Karrie Shogren talks to KUCD team members

Help sustain critical disability research and services

KU Center on Disabilities was established in 1969 to catalyze educational and community-driven innovations by partnering with the disability community in Kansas and beyond to realize the future of their choosing. Today, we are a leading research center on self-determination, inclusive research, and evidence-based instructional practices for learners with disabilities.

Our Impact 2015-2026

177,180
People with disabilities, families, trainees, and educators served
3,122
Journal articles, conference presentations, and other products disseminated
4,684
Continuing education and community training activities

Giving Opportunities

Your gift, targeting a specific initiative below, will help KUCD promote, advance, and sustain a thriving disability educational and service ecosystem.

Director's Strategic Vision Fund

Donations to the Director’s Strategic Vision Fund sustains the momentum of research and dissemination on self-determination, inclusive research, and supported decision-making.

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  • Greatest Need Fund

    The Greatest Need Fund provides KUCD with the ability to move quickly in a changing landscape to target resources to areas of immediate need.

  • Empowering Future Educators Fund

    Donations to the Empowering Future Educators Fund allows students studying education, special education, and related fields to access training in evidence-based practices offered by KUCD.

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  • Elevating Disability Voices Fund

    Donations to the Elevating Disability Voices in Research Fund sustains the hiring of people with lived experience of disability to lead research.

  • The Self-Determination Learning Center Fund

    Everyone should have opportunities to build self-determination skills and direct their own lives. Decades of research at KUCD have shown how we can effectively promote self-determination. Now, we have an opportunity to put that evidence into action for more people and communities. Your gift to the Self-Determination Learning Center Fund helps connect research to practice by expanding access to proven self-determination practices across the country and beyond. Your support helps us equip educators, service providers, families, and communities with the training, tools, coaching, and resources they need to teach self-determination skills. Together, we can ensure more people with disabilities have opportunities to direct their own lives and pursue the futures they choose.

Support KU Center on Disabilities

Your support helps KUCD advance and sustain critical disability research and services, making real-world impacts in the lives of people with disabilities and their families. Thank you for your support!
Donate Here

Established Funds

KU Center on Disabilities is supported by the following established funds. These funds are used to support disability research and accessible dissemination activities, educational opportunities, and ongoing community engagement. We are deeply grateful for the families and individuals who support our Center's mission to strengthen communities so that everyone can learn, work, feel included, and thrive.

  • Beach Endowment
    This fund was established in 1989 to research and training that addresses the needs of people with disabilities and their families.
     
  • Borchardt Family Award for Beach Center Graduate Study
    This fund was established in 2005 to support doctoral students and post-doctoral fellows to engage in research that supports people with intellectual disability to participate fully in the communities of their choice and to be full citizens of those communities. Multiple students and postdoctoral researchers have been supported by this award over time.
     
  • James Macdonald Fowler Fund
    This fund was established in 1988 to support research, service, and related work in the disability field.
     
  • Jay Turnbull Fellowship at the Beach Center on Disability
    This fund was established in 2008 to support students, faculty, and staff engaged in work that advances research, advocacy (including legal advocacy and other forms of advocacy), and support to advance the interests of families, individuals, or both who have intellectual and related disabilities.
     
  • Ross and Mariana Beach Professorship
    This fund was established in 2006 to support faculty professorships that advance the mission of the Beach Center, and now KUCD.
     
  • Stelios Gragoudas Research Fund
    Established in 2018, this fund supports innovative, inclusive self-determination research and education, training and technical assistance in special education and transition.