Harold Kleinert, EdD

Human Development Institute, University of Kentucky

Dr. Harold L. Kleinert is currently the Executive Director of the Human Development Institute - University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service at the University of Kentucky, and Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Health Sciences. In his 40 plus years in the field of developmental disabilities, he has taught students with moderate and severe intellectual disabilities in settings ranging from state institutions to regular classrooms with typical peers. He has directed a broad range of federally funded demonstration and research projects, especially in the area of education of children and youth with significant disabilities, including research focused on alternate assessment, peer tutoring, and inclusive service learning opportunities for high school students with developmental disabilities.

His work in Kentucky led to the first fully inclusive educational assessment and accountability system in the nation.  He was lead author of the first text published in alternate assessment for students with significant cognitive disabilities:  Alternate Assessment:  Measuring Outcomes and Supports for Students with Disabilities, as well as a second text on alternate assessment and access to the general curriculum: Alternate Assessment for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities An Educator's Guide.

He has also directed projects designed to teach physicians, as well as medical, dental, nursing, and physician assistant students, how to provide high quality care to patients with developmental disabilities.  He served as Principal Investigator for Brighter Tomorrows - created to teach resident physicians how to deliver a prenatal or newborn diagnosis of Down syndrome with supportive, balanced and accurate information.  Dr. Kleinert has published over 60 refereed manuscripts and book chapters across his areas of research interest.