Week in Review - November 4, 2011
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WEEK IN REVIEWNewNASETPublications and Articles of Interest in Special Education and Disabilities That Were Reported This WeekNovember 4, 2011 - Vol 7, Issue 40 |
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New This Week on NASETNASET Special Educator e-JournalIn this issue: Update from the U.S. Department of Education Calls to Participate and New Projects Special Education Resources Update From The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities Latest Employment Opportunities Posted on NASET Upcoming Conferences and Events Funding Forecast and Award Opportunities To read or download this issue -Click here (login required) ______________________________________________________ Parent/Teacher Conference HandoutDoes my child hear? Many times parents of students in your class may have a new child and express concerns about development. One of the concerns most often expressed may involve hearing. Sometimes parents are concerned because they may not be responsive to noises or sounds. Before any further diagnosis is considered the child's hearing should always be checked first. This parent conference handout will provide you with a checklist for any parent concerned about this issue. To read or download this issue -Click here (login required) |
Autism Linked to Unusual Shapes in LungsChildren born with a certain shape in their airways -- the tubes that take air to the lungs -- all haveautismorautism spectrum disorder, according to a new study. The study is one of the few to show a strong link between anatomy and autism and may indicate a genetic cause for the syndrome, says Barbara Stewart, MD. She presented the study today at CHEST 2011, the Annual Meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians. "I think it takes some of the pressure off parents," Stewart tells WebMD. "Autism is not something they did. It just happened." To read more,click here |
Children With Head Injuries Can Face Lifetime of ProblemsChildren can face a lifetime of problems after suffering head injuries from falls, car accidents and other mishaps, according to a new study. From communication deficits to trouble with daily self-care, the effects of moderate to severe brain injuries can lead to "substantial long-term reduction" in quality of life for children with traumatic brain injury, the researchers found. The findings "emphasize the need for prevention," said study author Dr. Frederick Rivara, professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Public Health in Seattle. "Many of these injuries can be prevented by using bicycle helmets, and kids being buckled up in seatbelts, making sure there are gates on stairways." Schools also should consider different rules for football, he added. To read more,click here |
Did You Know That....Social Phobia, or Social Anxiety Disorder, is an anxiety disorder characterized by overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in everyday social situations. |
SSI for Children with Disabilities at RiskThursday, October 27, the House Ways and Means Subcommittee had a hearing on SSI benefits for children with disabilities. This hearing is said to be a result of a study conducted and reported by theBoston Globelast December calling SSI "the other welfare". Subcommittee Chair Geoff Davis, (R-KY)convened the hearingstating that he is focused on the oversight of SSI benefits for children with disabilities. Some of his concerns stated were of program growth and recipient outcomes. Davis is quoted as saying"SSI today offers monthly checks without any requirement that benefits be spent on helping the child overcome his or her disability." To read more,click here |
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Handbook Offers College Advice For Students With AutismA new guide released this week offers a step-by-step look at college life for those with autism - offering tips on everything from classroom accommodations to dealing with roommates - and it's written by adults with the developmental disorder. At over 100 pages, the handbook produced by the Autistic Self Advocacy Network is said to be the first-of-its-kind to be geared toward individuals with autism rather than parents or professionals. To read more,click here |
Special Education Changes Aim to Better Meet Students' NeedsIn Alabama, teaching special education students in Montgomery Public Schools has been a weakness for the system when it comes to meeting federal accountability standards, but this year officials said things are different and new measures are in place to help students get the resources they need. Changes to special education were discussed during Tuesday's Montgomery County Board of Education meeting, where officials got an update on what's new to hold staff accountable, get students the services they need and address the root of discipline issues. To read more,click here |
Did You Know That....Social phobia can be limited to only one type of situation - such as a fear of speaking in formal or informal situations, or eating or drinking in front of others - or, in its most severe form, may be so broad that a person experiences symptoms almost anytime they are around other people. |
Blind Law School Grad Wins Case For Tech Aids To Take Bar ExamA blind law school graduate has won what her lawyers hope is a final ruling from a federal judge in San Francisco vindicating her right to have the technological aids she sought when taking a bar exam. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer issued a summary judgment Monday finding that the National Conference of Bar Examiners violated the U.S. Americans with Disabilities Act and California civil rights law when it refused to give Stephanie Enyart the aids she requested. Breyer also ordered the organization to provide the combination of computer screen magnification and text-reading software sought by Enyart in any exams she takes in the future. To read more,click here |
