Center on Disability Studies

What Center on Disability Studies does

The Center on Disability Studies (CDS) is a non-profit Organized Research Unit within the College of Education at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, founded in 1987 as one of 68 federally designated University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs) under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000. CDS promotes abilities across the lifespan through four functional pillars: interdisciplinary training, research, community-based service, and dissemination. Its core deliverable set comprises university coursework (a 15-credit Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate and 12 courses enrolling 175 students in FY23), the peer-reviewed Review of Disability Studies journal, and the 38-year-old annual Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity (650+ attendees in FY23). Operational sub-programs include the Hawai'i Statewide Family Engagement Center (HFEC), H-PEP: Spark Aloha (positive psychology well-being cohorts), the Comprehensive Service Center for Deaf/Hard of Hearing/Deaf-Blind individuals, the Institute for Creative Health & Wellbeing, Project Hōkūlani and Ulu A'e Transitions (Native Hawaiian STEM), the Visions certification program (400+ caregivers trained), the Newborn Hearing Screening Program across Hawai'i and Pacific Island jurisdictions, and Project Turn the Tables (virtual reverse job fairs).

The center serves a broad stakeholder mix: people with disabilities and their families across the lifespan, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities in Hawai'i and Pacific Island jurisdictions (American Samoa, CNMI, FSM, Marshall Islands, Palau, Guam), K-12 educators, state agencies, and the global disability studies research community. It does not develop commercial technology products; its technology footprint is limited to commodity SaaS tools (Slack, Google Workspace, YouTube, Canvas LMS) used to deliver training content and coordinate cohorts.

The business model is grant-funded: $13,443,970 in total extramural funding in FY2022-2023, of which 88.4% came from federal contracts (primarily US Department of Education Native Hawaiian Education Program and the federal UCEDD/DD Act core grant, totaling $11,881,365) and 6.7% from Hawai'i state contracts ($895,379 across DOH Developmental Disabilities Division, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, and State Council on Developmental Disabilities), with supplemental foundation grants (Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation, Oak Foundation, Hawai'i Community Foundation). All services are provided at no cost to beneficiaries. CDS is governed by the University of Hawai'i Board of Regents and operates through a Triagency Partnership with three Hawai'i state agencies. Leadership transitioned from Dr. Kiriko Takahashi (Interim Director 09/2020–01/2023) to Dr. Holly Manaseri (01/2023–07/2023) and most recently to Dr. Meghan Miller, a licensed clinical psychologist, effective January 2, 2026.

Name

Center on Disability Studies

Legal name

Center on Disability Studies

Website

https://cds.coe.hawaii.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Center on Disability Studies (CDS) is a University of Hawai'i at Mānoa UCEDD, founded 1987, that delivers interdisciplinary training, research, community services, and dissemination for people with disabilities, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders across Hawai'i and six Pacific Island jurisdictions, funded by federal and state government grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Research and Education Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

College Readiness & Disability Services Transition Support (EDAKANAB), Academic Accommodations & Access Planning (ADA/504) (EDALAGAA), Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG), Disability & Chronic Condition Care Coordination (EDALAFAI)

Keywords

• Disability research services
• Developmental disability training
• Special education programs
• Disability community services
• Workforce development programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Honolulu

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Contracts: CDS is primarily funded through extramural funding including federal contracts ($11,881,365 in FY23) and state contracts ($895,379 in FY23), totaling $13,443,970 in FY22-23. Major funders include the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act, Hawai'i Department of Health, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, and various federal education programs including the Native Hawaiian Education Program.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Center on Disability Studies is a university-based Organized Research Unit and University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) that delivers interdisciplinary training, applied research, community-based demonstration services, and dissemination in the field of disability studies. It serves people with disabilities across the lifespan, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and other underserved populations through education and early intervention programs, employment and transition services, and community living supports across Hawai'i and the broader Pacific region.

