Week in Review - November 20, 2009

WEEK in REVIEW

New NASET Publications and Articles of Interest in Special Education That Were Reported This Week

Dear NASET Members, 

Welcome to NASET'sWEEK in REVIEW.  Here, we provide you with the latest publications from NASET to read and download, as well as some of the most interesting issues that have happened this week in the field of special education.  We hope you enjoy this publication.  Feel free to send us articles for this publication or let us know your thoughts about the WEEK in REVIEW at news@naset.org.  Have a great weekend.
 
Sincerely,

NASETNews Team

New This Week on NASET

Assessment in Special EducationSeries

Part 3 - Obtaining Parental Informed Consent for Assessment

There are many times when a school district must notify a parent in writing of its proposed action and ask for written consent (permission) to carry out this action. One of those times is when the initial evaluation for a suspected disability and eligibility for special education are requested. In general, informed written consent means that the parents have been given all the information that is needed to make a knowledgeable decision about a proposed activity by the school district regarding their child's education and that they agree in writing to that proposed activity. Parents have the right not to give their consent. They also have the right to revoke their consent at any time. A copy of this form can be found at the end of this part of the series.
To read of download this issue - Click Here (login required) 
________________________________________________________________
 

Classroom Management SeriesIV

Behavior Crisis Management Tool #13

Attention Seeking Students

The  purpose of this issue of the Classroom Management Series is to explain how to short circuit a student's need for inappropriate attention.
To read or download this issue - Click Here  (login required)

Quick Links To NASET

Recovery Act Grant Aims to Teach Kids with Autism How to Better Express Themselves

Most children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) seem to have trouble engaging in everyday social interactions. They may seem to have no reaction to other people or may respond atypically when others show anger or affection. Their own facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language may not match what they are saying, making it difficult for others to respond appropriately. Such barriers to communication can isolate children with ASD from their peers. To help overcome these barriers, NIH awarded a Challenge grant on behalf of NIMH to support the development of a new training program that incorporates two existing computer programs. One program, called Let's Face It!, helps children with ASD recognize facial expressions of others and understand the corresponding emotions. The other program, called the Computer Expression Recognition Toolbox, detects a user's facial expression in real-time, based on 37 different facial expression dimensions (for example, widening one's eyes, raising the inner or outer corners of one's eyebrows, wrinkling one's nose, etc.) and their intensity. To read more, click here

NEW! NASET MEMBER'S BENEFIT

HP250x250

To learn more about Health Proponent - Click Here

Be sure to mention that you are a member of NASET for special plan and pricing! (Optional Member's Benefit)

Test Scores Rise for Students With Disabilities

Test scores on state assessments for students with disabilities have increased in recent years, according to a new study released today. The Washington-based Center on Education Policy examined state mathematics and reading test results from the 2005-06 school year to the 2007-08 school year. Those state tests are used to determine whether schools and school districts are making adequate yearly progress under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. The study found that students with disabilities showed progress at all levels of proficiency in 4th grade, where the median percentage scoring at the basic level or above was 71 percent. Most states showed more gains than declines among students with disabilities over the three-year period. To read more, click here

In India, Children With Multiple Disabilities Need Early Rehabilitation

Children with single or multiple disabilities need early rehabilitation and training to bring out the best in them and make them socially useful and acceptable, says Reena Bhandari, an expert in rehabilitation of the differently. Bhandari, associated with Voice and Vision, a Mumbai-based NGO working in the field of rehabilitation of children having speech and vision disabilities, was on Monday speaking at a training programme organised by Akansha, a Gaya Institute. Bhandari regretted that whereas in big cities and towns, facility for rehabilitation of differently abled children exist, the semi-urban and rural children do not have access to such facilities, thereby making such children unwanted at home and in society. The rehabilitation expert said with its extensive network, government agencies and their auxiliary units can go a long way in creating awareness and channelising hidden potential of children suffering from one or more physical or mental disability. To read more, click here

