute (HDI) is pleased to announce the release of its 2022-2023 Strategic Plan. As Kentucky’s University Center on Disability, ...
HDI Staff to Present at Annual AUCD Conference
University of Kentucky Human Development Institute (HDI) staff are preparing to present sessions and posters at the 2021 Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) ...
Undergraduate Certificate in Universal Design Student Spotlight: Victoria Cabral
By: Amanda Corbin Victoria Cabral is a busy junior with a double major in Spanish and Computer Science who also started coursework in the Undergraduate ...
HDI Launches Storytelling Website
The University of Kentucky Human Development Institute Digital Storytelling Initiative highlights the stories and lived experiences of people with disabilities. By recording and collecting stories, the ...
HDI Receives Notice of Awards
The University of Kentucky Human Development Institute (HDI) received notice of award of a five-year grant from the Administration for Community Living to better serve ...
Funding Opportunity to Establish a Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary Program
The Human Development Institute (HDI) is inviting applications from Kentucky Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) for a 12-month planning grant to support IHEs in developing ...
Project SCOPE Online Training Series
The UK Human Development Institute Project SCOPE online training series (nine sessions) is for early care staff who work directly with young children who have ...
Kentucky Supported Higher Education Partnership Launches Website
The University of Kentucky (UK) Human Development Institute (HDI) launches the Kentucky Supported Higher Education Partnership’s (KSHEP) website. KSHEP is a network of institutions of ...
Child Care Aware of Kentucky Regional Administrator selected for 2021 Exchange Leadership Initiative
Hans Peterson, Regional Administrator of the Jefferson region of Child Care Aware (CCA) of Kentucky has been selected to participate in the 2021 Exchange Leadership ...
Addressing Education and Postsecondary Inequities for Kentucky Students with Intellectual Disabilities
On May 20, 2021, the University of Kentucky submitted application to the U.S. Department of Education Office of Federal Student Aid to establish a Comprehensive ...
2021 Summer Leadership Experience Accepting Applications
The University of Kentucky Human Development Institute in partnership with the Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation present the Summer Leadership Experience on July 7–10, 2021 ...
Graduate Certificate in Developmental Disabilities Student Spotlight: Emma Foret
Music therapy is gaining popularity as an effective approach for enhancing communication and social skills for people with developmental disabilities. This year’s cohort of Graduate ...
Koeller named WKU Child Studies 2021 Alumnus of the Year
Western Kentucky University has named Stephanie Koeller the Child Studies 2021 Alumnus of the Year. Stephanie is a Professional Development Coach with Child Care Aware ...
The Kentucky Post School Outcomes Center Takes on a New Look
The Kentucky Post School Outcomes Center (KYPSO) has a new project logo. KYPSO, a project of the University of Kentucky Human Development Institute, introduces a ...
Delivering on the Promise of Employment First for Students with Significant Disabilities
The University of Kentucky Human Development Institute - HDI, the Kentucky Department of Education, and the Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation are pleased to announce ...
Kentucky awarded an OSEP Educational Leadership Grant
The Kentucky LEADS (Leading, Educating, Advocating-Directors of Special Education) Academy grant from the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) to the Kentucky Department of Education ...
The Kentucky Alternate Assessment Project
The Kentucky Alternate Assessment Project (KAAP) is a result of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) of 1990 and is designed to include students with ...
Percussion Empowerment Project
A UK Human Development Institute (HDI) Fund for Excellence award has been given to Haley Potter, BA, to fund a pilot project aimed at teaching ...
Hausman and Howard to lead Kentucky’s Act Early Network
The University of Kentucky Human Development Institute (HDI) has received a 2020 Act Early State and Territorial Team COVID-19 Response Initiative grant funded through an ...
HDI Program Administrator to serve as Co-Investigator for IMLS National Libraries Leadership Award
Dr. Caroline Gooden, Disability Program Administrator at the UK Human Development Institute, will serve as a Co-Investigator for the “Services for Children of All Abilities ...