Product overview

The Center on Disability Studies (CDS) operates as a unified organization with multiple specialized programs and initiatives. The core organization is a University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) offering interdisciplinary training, research, service, and dissemination. Under its umbrella are distinct sub-brands including the Hawai'i Statewide Family Engagement Center (HFEC) providing family engagement training and resources, H-PEP: Spark Aloha offering positive psychology interventions for educators and parents, the Comprehensive Service Center (CSC) serving Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities, the Institute for Creative Health & Wellbeing (ICHW) focusing on creative wellness programs, the Review of Disability Studies academic journal, and the Pacific Rim International Conference. Additional specialized programs include STEM projects (Project Hōkūlani, Ulu A'e Transitions), employment initiatives (Hire Abilities Hawai'i, Project Turn the Tables), the Visions training certification program, Newborn Hearing Screening services, and the UCEDD Emerging Leaders Trainee program. CDS also offers an Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate in Disability and Diversity Studies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hawai'i Statewide Family Engagement Center (HFEC): Family, school, and community engagement center promoting family engagement as a learning and equity strategy for student academic success and school improvement.
• Hawai'i Positive Engagement Project (H-PEP): Spark Aloha
• Institute for Creative Health & Wellbeing (ICHW)
• Comprehensive Service Center (CSC)

Products and services

• Center on Disability Studies (CDS) Core Program Interdisciplinary training, research, service, and dissemination supporting people with disabilities, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and other underserved populations across Hawai'i and the Pacific through education, employment, and community living projects.
• Review of Disability Studies (RDS) Journal Quarterly peer-reviewed, open-access academic journal publishing research articles by disability studies scholars worldwide, featuring multilingual approaches and plain language abstracts.
• Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity Annual international conference bringing together disability scholars, advocates, policymakers, service providers, and entrepreneurs; the 38th edition hosted 650+ attendees and incorporates the Superfest Disability Film Festival.
• Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate in Disability and Diversity Studies A 15-credit graduate certificate program attracting students from education, business, psychology, health, and marketing who seek to understand contemporary disability issues and advocate for people with disabilities.
• Hawai'i Statewide Family Engagement Center (HFEC) Center implementing high-impact family engagement strategies, programming, and policies to build partnerships among families, schools, and communities; offers free online courses, professional development, technical assistance, and multilingual resources for educators and families.
• H-PEP: Spark Aloha Positive engagement project addressing toxic stress in parents and educators through research-based Positive Psychology Interventions; offers well-being cohorts, parent hui with experiential bookmaking, and community workshops.
• Comprehensive Service Center (CSC) One-stop support and referral service for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Deaf-Blind, and Deaf individuals providing academic classes, workshops, accessibility support, summer youth programs, sign language classes, and community inclusion services.
• Hawai'i & Pacific Deaf-Blind Project Technical assistance for children and youth who are deaf-blind, birth through 21 years of age, and to their families and service providers in Hawai'i and Pacific Island nations including American Samoa, CNMI, FSM, Guam, Palau, and Marshall Islands.
• Institute for Creative Health & Wellbeing (ICHW) Programs advancing health and wellbeing, reducing social isolation, and delivering the transformative benefits of creativity through music, movement, art, and storytelling for people with disabilities, including the Brain Boost Through Music and Finding Balance wellness series.
• Visions Training Program Official certification training for Adult Foster Home Providers and DD Domiciliary Care Providers consisting of nine courses divided into three sections focused on self-determination and person-centered supports; over 400 caregivers have completed the program.
• Hire Abilities Hawai'i Team of trained disability employment specialists with over 35 years of combined experience completing grants and contracts for state and federal government on benefits planning and employment supports.
• Project Turn the Tables Virtual reverse job fair for high school students with disabilities offering lessons on elevator speech, resume development, video scripting, interview preparation, and video resume creation for employers.
• Project Hōkūlani 3-year culturally responsive STEM enrichment and college transition project addressing STEM workforce shortages among underrepresented groups including Native Hawaiians and individuals with disabilities.
• Ulu A'e Transitions Training for educators, families, and direct classroom instruction for youth in grades K-12 including digital media training, portrait drawing, social-emotional wellbeing lessons, and culture-based education.
• UCEDD Emerging Leaders Trainee Program Program building leadership capacity of diverse individuals to collaborate and positively impact the lives of people with disabilities through developing leadership and communication skills.
• Newborn Hearing Screening Program Newborn hearing screening services delivered in Hawai'i, American Samoa, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, including screening at birth, diagnostic evaluation for those referred, and early intervention for those with hearing loss.
• Health Equity and Disability Inclusion Leadership Training Interdisciplinary training program developing professionals' capacity to address public health and healthcare issues affecting people with disabilities; includes courses DIS 682, DIS 687, and DIS 699.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 650 attendees from around the world at the 38th Pac Rim Conference
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• Hawai'i Department of Health Developmental Disabilities DivisioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDS receives contract from DOH-DDD to provide developmental disabilities services, administer Visions certification training for Adult Foster Home providers, and support individuals with developmental disabilities across Hawai'i.
• Division of Vocational RehabilitationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDS partners with DVR on employment services for people with disabilities including benefits planning, pre-ETS training, and vocational rehabilitation support programs.
• Hawai'i State Council on Developmental DisabilitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTriagency partnership for policy advocacy, disability services coordination, and supporting the Developmental Disabilities Council mission in Hawai'i.
• Hawai'i Department of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDS partners with HIDOE on multiple initiatives including HFEC family engagement programs, H-PEP well-being cohorts, and Ka Pilina No'eau educational support projects.
• Leadership in Disabilities & Achievement of Hawai'i (LDAH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDS partners with LDAH on the Hawai'i Family Engagement Center to strengthen partnerships between schools, families, and community organizations.
• RCAST, University of TokyostrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDS partners with RCAST (Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology) for the annual International Disability Inclusion Symposium (IDIS).
• AUN-DPPNet, University of MalayastrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDS partners with AUN-DPPNet (ASEAN University Network Disability Policy and Practice Network) at University of Malaya for annual IDIS symposium.
• Deaf in GovernmentstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership with national advocacy group Deaf in Government featured at the 38th Pac Rim Conference for disability employment advocacy.
• Paul K. Longmore Institute on DisabilitystrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Superfest Disability Film Festival through Paul K. Longmore Institute on Disability featured at Pac Rim Conference.
• National Association of University Centers on Disability (NAUCD)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDS participates in national UCEDD network and presents at NAUCD conferences for disability research and policy dissemination.
• Hawai'i Disability Rights CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTriagency partnership member for benefits planning and disability rights advocacy working with individuals receiving Social Security benefits.

