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The Institute for Community Inclusion at UMass Boston supports the rights of children and adults with disabilities to participate in all aspects of society. As practitioners, researchers, and teachers, we form partnerships with individuals, families, and service agencies. Together we advocate for personal choice, self-determination, and social and economic justice.
We are dedicated to advancing the full inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of life. Our work encompasses research, program evaluation, training, consultation, education, policy analysis, and service delivery across four main areas of emphasis: Employment, Education, Community Life, and Health Care.
We have three national hubs: ExploreVR and ThinkWork, which focus on inclusive employment, and ThinkCollege, which focuses on inclusive higher education.
Projects
Our projects involve conducting state and national employment research, increasing access to higher education, supporting children with disabilities to plan for a fulfilling future, and much more.
Services
From expert consultation and technical assistance to online training for employment professionals, our services help agency leaders and disability staff to excel and thrive in their work.
Publications
Online Learning

Shahrzad Sajadi

Research and Knowledge Translation Associate

BA, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran, Law; MA, Emerson College, Journalism, Boston, MA; PhD Candidate, Global Inclusion and Social Development, University of Massachusetts, Boston

Shahrzad Sajadi is a research and knowledge translation associate on the ExploreVR team. In this role, she connects the experiences of the research and evaluation teams to the work of the Knowledge Translation team. Shahrzad is a PhD student at the UMass School for Global Inclusion and Social Development. As a researcher, she focuses on the criminal legal systems’ failures to include marginalized groups, including refugees in informal settlements and incarcerated individuals with mental health disabilities. Shahrzad believes that listening to peoples’ stories is the best way to recognize their agency and restore their voices, which guides her research and work at ICI.

Email: shahrzad.sajadi001@umb.edu