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Institute for Human Development
Changing the way you experience the world
Access | Attitude | Inclusion
Our Work:
- Impacts people at all life stages- individually and socially
- Influences policy at local, state, national, and global levels
Vision: People with disabilities fully participate in all life experiences
Mission: Promote full inclusion by advancing attitudes that value persons with disabilities and enhancing access to all aspects of the human experience
The IHD fosters the development of attitudes that promote the public’s appreciation and value of individuals with disabilities. Attitudes, as barriers to or facilitators of inclusion, go hand-in-hand with access. Access, commonly thought of as access to services and supports, can have a much broader meaning. Services are unquestionably essential for inclusion but access also refers to access to information, education, physical environments, community, friendships, relationships, etc. Conceptually, access and attitude have reciprocal roles in promoting or inhibiting inclusion.
Senator Harkin
Parents, family members, or professionals in the field, do you NEED Information on an AAC Evaluation? Go to the NAU AAC Evaluation Page for program and contact information.

Latest News, Articles, and of Interest
2020 – 2021 Report to the Community
IHD awarded $5M to provide training and technical support to tribal rehab projects
Posted November 11, 2021
“Living the Dream,” a profile of IHD Professor for Disability Studies Matthew Wangeman written by Andrew Faught, has been awarded the 2021 Circle of Excellence by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. One nominator described Professor Wangeman as “father, scholar, and disability studies lecturer who is himself a member of the disabled community,” and commended the article for its insightful look at the hardships faced by people with disabilities as well as the accompanying photo essay, which conveys “not just the details of Matthew’s daily life but also his sheer joy of living.”
Northern Arizona Adaptive Sports Association (NAASA) is offering FREE adaptive kayaking & hiking through a grant awarded by the Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council (ADDPC) and with support from the Institute for Human Development.
Adaptive Recreation in Northern Arizona
Posted June 16th, 2021
The “Who” and the “How” When Working with Tribal Communities
Posted May 17, 2021
Funded through NSF grant, NAU researcher strives to increase participation of neurodiverse students in STEM fields
Posted March 31, 2021
IHD Awarded Large Federal Grant to Support Students with Intellectual Disabilities – Radically-Inclusive Support and Coaching Program Coming to Northern Arizona
IHD Receives Federal Funding for CARE Project: Qualitative Community-Based Participatory Research on Vocational Rehabilitation Practices in Indian County
IHD receives federal grant to address transition of youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities from student to adult life in Arizona
AUDIO: Voting with Disabilities: the Barriers People Face
Remote AAC Assessments—Tips, Considerations, and Unexpected Surprises