Scale indicators20 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Institute on Community Integration (ICI): UCEDD at the University of Minnesota focused on community-based services, employment, and education for people with disabilities. Shares CDS's community living emphasis area and operates through the same federal UCEDD funding and accountability framework.
• A.J. Pappanikou Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities: UCEDD at the University of Connecticut providing interdisciplinary education, research, and service for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. Directly comparable UCEDD operating model, federal designation, and lifespan disability focus.
• Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities: UCEDD at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill delivering research, clinical service, and training for people with developmental disabilities. Shares the university-based UCEDD structure and federal mandate that defines CDS's operating model.
• Vanderbilt Kennedy Center: UCEDD at Vanderbilt University Medical Center conducting research, training, and service programs for people with developmental disabilities. Operates under the same federal DD Act statutory authority and shares the UCEDD model of interdisciplinary training, research, and community-based service delivery as CDS.
• Waisman Center: UCEDD at the University of Wisconsin-Madison serving individuals with developmental disabilities across the lifespan. Comparable university-based structure, federal DD Act mandate, and integrated research-training-service mission make it a near-direct peer to CDS.
• Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center: UCEDD at UMass Chan Medical School providing interdisciplinary training, research, and services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Highly comparable operating model, federal designation, and lifespan disability focus.

Regional players

• Easterseals Hawaii: Hawai'i-based disability services affiliate of Easterseals providing early intervention, employment, and community living services. Operates in the same Hawai'i geography as CDS and serves overlapping populations, though without the federal UCEDD mandate.
• The Arc of Hawaii: Hawai'i chapter of The Arc, a national disability advocacy and services organization supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Shares CDS's lifespan disability focus and operates in the same regional market under the state Council on Developmental Disabilities ecosystem.
• Hawaii Disability Rights Center: Hawai'i's Protection and Advocacy system for people with disabilities, partnering with CDS through the Triagency Partnership on benefits planning and disability rights advocacy. Comparable regional focus on disability rights and overlapping stakeholder relationships.

Broad incumbents

• Association of University Centers on Disability (AUCD): National network that represents all 68 UCEDDs, including CDS. Not a direct service competitor, but the umbrella organization that shapes federal policy, training standards, and cross-UCEDD collaboration frameworks within which CDS operates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CDShawaiiedu
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCAndONakygzswyqn_d7kADQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/CenterOnDisabilityStudies
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/center-on-disability-studies
• Instagraminstagram.com/cdshawaiiedu/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Center on Disability Studies