MS Is More Aggressive In Children But Slower To Cause Disability Than In Adults

Magnetic resonance images (MRI) of patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in childhood show that pediatric onset multiple sclerosis is more aggressive, and causes more brain lesions, than MS diagnosed in adulthood, researchers at the University at Buffalo have reported. Interestingly, however, patients with pediatric-onset MS -- which comprise up to 5 percent of total MS cases -- develop disabilities at a slower pace than patients with adult-onset MS, the data showed. "Patients with pediatric-onset MS have three times as many relapses annually than patients with adult-onset disease, which suggests there is greater disease activity in this population," said Bianca Weinstock-Guttman, MD, associate professor of neurology in the UB School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and corresponding author."But surprisingly, the average time to reach the secondary progressive phase of the disease is longer in patients who develop MS in childhood than in adult onset MS," she continued. "Reaching the next stage of disability is almost 10 years longer in pediatric-onset patients." To read more, click here

Learning Disabilities: Problem For Education Worldwide

A recent article entitled "Study backs vouchers for special education" contained a very potent statement: "20 percent of D.C. public school students are diagnosed with learning disabilities, compared with about 12 percent in Montgomery County and about 14 percent in Fairfax." The conclusion was that the D.C. schools are beefing up the numbers for higher subsidies. Having looked at special education for 20 years as an insider, and 12 more as a graduate student majoring in School Psychology and School Administration, this writer holds no hope that creative financing or any other sort of education reform will solve this problem. 12% in Montgomery County and 14% in Fairfax, and 20% in D.C. suggests that environment has an impact upon the problem. A look at the different environments would provide greater insight. San Francisco solved its problem by cleaning up the pollution in the old Bayview Hunters Point. To read more, click here

NASET Offering Members Two Million Dollar Educator's Liability Insurance

Every day, special educators are faced with the stresses and potential liability issues involved in dealing with children with special needs. As a result you may be vulnerable to lawsuits, which have been on the rise over the last few years, from parents, or students themselves. In the past decade, the number of suits filed against educators and administrators has risen dramatically, causing the cost of insurance to increase as well. While some special educators may feel that they do not need this type of coverage and they are protected by their district, they should think twice. Even if you are 100% innocent of the charges or accusations, legal costs alone could run into the thousands and sometimes tens of thousands of dollars. In special education today, parents - and students - are more aware of their rights, and the laws that govern special education and hold teachers/educators to high standards. Don't try to convince yourself that the expense of your professional and public liability protection is unnecessary or unjustified. Experience shows that the cost of such coverage is by far lower than the risk a teacher takes by not having such protection. Why take a chance for less than $10.00 a month? To learn more about educator liability insurance available through NASET and our partnership with the Association of American Educators (AAE), click here

Is American Education Neglecting Gifted Children?

America's 3 million gifted and talented students are getting the shaft in the vast majority of K-12 schools, according to a new report from the National Association for Gifted Children and the Council of State Directors of Programs for the Gifted. The report found that gifted students are being neglected at all levels in the United States, from weak or non-existent policies at the state level to uneven funding at the district level to a lack of teacher preparation at the classroom level. The report, "2008-2009 State of the States in Gifted Education," pointed to several failures on the part of U.S. education, from a a severe lack of commitment on a national level to spotty services and little or no support to get teachers trained to deal with gifted students. To read more  click here

Oppostional Defiance Disorder: Why Some Children Just Can't Help Behaving Badly

It may seem self-evident that parents practising "tough love", a judicious combination of affection and discipline, are likely - as claimed by a report last week - to give their children a better chance of doing well in life. Yet it is becoming increasingly clear that the corollary does not hold, and juvenile delinquency, as it used to be called, is not necessarily a consequence of poor parenting. Some children are just born with ODD - Oppositional Defiance Disorder - a pattern of negative and hostile behaviour that is impervious to the strictest disciplinary sanctions. "Four-year-old Marianne begins her day by getting up early and making a noise, banging things around till her parents get up," writes psychiatrist James Chandler, describing a typical case. "Breakfast is the first battleground, where she does not like whatever is placed in front of her. She enjoys spending her time purposefully annoying her mother, demanding over and over again that she wants something and deliberately losing interest as soon as she gets it." And so it goes on, in a way that is clearly intended to cause the maximum aggravation to adults. To read more, click here

Does Modernization Affect Children's Cognitive Development?