Preschool Peers May Boost Language Skills in KidsPreschool students with poor language skills show much greater improvement if they're placed in a classroom with higher-achieving children, compared to being in a class with other low-achievers, researchers say. The findings are important because many preschool programs in the United States are targeted to poor children, whose development of language skills may be lagging, according to lead author Laura Justice, a professor at Ohio State University's School of Teaching and Learning. "The way preschool works in the United States, we tend to cluster kids who have relatively low language skills in the same classrooms, and that is not good for their language development," she said in a university news release. "We need to pay more attention to the composition of preschool classrooms." To read more,click here |
TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEKGuess the answer to this week's trivia question and we'll recognize you in next week's Week in Review. Congratulations to:Mike Rolen, Laura Nkume, Roberta Star Schryver, Rajasri Govindaraju, Ida K. O'Leary, Josh DelViscovo, Jessica L. Ulmer, Deanna Krieg, Nancy G. Johnsen, Craig Pate, Kenyetta M. Singleton, and Tina Theuerkauf who knew that consent for the evaluation of a child with a suspected disability can be revoked "at any time" by the parents. THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION: Just a few weeks ago, the American Academy of Pediatrics expanded its guidelines for diagnosing and treating kids with what disorder, recommending that doctors evaluate all patients aged four to 18 who show signs of the condition? (Hint--SeeNASET's"Week in Review"from 10/28/11 if you do not know the answer) If you know the answer, send an email tocontactus@naset.org All answers must be submitted no later than Monday, November 7, 2011 at 12:00 p.m. |
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Opinion: No Child Left Behind Leaves Behind Too ManyBack in September, President Barack Obama took the first step in repealing "No Child Left Behind," an act implemented in 2002 to improve education across the nation. Well, I say "first step" - it was more like "worthless announcement". And I say "repeal" - but it was more like "hide with a blanket." Essentially, Obama removed the 2014 deadline outlined in the initial plan for those schools that met a specific set of criteria. According to a New York Timesarticle, "The administration is offering to waive (the 2014 deadline) for states that qualify." Alongside this waiver, after school tuition and free bus transportation could also be removed for qualified schools. To read more,click here |
Job Market Tough for Young Adults With AutismMore children are being diagnosed with autism than ever before and now many of these children are graduating from high school and entering, or at least trying to enter, the workforce. Unfortunately, this critical crossroads is precisely the time that supportive services for this population tend to peter out. "What we're seeing now is this group of adults with the autism diagnosis who have been more empowered and supported than ever before, but they're leaving behind the school structure and special-ed structure," said Scott Standifer, a clinical associate professor at the University of Missouri's School of Health Professions. "The system of adult disability support is very different, so they're having trouble figuring out and making that transition. The world of work is not the same as the world of school." To read more,click here |
Utah Launches Campaign to Educate Parents About Developmental DelaysThe Utah Department of Health wants parents to watch for developmental milestones so children can get help earlier if they don't meet them. With a $200,000 grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the department launched a "Learn the Signs. Act Early" campaign Wednesday. "It empowers parents to talk to their doctors about their child's development - mainly the way they learn, play, speak and act," said Paul Carbone, a University of Utah pediatrician who specializes in caring for children with the developmental disorder autism. The health department launched a website that includes all the milestones children should reach by age 5. Parents are encouraged to talk to their doctors if they have concerns. To read more,click here |
Peer Pressure in Preschool Children: Children as Young as 4 Years of Age Conform Their Public Opinion to the MajorityAdults and adolescents often adjust their behavior and opinions to peer groups, even when they themselves know better. Researchers from the Max Planck Institutes for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, and for Psycholinguistics in Nijmegen, Netherlands, studied this phenomenon in four-year-olds and found that preschool children are already subject to peer pressure. In the current study, the researchers found that children conformed their public judgment of a situation to the judgment of a majority of peers in spite better knowledge. The research is published in the journal Child Development (Oct. 25, 2011). Humans do not only conform to arbitrary fashions but also to majority opinion even when they know better. This conformity plays a crucial role in the acquisition of one's group's behavioural repertoire. We learn group specific behaviour by observing other group members. When confronted with information that stands in conflict with our own beliefs or preferences, we often succumb to the point of view of the majority. To read more,click here |
