Week in Review - April 13, 2012

WEEK IN REVIEW

NewNASETPublications and Articles of Interest in Special Education and Disabilities That Were Reported This Week

April 13, 2012 - Vol 8, Issue 15


 

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In This Issue

Rhode Island Graduation Regulations Condemned

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Dear NASET News,

Welcome toNASET'sWEEK in REVIEWHere, we provide you with the latest publications fromNASETto read and or download, as well as some of the most interesting articles 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 theWEEK in REVIEWatnews@naset.org.Have a great weekend.

Sincerely,


NASETNews Team

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Classroom Management Series VII


Part VIII- Working with the Child with Intellectual Disabilities in the Classroom

The Classroom Management Series will focus on topics for both new and experienced teachers, including topics on setting up your classroom, behavioral management, adapting curriculum, working with different personality styles of students, assisting parents of children with special needs, and many more relevant topics.

To read or download this issue -Click here (login required)
______________________________________________________

Lesser Known Disorders in Special Education Series


April 2012

In this issue you will find:

  • LD 8.02-Social Nonverbal Learning Disability
  • HI 1.01-Auditory Agnosia
  • SL 10.01-Receptive Morphological Language Disorder

To read or download this issue -Click here (login required)

Did You Know That....

LRE (Least Restrictive Environment) refers to the setting where a child with a disability can receive an appropriate education designed to meet his or her educational needs, alongside peers without disabilities to the maximum extent appropriate.

Tackling Dyslexia Before Kids Learn to Read

For children with dyslexia, the trouble begins even before they start reading and for reasons that don't necessarily reflect other language skills. That's according to a report published online on April 5 in Current Biology, a Cell Press publication, that for the first time reveals a causal connection between early problems with visual attention and a later diagnosis of dyslexia. "Visual attention deficits are surprisingly way more predictive of future reading disorders than are language abilities at the prereading stage," said Andrea Facoetti of the University of Padua in Italy. To read more,click here

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Planning Pregnancy May Cut Birth Defects

Women who'd like to become pregnant -- especially those who are taking medications for chronic conditions -- may need to add something to their to-do list: Plan, plan, plan. That's because some medications are known to cause birth defects. Avoiding all medications during pregnancy is not always possible, however, and sometimes not taking a prescribed medication could be harmful, too. "The best thing for women to do, all women, is to plan their pregnancy," said Dr. Diane Ashton, deputy medical director for the March of Dimes. "Women should speak with their physician about their plans to become pregnant. If they have a condition that requires medication, that's an ideal time to switch to medications that have less risk, if necessary. And, it gives time for the condition to be stabilized." To read more,click here

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NASET MEMBER'S BENEFIT -

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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 Mutations, Scattered Across Many Genes, Merge Into Common Network of Interactions

UW researchers have announced their findings from a major study looking into the genetic basis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) with an approach piloted at the UW.  The researchers have been studying ASD in children who have no family history of this or related impairments -- so called "sporadic autism" -- and also why autism varies in its symptoms and severity. By focusing on "sporadic autism," the researchers sought to evaluate a specific genetic model for ASD risk, namely the appearance of new mutations (termed de novo) in children with ASD that were not found in either parent. To read more,click here

Scientists Uncover Clue to Preventing, and Possibly Reversing, Rare Childhood Genetic Disease

Rutgers scientists think they have found a way to prevent and possibly reverse the most debilitating symptoms of a rare, progressive childhood degenerative disease that leaves children with slurred speech, unable to walk, and in a wheelchair before they reach adolescence. In the April 1 online edition of Nature Medicine, Karl Herrup, chair of the Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience in the School of Arts and Sciences provides new information on why this genetic disease attacks the cerebellum -- a part of the brain that controls movement coordination, equilibrium, and muscle tone -- and other regions of the brain. To read more,click here

Did You Know That....

LRE has been a part of federal special education law from its inception in 1975. LRE's basic statutory provision has remained intact for the past 30 years.

