January 25, 2005: Headlines: COS - Sierra Leone: Awards: Hollywood: Documentaries: Movies: Autism: Newsday: Sierra Leone RPCV Douglas Biklen earns Oscar nomination for autism documentary on controversial technique known as facilitated communication
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January 25, 2005: Headlines: COS - Sierra Leone: Awards: Hollywood: Documentaries: Movies: Autism: Newsday: Sierra Leone RPCV Douglas Biklen earns Oscar nomination for autism documentary on controversial technique known as facilitated communication
Sierra Leone RPCV Douglas Biklen earns Oscar nomination for autism documentary on controversial technique known as facilitated communication
Sierra Leone RPCV Douglas Biklen earns Oscar nomination for autism documentary on controversial technique known as facilitated communication
Syracuse professor earns Oscar nomination for autism documentary
January 25, 2005, 4:00 PM EST
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A Syracuse University professor and promoter of a controversial technique known as facilitated communication has been nominated for an Academy Award as producer of a documentary on autism.
"Autism Is A World," which was nominated in the documentary short subject category, was co-produced by Douglas Biklen, professor of cultural foundations of education, disability studies and teaching and leadership in Syracuse's School of Education.
Narrated by actress Julianna Margulies, the film presents an inside look at autism through the eyes of 26-year-old Sue Rubin, who wrote the screenplay.
The story shows the challenges Rubin overcame in dealing with autism and a false childhood diagnosis of retardation to become a highly intelligent college junior and a tireless disabled-rights activist. It follows her through a typical week of activities that range from going to class to giving a presentation at an autism conference to cleaning house.
"There's no documentary that's ever been made in which a person with autism, whose speech is severely impaired, writes the story, tells the story and gives this insider account of autism," said Biklen, who established the Facilitated Communication Institute at Syracuse in 1992 and has been the technique's most public advocate.
Facilitated communication is a process by which a facilitator supports the hand or arm of a communicatively impaired person while using a keyboard or typing device. Supporters say the process enables people with autism, Down syndrome or mental retardation to communicate. However, some studies have raised questions about the legitimacy of the technique, suggesting the facilitators influence the patients.
The 40-minute film was co-produced and directed by Gerardine Wurzburg, who won an Oscar for her documentary, "Educating Peter," in 1992. Biklen served as Wurzburg's education advisor on the film.
"Autism Is A World" has been screened in select theaters throughout the Northeast and will air in early 2005 on "CNN Presents."
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When this story was posted in January 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:
| RPCVs mobilize support for Countries of Service RPCV Groups mobilize to support their Countries of Service. Over 200 RPCVS have already applied to the Crisis Corps to provide Tsunami Recovery aid, RPCVs have written a letter urging President Bush and Congress to aid Democracy in Ukraine, and RPCVs are writing NBC about a recent episode of the "West Wing" and asking them to get their facts right about Turkey. |
| Ask Not As our country prepares for the inauguration of a President, we remember one of the greatest speeches of the 20th century and how his words inspired us. "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man." |
| Latest: RPCVs and Peace Corps provide aid Peace Corps made an appeal last week to all Thailand RPCV's to consider serving again through the Crisis Corps and more than 30 RPCVs have responded so far. RPCVs: Read what an RPCV-led NGO is doing about the crisis an how one RPCV is headed for Sri Lanka to help a nation he grew to love. Question: Is Crisis Corps going to send RPCVs to India, Indonesia and nine other countries that need help? |
| The World's Broken Promise to our Children Former Director Carol Bellamy, now head of Unicef, says that the appalling conditions endured today by half the world's children speak to a broken promise. Too many governments are doing worse than neglecting children -- they are making deliberate, informed choices that hurt children. Read her op-ed and Unicef's report on the State of the World's Children 2005. |
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Story Source: Newsday
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Sierra Leone; Awards; Hollywood; Documentaries; Movies; Autism
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