News

Fri, 11/17/2023

Accessible Home for the Holidays

If you're hosting friends or family who have a physical disability, you may worry about how to accommodate their needs. The good news is that, with helpful tips from the free “Making Homes Visitable” booklet, you can host loved ones for the holidays.

Tue, 11/07/2023

SOAR Conference Guests Share Strategies for Self-Advocacy, Disability Rights, and More

The 2023 SOAR Conference organized by and for individuals with disabilities hosted 200 guests to discuss self-advocacy strategies, disability rights, building healthy relationships, inclusion in research, and more.

Fri, 10/27/2023

KU TPE Gets Boost with Grant Funding from National Community Care Corps

An inclusive college certificate program at KU for young adults with intellectual disabilities will increase capacity with funding to hire student assistants and academic coaches through a two-year grant of nearly $125,000 from the National Community Care Corps.

Wed, 10/25/2023

Center for Community Health and Development to Partner with Statewide Initiative to Prevent Sexual Violence

The Center for Community Health and Development will help assess the statewide nonprofit address sexual violence with work including evaluating its readiness to plan and implement equity-focused strategies, develop recommendations based on assessment findings to promote health equity, and advance primary prevention in future work.

Tue, 10/24/2023

4 Communication Technology Programs That Can Benefit People with Disabilities

Kansans may be able to access communication technology under a collection of federal and state programs, including one for low-income households that offers discounts for affordable internet connection and several others specifically for individuals with disabilities.

Mon, 10/09/2023

12 Exercise Tips for People with Physical Disabilities

OK, maybe physical fitness isn’t your main goal in life. But for you to reach other important goals, such as maintaining your ability to live independently, work or care for others, physical fitness can increase stamina and strength. ...

Wed, 10/04/2023

Conference for people with intellectual, developmental disabilities will focus on leadership, advocacy

The SOAR Conference will be led by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and will bring together self-advocates from across the country to learn and grow.

Mon, 10/02/2023

Researchers looking for toddlers who may have autism

This study has the goal of providing guidance for therapists to predict which children will remain minimally verbal and benefit most from intensive language intervention at earlier ages.

Mon, 10/02/2023

National study led by Life Span Institute researchers asks people with disabilities to share their experiences

People with disabilities are invited to participate in a national study based at the University of Kansas that aims to document their experiences with a variety of issues to understand the needs of underrepresented communities.

Wed, 09/27/2023

KU Project Aims to Identify Risk Factors for Toddlers with Autism Who May Remain Minimally Verbal

A five-year project with KU Life Span Institute researchers are working on a study to provide guidance for therapists to predict which children will remain minimally verbal and benefit most from intensive early language intervention.

Mon, 09/25/2023

Researchers to test app that empowers students with disabilities through self-determination

Researchers at the University of Kansas who have been instrumental in developing and implementing the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction have secured funding to test a new app that delivers the proven method to students.

Thu, 09/21/2023

Study identifies grammar challenge task with potential to identify language disorder among older children

To help identify Specific Language Impairment (SLI) in children who are beyond their preschool years, researchers at the KU Life Span Institute have evaluated a new, more grammatically challenging language task to aid in diagnosis.

Mon, 09/18/2023

SOAR conference to host individuals with disabilities to promote self-advocacy

“Nothing about us without us” has been a slogan for disability rights advocates for more than 30 years. The phrase highlights the need for people with disabilities to be at the table when decisions about disability policy are being made. ...

Mon, 09/11/2023

Community health researchers support program that aims to reduce family separation

The KU Center for Community Health and Development provided support for an initiative to prevent poverty-related issues that lead to family separation in Louisiana.

Fri, 09/08/2023

Study Shows Food from Tobacco-owned brands more 'hyperpalatable' than competitors' food

Many of us know all too well the addictive nature of a big portion of food in the United States — most call it “junk food.” In fact, this kind of salty, sweet and high-fat fare makes up the lion’s share of what’s marketed to Americans. ...

Thu, 09/07/2023

Distinguished Professor's Lecture to Address Self-determination for People with Disabilities

Karrie Shogren will present her inaugural distinguished professor lecture, “Advancing Self-Determination: Building Systems of Supports with the Disability Community,” at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 14 in the Kansas Room of the Kansas Union.

Tue, 09/05/2023

Q & A with researcher Tera Fazzino: What to know about 'hyperpalatable' foods

Hyperpalatability is a way of categorizing foods we might commonly call "junk food." They were first described by Tera Fazzino, assistant professor of psychology at KU and associate director of the Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment at the KU Life Span Institute. We reached out her to...

Fri, 09/01/2023

KU researchers partner with state to better understand experiences of Kansans on disability services waitlist

The KU Life Span Institute is working the state to better understand the impact to thousands of Kansans stuck on a waitlist for disability services. Researchers are looking for solutions to the current backlog as well as how to prevent future delays for essential support services.

Wed, 08/30/2023

Study Demonstrates Adding Complex Component of Milk to Infant Formula Confers Long-Term Cognitive Benefits

Five-and-a-half-year-olds whose baby formula had included milk fat globule membranes and lactoferrin (MFGM+LF) went on to perform nearly 5 points higher on IQ tests years after they were weaned.

Fri, 08/25/2023

Intensive grant development program launches

The KU Life Span Institute has launched a nine-month intensive program focused on supporting early career investigators in their efforts to secure federal grant funding for intellectual and developmental disability research. ...

Fri, 08/25/2023

Partners Announced for KU Initiative to Move Toward Rightful Presence in Regular Education Classrooms

Research center at the Life Span Institute announces four state education agencies selected as partners on project directed toward creating changes in systems, policies, and practices. Each was selected for its high level of commitment to and progress toward inclusion of students with disabilities.

Wed, 08/23/2023

Cofrin Logan Center Clinical Director reflects on KU Medical Center career

"When I arrived at the KU Medical Center campus as a first-year faculty member almost 40 years ago, we existed in a small, visibly aging complex that needed a whole lot of love and support from the community to get back on its feet," said Bruce Liese, clinical director of Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment and professor of Family Medicine and Psychiatry at KU Medical Center.

Tue, 08/22/2023