Societal and technological changes have taken place at a dizzying pace over recent decades. A new cross-cultural study aimed to determine whether these dramatic changes have had an effect on the thinking skills that are learned over the course of childhood. The study, by researchers at the University of California, Riverside, and Pitzer College, is published in the November/December 2009 issue of the journal Child Development. Using previously collected data from the late 1970s, the researchers looked at almost 200 children ages 3 to 9 in Belize, Kenya, Nepal, and American Samoa. When the data were collected, these four communities differed in the availability of resources that are typically associated with modernity, such as having writing tablets and books, electricity, a home-based water supply, a radio and TV set, and a car. To read more, click here

Shire Reveals New Positive Data From ADHD Drug Intuniv Study - Update

Biopharmaceutical company Shire Plc said Monday that results from an open-label study did not show any evidence of unique adverse effects with the combination of Intuniv extended-release tablets and amphetamine or methylphenidate. The findings are relative to what was observed with either amphetamine or methylphenidate alone in treatment of adolescents of ages between 6 to 17 with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Andrew Cutler said, "Pivotal studies have shown that Intuniv improved ADHD symptoms in children and adolescents with the disorder, and the publication of these safety data gives us insight into administering Intuniv in combination with stimulant medications in the management of ADHD." Andrew Cutler is courtesy assistant professor, department of psychiatry, University of Florida, and CEO and medical director, Florida Clinical Research Center, Bradenton, Florida. To read more, click here

NYC DISTRICT 75

 To learn more - CLICK HERE

Singapore Ministry Of Education To Provide Support For Special Education

To further boost the development of Special Education (SPED) schools, MOE will be providing scholarships and sponsorships for the professional development of SPED staff. In addition, funding will be given to each SPED school to employ an Administration Manager. The new measures aim to further improve the quality of education in SPED schools to benefit their students. New Undergraduate and Postgraduate Scholarships for SPED Educators MOE will offer scholarships to SPED school principals and key personnel such as Heads of Departments (HODs) to enhance their professional expertise from 2011. Up to 10 local scholarships would be offered yearly to non-graduate principals and HODs to pursue degree-level training in Special Education. To read more,  click here

Study Finds High Rates Of Abuse Against Women With Disabilities

Westchester women with mental or physical disabilities suffer high rates of domestic violence and the abuser is often an intimate partner, a recent county report suggests. "Domestic Violence Incidence Survey of Women and Men With Disabilities," surveyed 350 Westchester County community-based social service organizations, including police departments and elected officials. More than half of the 50 organizations responding to the survey said there was at least one report of domestic violence from a person with disabilities within their group. In a majority of the incidents - 87 percent - women were the victims. And, in more than 70 percent of those cases, the abuser was the woman's intimate partner, similar to rates among able-bodied people. "When we consider that domestic violence is mostly a silent crime among people with disabilities, and we had an average of almost 500 actual reports in one year - can you imagine how many people must be suffering in silence?" said Camille F. Murphy, director of the Office for Women. To read more, click here

Low Birth Weight and Diabetes Have a Common Genetic Background

Low birth weight increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Until recently scientists had attributed this to maternal malnutrition during pregnancy. However, now it seems that genetic background may also play a major role. A research team of Technische Universität München and Helmholtz Zentrum München has now demonstrated, that gene variants which influence insulin metabolism can also affect birth weight. In the BABYDIAB study led by Professor Anette-Gabriele Ziegler, director of the Institut für Diabetesforschung der Forschergruppe Diabetes e.V. at Helmholtz Zentrum München and Forschergruppe Diabetes at the Technische Universität München analyzed the data of 729 children whose mothers had type 1 diabetes and who thus had a higher diabetes risk. To read more, click here

Food for Thought........

Teachers teach more by what they are than by what they say.

                                                                                  Anonymous

To top

forgot username or password?