Jacqui Kearns, Ed.D., is the Associate Director of the Inclusive Large-Scale Standards and Assessment Project (ILSSA) at the Interdisciplinary Human Development Institute (IHDI). She, along with Dr. Harold Kleinert, designed the first alternate assessment to be used in a state-wide school accountability system. Dr. Kearns has conducted two federally funded Directed Research Projects. One, Universal Design of Assessment is currently in progress. She has served as the Project Investigator for another federally funded Directed Research Project describing the inclusion of students who are deaf-blind in large-scale assessments and research coordinator for a third Directed Research Project examining the impact of the Kentucky Alternate Assessment. As Associate Director of ILSSA, Dr. Kearns has provided or supervised technical assistance in the design and administration of alternate assessments to over 15 states and other entities. Dr. Kearns has co-authored many journal articles and other literature on alternate assessments including the first book on alternate assessment Alternate Assessments: Measuring Outcomes and Supports for Students with Disabilities.