Week in Review - October 14, 2011

WEEK IN REVIEW

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

October 14, 2011 - Vol 7, Issue 37


 

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In This Issue

New This Week on NASET

Bullying Prevention a Special Concern for Students With Disabilities
CDC: ER Visits for Concussions and Other Brain Injuries Among Kids Jump
Growing Up in Bad Neighborhoods Has a 'Devastating' Impact, Study Finds
Detroit Public Schools Special Education Program Gains
Job Woes Linger For Those With Disabilities
New Study Links Pesticides to ADHD in Children
Brain Chemical Linked to Joylessness Provides Insight Into Teen Depression
TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Commentary:...In Praise of Teachers
Miller, Harkin Reintroduce Legislation to Prevent Child Abuse in Teen Residential Programs
Boys With Autism May Grow Faster as Babies
Preschool Program Improves Standardized Test Scores Through Grade 5
Traffic-Related Pollution Tied to Raised Risk of Preemie Birth
Minority Students With Disabilities Suspended More Often
Autism Program Helps...Students Develop Skills for Traditional Classroom Learning
Confessions of a Bad Co-Teacher
New Website Offers Guide To Disability Services
Starting Early to Create City Teachers
Health Care Disparities Facing People in US With Disabilities
Testing, No Testing, Too Much Testing
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Dear NASET Members:

 

Welcome toNASET'sWEEK in REVIEWWe 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 atnews@naset.org. Have a great weekend.

Sincerely,


NASETNews Team


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Board Certification in Special Education Available to NASET Members

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NASET MEMBER'S BENEFIT

Through an agreement with The American Academy of Special Education Professionals(AASEP), NASET members now have the opportunity to achieve AASEP Board Certification in Special Education - (B.C.S.E.) at a reduced fee.  AASEP Board Certification in Special Education - (B.C.S.E.) is a voluntary choice on the part of the candidate. The candidate for Board Certification wishes to demonstrate a commitment to excellence to employers, peers, administrators, other professionals, and parents. From the standpoint of the Academy, board certification will demonstrate the highest professional competency in the area of special education. Board Certification in Special Educationestablishes a much needed standard for professionals, across disciplines, who work with exceptional children.

 

For more information on Board Certification in Special Education, click here


New This Week on NASET

Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals (JAASEP)

Articles in this issue:

The Psychological, Behavioral, and Educational Impact of Immigration: Helping Recent Immigrant Students to Succeed in North American Schools

High Anxiety: Addressing Family Issues in the Transition of Students with Disabilities from Middle Grades to High School

Identifying and Helping Struggling Readers

Research in Reading Interventions for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

Personal Epistemology and Self-Efficacy in the Special Education Teacher

A Comparative Study on the Correlations between (i) Mathematics Quotient (MQ) and Nonverbal Intelligence Quotient (NVIQ) & (ii) Mathematics Quotient (MQ) and Draw-a-Person Intelligence Quotient (dIQ) in Primary 3 Children with Selective Mutism

Cooking for Independence: Middle School Students Gain Skills While Cooking

A Student's Guide to Navigating the IRB: How to Successfully Navigate a Potentially Overwhelming Process

Teacher Candidates' Knowledge of Special Education Law

A Veteran Special Education Teacher and a General Education Social Studies Teacher Model Co-teaching: The CoPD Model

How Do Job Related Field Experiences Affect Job Readiness in Secondary Transition Students?

Using Music to Increase Math Skill Retention.


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______________________________________________________

Lesser Known Disorders in Special Education

Disorders in this issue:

LD -  8.03 -  Visual-Spatial-Organizational Nonverbal Learning Disability
MR - 2.02  - Mental Retardation due to Colpocephaly
OI -  3.03 -  Congenital hydrocephalus.
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To read or download this issue -  Click here (login required)


Bullying Prevention a Special Concern for Students With Disabilities

Tyler and Teagen Comeau, who have Asperger's syndrome, can recall being bullied a number of times at school or on the bus. But the 13-year-old twins, who live in Mansfield, Conn., can't always tell someone about it. The way they react is governed by their condition, a form of autism. The day a bully kicked Tyler in the face, for example, he went to the only adult on the bus, the driver, but was unable to form words. The bus driver told him she was going to write him up for crying, according to this story in the Connecticut Post. The month of October is bullying prevention month, and some organizations are putting a special emphasis on preventing bullying of students with disabilities. To read more, click here


CDC: ER Visits for Concussions and Other Brain Injuries Among Kids Jump

The number of children and adolescents being treated in emergency rooms for concussions and other brain injuries resulting while playing sports or participating in other recreational activities have increased significantly in the past decade, federal health officials reported last Thursday. The number of children age 19 and younger treated for traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) treated in ERs in the United States increased from 153,373 in 2001 to 248,418 in 2009, a 62 percent increase, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The increase appears to be due to a combination of factors, including more kids participating in potentially hazardous activities and adults being more aware of the need to seek treatment for children when they get injured while biking, playing football, basketball, soccer and other games, the CDC said. To read more, click here

Did You Know That....

