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Center on Disability Studies

Curriculum Research and Development Group


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College of Education

Hawai'i Teacher Licensure Programs

Secondary Education; Special Education

See the “Institute for Teacher Education” and the “Special Education” sections within the College of Education for more details on BEd, post-baccalaureate, and MEdT options for teacher licensure.

Research Units

Center on Disability Studies

1776 University Avenue, UA4-6
Honolulu, HI 96822

Tel: (808) 956-2653
Fax: (808) 956-3162
Email: cds@hawaii.edu
Web: www.cds.hawaii.edu

The Center on Disability Studies (CDS) is a UH Board of Regents recognized organized research unit (ORU) focused on interdisciplinary education, community service and technical assistance, research and evaluation, and information dissemination. The CDS was established in 1988 as the Hawai'i University Affiliated Program, and is a charter member of the Association of University Centers on Disability (AUCD). This national network of university centers focuses on education, research, and service activities, which impact upon the quality of life of persons with disabilities across the nation. Beginning in 1988 with core funding of only $250,000 and a staff of four, the CDS has leveraged resources to its current level of funding of almost twenty million dollars and 50 projects, with more than 100 faculty and staff.

The CDS conducts a wide range of education, research, and service activities in collaboration with other disciplines. These activities are centered around several initiative areas: school and community inclusion; special health needs; transition, postsecondary education, and employment; mental health; and Pacific outreach. These initiative areas reflect a commitment to evidence-based practice and interdisciplinary cooperation within an academic, community, and family context. Activities strive to be culturally sensitive and demonstrate honor and respect for individual differences in behavior, attitudes, beliefs, and interpersonal styles. CDS activities reflect an organizational commitment to excellence and evidence-based practices. Faculty and staff are mentored, supported, and encouraged to excel.

The CDS offers an interdisciplinary Certificate in Disability and Diversity Studies, a 15-credit coursework grounded in the interdisciplinary process to promote effective, efficient, and culturally sensitive services for persons with disabilities of all ages. This program enables graduate students to acquire the skills needed to collaborate through joint planning, decision-making, and goal setting, gaining the perspective of mutual understanding and respect for persons with disabilities and the contributions of other disciplines.

Each year, the CDS sponsors the Pacific Rim Conference on Disabilities (Pac Rim), to promote collaboration and to impact future choices for persons with disabilities. Pac Rim focuses on disseminating information on promising practices, evidence-based research, and emerging issues with the communities it serves. This conference has been held annually for the past 25 years, with an attendance of approximately 1,000 from the state, region, nation, and international communities. Special efforts are made to provide support to enable persons with disabilities, self-advocates, parents, and family members of persons with disabilities to attend.

CDS publishes an international scholarly publication in the field of disability studies, The Review of Disability Studies: An International Journal (RDS). RDS is an internationally-focused academic journal in the field of Disability Studies, containing research articles, essays, bibliographies, and reviews of materials relating to the culture of disability and people with disabilities. It also publishes forums on disability topics brought together by forum editors of international stature. Poetry, short stories, creative essays, photographs, and art works related to disability are also published. RDS is published four times a year, in both print and electronic format.

Curriculum Research & Development Group

Castle Memorial 132
1776 University Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96822

Tel: (808) 956-7961
Fax: (808) 956-9486
Email: crdg@hawaii.edu
Web: www.hawaii.edu/crdg

The Curriculum Research & Development Group (CRDG), with its partner laboratory school, is an organized research unit in the College of Education at UH Manoa that contributes to the body of professional knowledge and practice in teaching and learning, curriculum development, program dissemination and implementation, evaluation and assessment, and school improvement. CRDG conducts research and creates, evaluates, disseminates, and supports educational programs that serve students, teachers, parents, and other educators in grades pre-K–20.

CRDG has ongoing research, curriculum development, and teacher professional development efforts in five focus areas: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education; Hawai'i, Asia, and the Pacific; serving diverse learners; educational technology development; and designing educational systems.

CRDG work influences change in curriculum, instruction, assessment, and school systems by creating programs and practices that result in improved student learning. CRDG concerns itself with the P–20 continuum of education, including those who receive and those who deliver educational programs and services. CRDG assembles teams of academic scholars, teachers, design specialists, evaluators, and others to create instructional programs and professional development services that improve learning, teaching, and assessment. While CRDG faculty are concerned with and address current needs, their primary focus is on creating innovations that by their very nature are intended to go beyond current practice to investigating and creating quality programs and materials for the future. Support for CRDG work comes from a mix of funding sources including the University of Hawai'i, other state of Hawai'i agencies, federal governmental granting agencies, private foundations, and pro bono services from the academic community, locally, nationally, and internationally.

CRDG conducts its work in partnership with the University Laboratory School (ULS). ULS, with its culturally diverse student body, provides an essential experimental ground for developing and testing educational ideas and programs aimed at improving teaching, learning, and assessment. The school enrolls approximately 450 students in grades K–12 and serves as a demonstration site for exemplary school practices.

Student Organizations

The College of Education Student Association (CESA) is open to all persons interested in teacher education. CESA members participate in college committees and projects and sponsor various activities for education students. CESA is an affiliate of the Student National Education Association. For more information, call (808) 956-7849 or email cesa@hawaii.edu.

All doctoral students are eligible to participate in the College of Education Doctoral Student Association (COEDSA). COEDSA sponsors activities and workshops on matters of concern to doctoral students. For more information, visit COEDSA's website at: www.hawaii.edu/coedsa/.

Honors and Scholarships

Each semester, the College of Education recognizes the scholastic performance of students who achieve a GPA of 3.5 or better by placing them on the Dean's List. To be eligible for the Dean's List, students must successfully complete at least 15 credits during the semester. Additionally, the college awards the distinction of being student marshals at commencement exercises to those students who demonstrate high scholastic achievement, outstanding character, and extraordinary potential for teaching. Exemplary students also are invited to join the College of Education's chapter of Pi Lambda Theta, a national education honorary society.

The College of Education makes scholarship support available to classified undergraduate and graduate students. In 2010-2011, students received scholarships totaling over $200,000. For information, contact the Office of Student Academic Services at (808) 956-7849.