The Center for Innovation, Design, and Digital Learning (CIDDL) serves as the National Center to Improve Faculty Capacity to use Educational Technology in Special Education Personnel and Leadership Preparation Programs.
Funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), CIDDL is led by the University of Kansas, the Toni Jennings Exceptional Education Institute at the University of Central Florida, and the Metiri Group.
CIDDL provides research-informed technical assistance, professional learning, and collaboration opportunities to help institutions of higher education (IHEs) strengthen technology use in their programs.
Our work focuses on:
Increasing knowledge, capacity, adoption, and integration of innovative technologies (educational, assistive, and artificial intelligence) within special education personnel and leadership preparation programs.
Increasing the number of faculty who keep up with technological innovations and research.
Increasing the number of special education and leadership personnel graduates well-prepared to integrate technologies and innovative technology practices.
Our Mission
CIDDL’s mission is to build the capacity of higher education faculty to effectively integrate educational technology, assistive technology, and artificial intelligence into special education and leadership preparation programs.
By connecting research, innovation, and practical application, CIDDL empowers educators to prepare future professionals who can use technology to enhance teaching and learning and to foster independence for children with disabilities and their families.
Our Approach
CIDDL’s approach blends research, collaboration, and innovation to help higher education faculty confidently use technology in special education preparation programs.
We use a three-tiered technical assistance (TA) model designed to meet faculty where they are:
Universal TA provides open-access blogs, briefs, webinars, and tools for broad learning.
Targeted TA supports focused groups through professional learning networks, workshops, and AI Office Hours.
Intensive TA offers sustained partnerships through the CIDDL Tech Alliance, guiding institutions through long-term planning and implementation of technology integration.
Our work is grounded in evidence-based practice, adult learning, implementation science, and continuous improvement. Through this framework, CIDDL helps faculty and leaders apply technology purposefully, evaluate its impact, and scale successful practices that improve outcomes for children with disabilities.
We are housed at the University of Kansas, School of Education and Human Sciences, Department of Special Education. Our lead partners include the Toni Jennings Exceptional Education Institute (TJEEI) and the Metiri Group.