Opinion: The Legacy of NCLB: Can We Force Schools to Improve?When I was in Washington, DC, last July, I participated in a press conference prior to the Save Our Schools March, which I had helped organize. A gentleman who had asked several critical questions spoke with me afterwards. He tried to help me understand why tough federal mandates were needed to improve schools. He told me "You know there are school districts all over the country that have been stuck for decades, where there is corruption. We have got to have some way to force them to improve." This is the mentality that brought us No Child Left Behind. This is why some liberals, like the late Ted Kennedy and California Congressman George Miller, bought into the law. They abhor the inferior education many of our students have received, and they are determined to use the powers they have to make a difference. To read more,click here |
 NASET MEMBER'S BENEFITThrough 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 |
In Kansas City, Adderall Shortage Costing FamiliesA popular medicine one might depend on is in short supply across America. And now the Adderall shortage is affecting pharmacies right here in the metro. Adderall is taken by children and adults who are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. KCTV5 checked and prescribers can't get it at Albers Pharmacy in Kansas City or most other pharmacies around the metro. The main concern that KCTV5 is hearing from patients, doctors and pharmacists is that there is no good alternative to this medication. To read more,click here |
Curiosity Is Critical to Academic PerformanceCuriosity may have killed the cat, but it's good for the student. That's the conclusion of a new study published in Perspectives in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. The authors show that curiosity is a big part of academic performance. In fact, personality traits like curiosity seem to be as important as intelligence in determining how well students do in school. Intelligence is important to academic performance, but it's not the whole story. Everyone knows a brilliant kid who failed school, or someone with mediocre smarts who made up for it with hard work. So psychological scientists have started looking at factors other than intelligence that make some students do better than others. To read more,click here |
Did You Know That....People with social phobia have a persistent, intense, and chronic fear of being watched and judged by others and being embarrassed or humiliated by their own actions. Their fear may be so severe that it interferes with work or school, and other ordinary activities. Physical symptoms often accompany the intense anxiety of social phobia and include blushing, profuse sweating, trembling, nausea, and difficulty talking. |
Were Special Education, Title I, Other Programs Cut by Mistake?When Congress passed a short-term budget bill that expires Nov. 18, lawmakers may not have realized what some of the bill's potential long-term effects might be on education spending-although states and school districts noticed their action right away. Spending for four programs-special education, Title I, teacher quality, and career and technical education-for the current school year was cut, presumably well after most states and school districts had spending plans for the year in place. "The states have had the rug pulled out from under them," said Lindsay Jones, the senior director of policy and advocacy services for the Washington-based Council for Exceptional Children. To read more,click here |
Separate Education for Those in Special Education? PossiblyWill the teachers of students with disabilities, teachers who in many cases work with all subjects, have to meet a lesser standard than their counterparts? And will expectations for students with disabilities be lowered, too? Maybe. Those were some of the proposals offered during last week's markup of a bill to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. One amendment offered by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., would have removed the requirement that teachers of students with disabilities be "highly qualified." To read more,click here |
Size of Teeth in Premature Children Smaller Than That of Children Who Were Full-TermThe size of teeth in premature children is smaller than that of children who were full-term according to a study by the Faculty of Odontology at Malmö University in Sweden.
Our knowledge about premature children, and their physical and mental development as they grow up, is constantly growing. In recent years several studies of children's dental health have been published by researchers at the Faculty of Odontology in Malmö. Liselotte Paulsson-Björnsson, a specialist in orthodontics, has studied 80 children born before week 33 of pregnancy. "We have examined how their teeth are developing and, among other things, we've looked at their bites. We've also checked their need for orthodontic adjustments and found that it is greater than in the control group, children born at full term," she says. To read more,click here |
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Food For Thought..........The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education. Martin Luther King, Jr. |
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