Lehigh University Special Education Law Symposium, June 24-29, 2012

Lehigh University's intensive week-long special education law symposium provides a practical analysis of legislation, regulations, and case law relating to the education of students with disabilities. The symposium provides a thorough analysis of the leading issues under the IDEA and Section 504. Special features include: parallel tracks for basic and advanced practitioners, starting with a keynote dinner and presentation by Dr. Alexa Posny, Assistant Secretary, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, U.S. Department of Education, and ending with a post-luncheon crystal-ball session  by Chicago attorney Darcy Kriha; a balance of knowledgeable district, parent, and neutral perspectives; essential topics with proven effective presenters for the basic track; and a brand new set of "hot topics" and faculty presenters for the advanced track.For more information visit http://www.lehigh.edu/education/law. Questions? Contact Tamara Bartolet (tlp205@lehigh.edu or 610/758-3226).

Yoga Shows Psychological Benefits for High-School Students

Yoga classes have positive psychological effects for high-school students, according to a pilot study in the April Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, the official journal of the Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. Since mental health disorders commonly develop in the teenage years, "Yoga may serve a preventive role in adolescent mental health," according to the new study, led by Jessica Noggle, PhD, of Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston. 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:
Sherri Lafond, Deanna Krieg, Julia Godfrey, Barbara Kempf, Vicky Vila, Vicky Gill, Lois Nembhard, Jugraj Kaur, Louise Janus, Marilyn Haile, Tracy Austin, Kerry Scheetz Drossos, Merril Bruce, Olumide Akerele, Craig Pate, Robyn Flynn, Cynthia Finn, Marlene Barnett, Barry Joel Amper, Bev Taylor, Jessica L. Ulmer, Michelle Fortune, Elaine Draper, Catherine Cardenas and Prahbhjot Malhi who all knew the answer to last week's trivia question was: Geraldo Rivera


THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION:
Fill in the blank:    The removal of a child with disabilities from the regular education class may occur only if the child cannot besatisfactorilyeducated in the regular educational environment with the use of supplementary aids and services. There isn't a specific standard or level established within IDEA for determining what it means for the education of a child with a disability to be "achieved satisfactorily." Rather, each child's ______ is the measuring tool.
If you know the answer, send an email tocontactus@naset.org
All answers must be submitted no later than Monday, April 16, 2012 at 12:00 p.m.

Emotional Trauma May Hurt Toddlers' Later Learning

Suffering emotional trauma such as witnessing domestic violence or being abused early in life may inhibit children's intellectual development, according to a new study. The researchers also found that the impact of trauma seems to be most damaging when it occurs during the first two years of life. The U.S. study included 206 children whose intellectual development was assessed when they were aged 2, about 5 and 8 years old. The researchers also determined whether children suffered neglect; physical, sexual or emotional abuse; or witnessed domestic violence against their mother. To read more,click here


In-Depth Look at Homework Distractions

A new regional study by a senior learning researcher and Mississippi State faculty member is the first to link homework distraction to a wide range of variables. The multi-level analysis by Jianzhong Xu, a professor in the university's College of Education, examined a range of variables affecting homework distraction, at both the student level and the class level. He hypothesized that homework distraction is affected by such variables as gender, academic achievement and student attitudes toward the work. A member of the college's leadership and foundations department, Xu also included numerous types of distractions in his analysis. To read more,click here


Measles Vaccines Won't Raise Seizure Risk in Young Kids: Study

Measles vaccines don't increase the risk of febrile seizures in children ages 4 to 6, according to a new study. Febrile seizures are brief, fever-related convulsions that are not fatal and do not lead to brain damage, epilepsy or other seizure disorders. The study, conducted by the Kaiser Permanente Vaccine Study Center and funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, looked at data from nearly 87,000 children ages 48 to 83 months who received the measles-mumps-rubella-chickenpox (MMRV) vaccine; the MMR vaccine plus the varicella vaccine for chickenpox, administered separately but on the same day; or either the MMR or varicella vaccine alone. To read more,click here


