News from the Life Span Institute
2021 Archive
Students Thrive in KU-School Partnership
When Free State High School mathematics teacher Annette McDonald first learned about a possible way to improve learning by letting students make decisions as part of the process, she was skeptical. After all, the curriculum was set, and students couldn’t just decide what they would learn.
Fragile X Gene, Brain Function, and Movement During Aging
A new paper in the journal NeuroImage: Clinical from KU Life Span Institute researchers reveals a possible early indicator of Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome, or FXTAS. The disease afflicts some older people who carry a “premutation” of a gene, which can lead to impairments in movement and cognition.
LGBTQ+ Individuals and Autism
Findings: A new study has found that people with autism spectrum disorder who identify as LGBTQ+ have greater health disparities than their peers, including being denied service or being told by doctors they couldn’t be transgender because autism would prevent them from understanding their own sexuality...
RESEARCH IN REAL LIFE
Tips for Parents and Caregivers During the Pandemic
While COVID-19 has disrupted everyone's lives, for the families of individuals with autism spectrum disorder, the impact of school closures has been especially challenging. Here, we share tips for parents and caregivers.
Increasing Inclusion, Achievement in Washington Schools
A Life Span Institute center dedicated to improving equity and inclusion for all students has entered a $1.3 million partnership with the state of Washington to help school leaders boost outcomes for every student in their communities. The project combines professional learning and coaching to principals and their
Life Span Institute People
Helping Every Child Thrive
For Brian Boyd, a passion for autism research ignited at a summer camp job led to a career dedicated to early interventions for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and a focus on community-based research.
Inspired to Take Action
When protests erupted over the death of George Floyd and ongoing systemic racism in the spring, entrepreneur David Dennis searched the Internet for ways to foster change. The Community Toolbox answered the call.
Unruh Receives Research Award
Assistant Research Professor Kathryn Unruh has received the Stephen and Carolyn Schroeder Young Investigator Award for Research in Neurodevelopmental Disorders...