Termination from related services may be appropriate when a student can integrate his or her acquired skills into the everyday environment and successfully participate in his or her primary program without services or with declassification services for up to twelve months.

Growing Up in Bad Neighborhoods Has a 'Devastating' Impact, Study Finds

Growing up in a poor neighborhood significantly reduces the chances that a child will graduate from high school, according to a study published in the current (October) issue of the American Sociological Review. And the longer a child lives in that kind of neighborhood, the more harmful the impact. The study by sociologists Geoffrey Wodtke and David Harding of the University of Michigan and Felix Elwert of the University of Wisconsin is the first to capture the cumulative impact of growing up in America's most disadvantaged neighborhoods on a key educational outcome: high school graduation."Compared to growing up in affluent neighborhoods, growing up in neighborhoods with high levels of poverty and unemployment reduces the chances of high school graduation from 96 percent to 76 percent for black children," said Wodtke, a doctoral student who works with Harding at the U-M Institute for Social Research (ISR). To read more, click here

Detroit Public Schools Special Education Program Gains

It took two years of state pressure and the threat of losing millions in funding, but Detroit Public Schools has reformed its special education evaluation system to comply with state and federal laws. As a result, more of the 12,000 students with disabilities  across the district are getting more time in regular classrooms, a goal shared by state education officials. The state says Michigan school districts should strive toward the statewide average of having nearly 62 percent of special education students spend at least 80 percent of their day in general education classrooms. DPS officials say a commitment to inclusive practices allowed the district to record its biggest one-year gain in the number of disabled students who spent at least three-fourths of their day in mainstream settings. To read more, click here


Job Woes Linger For Those With Disabilities

A disproportionate number of Americans with disabilities continued to be unemployed in September, the U.S. Department of Labor said Friday. While the economy added 103,000 jobs during the month, the unemployment rate was unchanged for those with disabilities, remaining at 16.1 percent in September. That's significantly higher than the jobless rate reported for the same period last year of 14.8 percent. Meanwhile, the general population didn't fare much better. The unemployment rate for that group was steady at 9.1 percent. To read more, click here

Did You Know That....
Termination from related services may be appropriate when a student's skills have reached a plateau and little or no change is expected and the student can successfully participate in his or her primary program without services or with declassification services for up to twelve months.

 

New Study Links Pesticides to ADHD in Children

 

A recent study linked ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) with a common chemical, organophosphate, found in pesticides, herbicides, solvents and plasticizers. As published in the journal, Pediatrics, exposure to levels common in the United States may contribute to the prevalence of ADHD. Most of our contact with this chemical is in the form of food, drinking water, and residential use (for example, it is used in some flea and tick pesticides). To read more, click here

 

Brain Chemical Linked to Joylessness Provides Insight Into Teen Depression

Depressed teens with anhedonia, or the inability to experience pleasure, have lower levels of the neurotransmitter GABA in a key mood-regulating region of the brain, according to an NIMH-funded study published online October 3, in the Archives of General Psychiatry. The researchers note that focusing on specific symptoms and using different types of measures may offer new clues to the pathways and processes underlying depression and other mental disorders. To read more, click here

TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Guess the answer to this week's trivia question and we'll recognize you in next week's Week in Review.
Congratulations to: Heather Shyrer, Kathy Obrien, Chaya Tabor, Shalyne Spilsbury, Ursel Bowyer, Karen Bornholm, Alexandra Pirard, Joanie Dikeman, Linda Dittmar, Tara Truman, Cheri Mclean, Lois Nembhard, Deanna Krieg, Jessica L. Ulmer, Tracy Austin, Pattie Komons, Susan Mason, and Laurie Bobley who knew that "Trisomy 21" is the formal name of the condition, Down Syndrome
THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION:-
According to the latest research in special education law, what is the single largest expense for parents and attorneys associated with litigation in special education? (Hint--The answer is not "attorney fees")
If you know the answer, send an email to contactus@naset.org
All answers must be submitted no later than Monday, October 17, 2011 at 12:00 p.m.

