From the Miami Herald, Los Angeles Times, Philadelphia Inquirer:

A multi-university team of researchers says it has identified a gene associated with autism, according to a report published in the journal Nature.

It may be only one of as many as 50 genes involved, and environmental factors are also involved, but Margaret Pericak-Vance, director of UM’s Institute for Human Genomics, says the discovery could lead to practical results within a decade.

”Things are moving so fast, in the next five years or so you can see some of this information being translated maybe into prediction, even therapies,” she said.

Therapies that would prevent autism are ”farther down the pike,” she said.

See also:

What autism gene finding means for parents — U.S. News & World Report

Sponsors say they couldn’t muster support

Federal report last year found widespread abuse, neglect, civil rights violations in ’state schools’

From the Dallas Morning News, Austin American-Statesman:

Texas legislators Rep. Patrick Rose and Sen. Rodney Ellis have withdrawn a proposal to require consolidation or closure of the state’s troubled institutions for people with intellectual disabilities.

“This body is one that requires compromise,” said Rose, who is chairman of the House Committee on Human Services. “Getting a bill out of committee and to the floor with consolidation required is a very difficult thing, and, I think, impossible this session, here in the House.”

The future of Texas’ state schools has been hotly debated in the state legislature this session following a December report from the federal Department of Justice that said the institutions do not protect residents from harm. The families of residents of the institutions have lobbied hard to keep them open, with the support of editorial writers around the state.

Earlier posts here.

From the New York Times, Education Week (subscription required), National Law Journal:

The Supreme Court heard arguments on Tuesday in a case that seeks to determine when taxpayers must pay for private school education for students with disabilities. White House lawyers backed a family’s argument that their child’s private school costs should be covered even though he had not first received special ed services in public school.

The case involves an Oregon student whose school tested him and said he did not have a learning disability that justified special education services. An independent evaluation later revealed that the student had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and his parents sued for public funds to cover his private school costs.

The school district says the federal Individuals With Disabilities Education Act allows reimbursement for a special education student’s private school tuition only if the child has previously received publicly financed special education services.

During oral arguments, Justice John Paul Stevens suggested that school districts might have an incentive to refuse to provide special education services if they are only required to pay for private programs for students who previously received publicly funded services.

A similar case ended in a 4-4 Supreme Court deadlock in 2007 when Justice Kennedy recused himself for reasons that were not disclosed.

Earlier post here.

From the New York Daily News, the Boston Globe, the Connecticut Post, and the Greenwich Time:

President Obama honored special education teacher Tony Mullen as the National Teacher of the Year for his work at the ARCH School, an alternative education branch for at-risk students at Greenwich High School in Connecticut. The school serves teens with emotional and behavioral issues

After Mullen retired from his position as a New York City Police Department captain in 2001, he began a second career as an educator in hopes of using the classroom to redirect struggling teenagers.

From Mullen’s remarks at the Rose Garden ceremony:

“I teach and mentor at-risk teenagers, because too many of the pages of their stories are filled with anxiety, depression, substance abuse, academic failure, and despair. They feel disconnected from school, community, and often their own families. I teach these young adults because they are among the most complex population to educate, and therefore challenge my ability as an educator. And I teach them because they provide me plenty of opportunity to help rewrite their stories, to help them compose a happy ending.”

(Photo from New York Daily News)

In the Topeka Capital-Journal, Rud and Ann Turnbull say their son Jay proved that adults with autism can have purposeful, worthwhile lives if support personnel are in place to help with transitioning from school, housing, employment, social connections and other needs.

The Turnbulls, who are co-founders of the Beach Center on Disability at the University of Kansas, reached out to friends and colleagues to develop a plan for Jay’s life after he was expelled from an adult services program for people with disabilities.

Jay subsequently spent 21 years working as a clerical aide, a job that provided him with structure and a social network, and lived in his own home with a couple who oversaw his schedule and support services. Jay Turnbull died earlier this year, most likely of a heart condition, at the age of 41.

While strides have been made in diagnosis, early intervention and education, [Ann] Turnbull said much more needs to be done so children with autism can lead productive, independent and happy lives as adults.

The article is part of a Topeka Capital-Journal series on autism.

From Oregon Public Broadcasting, Portland Oregonian

Eighteen-year-old Tiffany Hill of Eugene, Ore., became the first deaf contestant to recite poems in sign language in the national Poetry Out Loud contest, held in Washington this week, but she didn’t make it into the final round.

Organizers redefined their judging criteria to include contestants using American Sign Language without offering special treatment.

(Photo from Oregon Arts Commission)

Leonard Stern, editor of the editorial pages in the Ottawa Citizen, says Toronto’s York University is wise to deny Ashif Jaffer the opportunity to get a college degree. Jaffer gained admission to the school without disclosing that he has Down syndrome.

School officials have refused to allow Jaffer the accommodations he received in high school, including taking a teaching assistant with him into exams. They say the school has a responsibility to protect the integrity of its degrees. Jaffer’s mother is fighting the decision.

An excerpt:

Down syndrome people are generous, fun, thoughtful and curious. But the only way Ashif will ever graduate from university is if someone does the intellectual work for him.

York is willing to let Ashif audit courses if he likes, but his mother seems determined he get a degree. For a woman who is herself very smart, it’s odd that she can’t recognize the error of insisting her son become something he is not.

See also:

• Student says school denies access — Toronto Star
• Sunday edition, CBC Radio report (podcast)