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Bilingual Children Switch Tasks Faster Than Speakers of a Single Language

Children who grow up learning to speak two languages are better at switching between tasks than are children who learn to speak only one language, according to a study funded in part by the National Institutes of Health. However, the study also found that bilinguals are slower to acquire vocabulary than are monolinguals, because bilinguals must divide their time between two languages while monolinguals focus on only one. In the study, bilingual and monolingual children were asked to press a computer key as they viewed a series of images -- either of animals or of depictions of colors. When the responses were limited to either of the two categories, the children responded at the same speed. But when the children were asked to switch, from animals to a color, and press a different button for the new category, bilinguals were faster at making the change than were the monolinguals. To read more,click here


Feds Back Off Special Education Funding Plan

After appearing to give school districts the green light last summer to decrease spending on special education, the U.S. Department of Education is making an about-face. Under federal law, schools are required to maintain or increase their funding for special education from one year to the next. If they do not meet the standard known as "maintenance of effort" without obtaining an exemption from the Department of Education, districts can lose out on future federal funding. But when the Education Departmentweighed inlast June about the spending standards districts must meet in the years after they fail to abide by the maintenance of effort requirement, government officials got an earful from special education advocates. To read more,click here


What Do ADHD and Cancer Have in Common? Variety

According to new research conducted at Oregon Health & Science University, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is more than one disorder. It's an entire family of disorders, much like the multiple subtypes of cancer. The research, which highlights various versions of the disease, each with differing impacts, demonstrates that there is likely not going to be a "one-size-fits-all" approach to treating patients. It also suggests new methods for characterizing any given individual are going to be required for improved diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of the disease. The research also indicates that scientists need to shift their thinking when it comes to conducting research aimed at understanding the cause and impacts of ADHD, and consider the vast variety of human behavior in non-affected children as well. To read more,click here


Did You Know That....

The LRE requirements in IDEA express a strong preference, not a mandate, for educating children with disabilities in regular classes alongside their peers without disabilities. (71 Fed. Reg. 46585)

Partner Aggression in High-Risk Families Affects Parenting Beginning at Birth

Bickering spouses may need to clean up their act. New research at the University of Oregon finds that the level of aggression between partners around the time when a child is born impacts how a mom will be parenting three years later. The study -- published in the Journal of Family Psychology -- is part of a longitudinal research effort involving more than 400 mothers in high-risk family environments, based mostly on risk for child-welfare involvement and socioeconomic status, who were initially recruited at a San Diego, Calif., hospital when their children were born in 1996-97. To read more,click here


Children with Autism Born Preterm, Post-Term Have More Severe Symptoms

For children with autism, being born several weeks early or several weeks late tends to increase the severity of their symptoms, according to new research out of Michigan State University. Additionally, children with autism who were born either preterm or post-term are more likely to self-injure themselves compared with autistic children born on time, revealed the study by Tammy Movsas of MSU's Department of Epidemiology. Though the study did not uncover why there is an increase in autistic symptoms, the reasons may be tied to some of the underlying causes of why a child is born preterm (prior to 37 weeks) or post-term (after 42 weeks) in the first place. To read more,click here


Blind Oregon Students Now Take Online Adaptive Tests

For the first time, students who read Braille in Oregon can take the same adaptive tests in reading, math, science, and social science. Usingrefreshable Braille displaysconnected to computers, blind students can take tests that base questions on how the student answered the one before. "The adaptive piece is what's really exciting," said Crystal Greene, a senior program and accountability officer. "We're able to hone in with much more precision on what kids know and are able to do. We're getting better information on where all of our kids are." Adaptive tests have been used in Oregon since 2001, said Kathleen Vanderwall, the state's manager of test design. To read more,click here


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


Learning is a result of listening, which in turn leads to even better listening and attentiveness to the other person. In other words, to learn from the child, we must have empathy, and empathy grows as we learn.
Alice Miller
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