Commentary: In Praise of Teachers

I stepped outside the other morning, coffee cup in hand, to pick up the newspaper. The neighborhood kids were standing on the corner with their anxious mothers, excitedly awaiting the bus for the first day of school. It caused me to reflect on my history as a student and as an educator. In 1963, I was 13 and attending Whatcom Junior High School in Bellingham, Wash. One afternoon, after a tough day in Mr. Roberts' math class, I was lounging at home, watching cartoons, snacking on crackers and peanut butter. Mom walked in. Mom was a 2nd grade teacher. She dropped her bags on the floor and slumped into a chair beside me. Being 13, and therefore a genius, I said to her, "Why are you so tired? You're a teacher." Mom didn't say a word. To read more, click here

Miller, Harkin Reintroduce Legislation to Prevent Child Abuse in Teen Residential Programs

Two senior Democratic lawmakers from the House and the Senate todayreintroduced legislation to stop abuse in teen residential programs. The Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act of 2011, championed by U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the Senior Democrat on the Education and the Workforce Committee and U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), the chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee would set common-sense, minimum safety standards that states would need to adopt and enforce to protect teens from physical, mental and sexual abuse in these programs. It would also create easily accessible information for parents about the safety record of programs. To read more, click here

Boys With Autism May Grow Faster as Babies

Boys with autism tend to grow faster as babies, with differences from typically developing infants seen in their head size, height and weight, a new study says. Researchers said the findings may offer new clues about the underlying mechanisms of autism. A larger head size probably means the children also have a larger brain. Boys with brain and body "overgrowth" tend to have more severe autism symptoms, particularly involving social skills, than autistic children who don't grow faster than normal. So, it's also possible the overgrowth is one of the causes of autism; that it somehow makes symptoms worse or represents a subtype of autism that's marked by both accelerated growth and severe social deficits, said study author Katarzyna Chawarska, an associate professor of child psychology at the Yale University Child Study Center. To read more, click here

Preschool Program Improves Standardized Test Scores Through Grade 5

Continued participation in the Harrisburg Preschool Program (HPP) has led 5th-grade students to score higher on Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) literacy and math tests than peers who have not participated in the HPP program, according to the final evaluation of the HPP initiative by the Prevention Research Center at Penn State. HPP is a collaborative program involving the Harrisburg School District and Capital Area Head Start, which provides comprehensive, high-quality preschool services to at-risk children in the Harrisburg area. "This evaluation has demonstrated substantial long-term effects of the HPP program on children's reading and math achievement," said Mark Greenberg, principal investigator of the evaluation and director of the Prevention Research Center for the Promotion of Human Development at Penn State. To read more, click here

Traffic-Related Pollution Tied to Raised Risk of Preemie Birth

Traffic-related air pollution may put pregnant women at risk for a premature birth, according to a new study. Researchers looked at 100,000 births among women in California who lived within five miles of an air quality monitoring station. The births spanned a 22-month period from June 2004. Exposure to traffic-related air pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) was associated with up to a 30 percent greater risk of premature birth; exposure to ammonium nitrate fine particles was associated with a 21 percent increased risk, and exposure to benzene and fine particulate matter from diesel fumes was associated with a 10 percent higher risk, the University of California researchers found. The study is published online Oct. 6 in the journal Environmental Health. To read more, click here

Minority Students With Disabilities Suspended More Often

Black children with disabilities are two-and-a-half times more likely to be suspended than their white peers, a new report indicates. The report from the National Education Policy Center at the University of Colorado at Boulder, suggests that children from minority backgrounds and those with disabilities are more likely to be suspended. What's more, those who belong to both groups appear to be doubly impacted. During the 2007-2008 school year, an average of 6.67 percent of white children with disabilities in the nation's schools were suspended, the report found. At the same time, 16.64 percent of black students with disabilities received out-of-school suspensions. To read more, click here

NASET MEMBER'S BENEFIT -

AASEP Logo
Through an agreement with The American Academy of Special Education Professionals (AASEP), NASET members now have the opportunity to achieve AASEP Board Certification in Special Education - (B.C.S.E.) at a reduced fee.  AASEP Board Certification in Special Education - (B.C.S.E.) is a voluntary choice on the part of the candidate. The candidate for Board Certification wishes to demonstrate a commitment to excellence to employers, peers, administrators, other professionals, and parents. From the standpoint of the Academy, board certification will demonstrate the highest professional competency in the area of special education. Board Certification in Special Educationestablishes a much needed standard for professionals, across disciplines, who work with exceptional children.

