Dear DHD student,

I want to welcome you to the Department of Disability and Human Development (DHD). It is a unique program that takes an interdisciplinary approach to the study of disability throughout the lifespan. Its scholarship has a focus on the social context of disability and on enhancing the status of people with disabilities in their communities. We have an excellent group of faculty who are leaders in the field of disabilities and who have attained national and international distinctions. They bring their knowledge to the classrooms through our wide array of course offerings on disability issues. Many of the faculty have leading research centers and programs that provide an excellent training ground for students.

I am very committed to making DHD a friendly and supportive environment for all students. As part of this commitment, we have an access committee that deals with accessibility for students with disabilities; a disability studies library, student lounge, and accessible computer lab. I hope you will make use of these supports. We are also continually trying to update these facilities to address changing student needs.

I hope you will have an exciting and rewarding learning experience and graduate from our program as disability scholars and professionals in the field.

Sincerely,

Tamar Heller, Ph.D.
Professor and Head
Department of Disability and Human Development