Supporting Kentucky’s Child Care Programs
As part of Kentucky’s response to COVID-19, up to 38,000 Kentucky childcare providers will complete mandatory training to fulfill requirements to re-open their programs. Child ...
Mary Howard selected a Children’s Mental Health Champion
The Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) with support from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has selected Mary Howard, HDI Research and Development ...
Eagle Scout Project Supports Alternative Communication
Nate Slack, a senior at West Jessamine High School and member of Boy Scout Troop 473 at the Nicholasville United Methodist Church, completed his Eagle ...
Summer Leadership Experience
The University of Kentucky (UK) Human Development Institute (HDI) and the Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation invites Kentucky high school students with disabilities entering their ...
Kentucky Post School Outcome Center Begins Data Collection
The UK Human Development Institute (HDI) houses the Kentucky Post School Outcome Center (KyPSO) to increase the capacity of local school districts, teachers, parents, and ...
HDI Awarded Project to Support Children and Families of the Opioid Epidemic
The University of Kentucky (UK) Human Development Institute (HDI) has been selected as a primary lead program for Project Supporting Children of the Opioid Epidemic ...
Administration for Community Living funds Center for Dignity in Healthcare for People with Disabilities
The Administration for Community Living has awarded the University of Cincinnati Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities a $1.5 million grant to lead eight national partners, ...
HDI partnership receives AUCD grant to support Kentucky families
The Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) has awarded the UK Human Development Institute (HDI) the Innovative Community of Practice (CoP) on Parenting, Behavioral ...
HDI Reaches Notable Milestone with 100 Online Courses!
HDI has reached a notable milestone of 100 online courses, including 4 in development! HDI launched online learning initiative for early childhood in 2004 with ...
Latest Fund for Excellence Awards: March 2019
The Human Development Institute (HDI) established the Fund for Excellence for the development of innovative programs, services or products to address the needs of individuals ...
HDI Projects for Education & an Insider Perspective from Mike Abell: Part 2
by Amanda Corbin Innovations in Education For students age three to 21, in both special education and general education, we are already seeing innovation in ...
HDI Projects for Education & an Insider Perspective from Mike Abell: Part 1
Amanda Kelley Corbin Dr. Mike Abell has worked in special education since 1991 and has experience with students with disabilities from preschool to post-secondary transition ...
Supported Training Experiences Post-Secondary (STEPS) Helps Students with Disabilities Thrive in College
by Amanda Corbin The Supported Training Experiences Post-Secondary (STEPS) case study project provides leadership skill-building opportunities for college freshmen with disabilities who participated in the ...
Fall Seminar: School Bullying, Students with Disabilities, and School Safety
“If it takes a village to raise a child, then it may take a village to help prevent and eliminate bullying of our children. Bullying ...
HDI Speakers Featured at Post-Secondary Education Workshop in Louisville
On Thursday, October 11, HDI's Teresa Belluscio and her two STEPS students, Emma Keyser and Brooke Wray, co-presented at a "Build Your Future" workshop at ...
Fund for Excellence Awarded for Teacher Effectiveness Study
We’re excited to share that HDI is offering a Fund for Excellence grant this year entitled “Teacher Effectiveness Pilot,” led by Dr. Caroline Gooden, Growing Together ...
HDI and the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives (KDLA) Work to Create School Ready Libraries
By Mary Howard and Stephanie Meredith HDI and the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives (KDLA) have worked for the past three years to prepare ...
KentuckyWorks Post-Secondary Community Conversation
by Amanda Corbin Nearly 100 people attended a community conversation on May 21 for self-advocates, families, and professionals to discuss how to increase post-secondary opportunities ...
Research Brief Winter 2018
A Qualitative Study of the Impact of Peer Networks and Peer Support Arrangements in Project Pilot Schools by Patti Logsdon, Mark Samudre, & Harold Kleinert Photo ...