 

For more information on Board Certification in Special Education, click here

Autism Program Helps  Students Develop Skills for Traditional Classroom Learning

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nine out of 1,000 children in the United States are diagnosed with autism. Autism Speaks, a non-profit autism advocacy and awareness campaign says one in every 110 children, and 1 in 70 boys, are affected by autism. According to Autism Speaks, autism is now "more common that childhood cancer, juvenile diabetes and pediatric AIDS combined." The numbers for autism diagnosis have grown dramatically since the 1980s, and while the causes of autism are still not known, education institutions across the nation are asked to tackle the challenge of teaching children with autism.

Autism levels and symptoms can vary widely but it is basically a developmental condition in which a child has difficulty in communicating, forming relationships and language development. Some of the common characteristics of autism are behavior social skill deficits, limited interest and repetitive behavior. In the Turlock Unified School District, the Special Day Classes for children with autism - located primarily at Wakefield Elementary and also at Crowell Elementary - have grown from just three classes in 2004 to eight classes this year. The TUSD autism program is responsible for teaching children diagnosed with autism from not only Turlock but from surrounding areas as well. To read more, click here

Confessions of a Bad Co-Teacher

I am a teacher. No, I'm not currently working in classrooms. I'm a teacher in the same way that I'm a pink-nosed Irish woman, or a Virgo - it's inherent in my character. More specifically, I'm a special education teacher. My attention is always drawn to the person in any room who seems excluded or in need of help; I can't have a favorite sports team because I always root for the underdog to win. In my many years of classroom teaching, I've tried co-teaching many times. My first attempt was when I was working at a charter school on a reservation. I was supporting a few different general education classes, one of which was taught by a young, enthusiastic woman named Shannon. Shannon believed that all of her students needed to learn together and to learn the same content (she was a renegade for those times). She insisted that we plan, teach, and remediate together. Neither of us had any training in co-teaching, but it worked pretty well.  To read more, click here

New Website Offers Guide To Disability Services

A new website launching this week with backing from the federal government is offering a one-stop overview of the services available to people with developmental disabilities in each state. The site, dubbed the Medicaid Reference Desk, offers a breakdown of the various Medicaid benefits - including medical and social services - offered to those with disabilities based on where they live. Though the federal government mandates that Medicaid programs in each state meet certain requirements, states have significant leeway. As a result, the benefits available from one location to another and eligibility requirements for programs can vary wildly. To read more, click here

Did You Know That....
Termination from related services may be appropriate when a student has maximized his or her function in the educational setting in keeping with his or her abilities.

 

Starting Early to Create City Teachers

The gap between the number of minority teachers in Chicago's public schools and minority student enrollment has widened over the last decade, but one school is working to change that by preparing the next generation of teachers.  At Wells Community Academy High School, where the racial breakdown of students is almost evenly split between African-Americans and Hispanics, more than 60 students are participating in a teacher training program that gets them to the front of the classroom years before most aspiring teachers. Students enrolled in the Chicago Urban Teacher Academy at Wells participate in a four-year curriculum - in partnership with National Louis University - designed to focus on best practices in teaching. One day a week students work in classrooms at one of three nearby elementary schools - Peabody, Talcott or Moos. As soon as November, first-year students start conducting lessons, and will continue to do so throughout the four years. To read more, click here

Health Care Disparities Facing People in US With Disabilities

Two decades after the Americans with Disabilities Act went into effect, people with disabilities continue to face difficulties meeting major social needs, including obtaining appropriate access to health care facilities and services. In an article in the October issue of Health Affairs, Lisa Iezzoni, MD, director of the Mongan Institute for Health Policy at Massachusetts General Hospital, analyzes available information on disparities affecting people with disabilities and highlights barriers that continue to restrict their access to health services.  "A lot of attention has been paid to how health disparities affect people in racial and ethnic minority groups, and this report details how people with disabilities are also disadvantaged," she says. "Most of the literature about these problems has appeared in disability-centered journals that are not very accessible to many people, so one of my goals in putting together this analysis was bringing this information to a high visibility, broadly accessible journal." To read more, click here

Testing, No Testing, Too Much Testing

Gretchen Herrera expected it would just be her and her son, who has Asperger syndrome and Type 1 diabetes, on the steps of the capitol building in Columbia, S.C., this Saturday, protesting standardized testing. The reasons for her protest began building last May. She had tried several times to have Anthony, 12, exempted from South Carolina's annual tests in reading, math, and other subjects when he was in 6th grade last school year. But no reason would do-not even a doctor's note that explained Anthony's blood sugar could spike because of his Asperger-related anxiety. And on the first day of testing, that's just what happened, Ms. Herrera said. Her son zipped through the test-his mother later learned he scored well-and his blood sugar zoomed to more than 300, the danger zone for diabetics. So Anthony stayed home during the rest of the testing dates. To read more, click here

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Food For Thought..........

I'm not a teacher but an awakener.

Robert Frost

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