Week in Review - March 22, 2013

WEEK IN REVIEW

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

March 22, 2013 - Vol 9, Issue 12

 

 

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Dear NASET News,

Welcome to NASET's WEEK in REVIEW Here, we provide you with the latest publications from NASET to 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 the WEEK in REVIEW at news@naset.org.Have a great weekend.
 
Sincerely,


NASET News Team

 

NASET Sponsor - University of Florida

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NASET Sponsor - Arkansas State University

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NASET Sponsor - Cal Poly Pomona

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New This Week on NASET

NASET Q&A Corner #56
Understanding Visual Impairments in Children

 

When a child has a visual impairment, it is cause for immediate attention. That's because so much learning typically occurs visually. When vision loss goes undetected, children are delayed in developing a wide range of skills. While they can do virtually all the activities and tasks that sighted children take for granted, children who are visually impaired often need to learn to do them in a different way or using different tools or materials. Central to their learning will be touching, listening, smelling, tasting, moving, and using whatever vision they have. The assistance of parents, family members, friends, caregivers, and educators can be indispensable in that process. More will be said about this in a moment. The focus of this issue of NASET's Q & A Corner is to address visual impairments in children.


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Parent Teacher Conference Handout
March 2013
 
Checklist for Children with High Risk Emotional Issues
 
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See NASET's Latest Job Listings
 
 

Draft of Next Generation of Educator Preparation Accreditation Standards Released for Public Comment

As the new national accreditor for educator preparation, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) is seeking public comment on the draft of the next generation of accreditation standards and performance measures. All stakeholders in education and educator preparation are encouraged to review and comment on the draft standards, which are available for public comment through March 29. Please visit http://caepnet.org or follow @CAEPupdates on Twitter for the most up-to-date information. 

 

New Voices For The Voiceless: Synthetic Speech Gets An Upgrade

Ever since she was a small child, Samantha Grimaldo has had to carry her voice with her. Grimaldo was born with a rare disorder, Perisylvian syndrome, which means that though she's physically capable in many ways, she's never been able to speak. Instead, she's used a device to speak. She types in what she wants to say, and the device says those words out loud. Her mother, Ruane Grimaldo, says that when Samantha was very young, the voice she used came in a heavy gray box.  "She used to have to carry this device around that was at least 4 or 5 pounds," Ruane says, "and she was only, like, 70 pounds herself. The poor thing had to carry this back and forth to school every day on the bus." It was miserable having to lug her voice around that way - a clunky box sitting on the seat next to her. Today, fortunately, Samantha's voice takes up much less space. She types into a special program on an iPhone or iPad, and a synthesized voice in the program says the words aloud. The voice, one of several types on the market, is called "Heather." That's a nice enough name - easygoing and accessible - but Grimaldo doesn't like to use the voice if she can help it. To read more, click here

 

NASET Sponsor - Arkansas State University

ASU-Spring13

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Did You Know That....

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), our nation's special education law, defines 14 categories of disability under which a child may be found eligible for special education and related services. One of those categories is "Other Health Impairment," or OHI, for short. Within OHI's definition, numerous disabilities and medical conditions are explicitly named. Lead poisoning is one such. Lead can build up in the body over a period of months or years. Even a small amount of lead in the body can cause serious problems-hence the term lead poisoning. Children under the age of 6 are especially vulnerable, because their mental and physical abilities are still developing.
 

Neurologists Advise Against Doctors Prescribing ADHD Medications To Children

ADHD medications such as Adderall and Ritalin have become popular among students as "study drugs." However, there's a lot physicians and patients don't know about the unnecessary use of these prescriptions. In 2008, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that approximately three million kids were prescribed some kind of ADHD medication in the United States. That makes it the most prescribed medication in the country. The American Academy of Neurology has published a position paper discouraging doctors from prescribing these mind-enhancing drugs to students for the sole purpose of helping them concentrate on schoolwork. MD, of Yale University in New Haven, Conn. and Member of the American Academy of Neurology, William Graf says this practice "is not justifiable." To read more, click here

Census: Income Gap Marked for Workers with Disabilities 

People with disabilities are three times less likely to be employed and, when they are working, they're earning 75 cents for each dollar others are paid. Between 2008 and 2010, individuals with disabilities accounted for 6 percent of the workforce, according to data released this week from the U.S. Census. Such workers were most often employed in service and administrative support roles. Positions as janitors or building cleaners, cashiers, dishwashers and in retail sales were among the most common cited. For their labor, more than half of workers with disabilities earned less than $25,000 annually, the Census found. To read more, click here

 
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NASET MEMBER'S BENEFIT -

Board Certification in Special Education Available to NASET Members

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
 

California State Regulators Pass Emergency Measures to Ensure Autism Coverage

California regulators have issued emergency regulations aimed at keeping insurance companies from delaying or denying coverage for autism treatment. Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones announced the approval of emergency rules this week, which take effect immediately. "Autistic children and their families should now, without delay, receive the transformative treatment that will enable them to succeed in school, their families, and communities," Jones wrote in a statement. To read more, click here

 

GEEO Travel Programs for Educators

Global Exploration for Educators Organization (GEEO) is a non-profit organization that runs summer professional development travel programs designed for teachers. 

GEEO is offering 23 different travel programs for the summer of 2013: India/Nepal, Italy, Portugal/Spain, Amalfi Coast, Eastern Europe, Budapest to Istanbul, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Comfort Thailand, Thailand/Laos, Cambodia, China, Comfort China, Russia/Mongolia/China, Turkey 15 day, Turkey 8-Day, Kenya/Tanzania, South Africa / Mozambique / Zimbabwe / Botswana, Morocco, Peru, Ecuador, The Galapagos Islands and Costa Rica. The registration deadline is June 1st, but space is limited and many programs will be full well before the deadline. 

Educators have the option to earn graduate school credit and professional development credit while seeing the world. The trips are 8 to 24 days in length and are designed and discounted to be interesting and affordable for teachers. GEEO provides teachers educational materials and the structure to help them bring their experiences into the classroom. The trips are open to all nationalities of K-12 and university educators and administrators, as well as retired educators. Educators are also permitted to bring along a non-educator guest.

Detailed information about each trip, including itineraries, costs, travel dates, and more can be found at www.geeo.org. GEEO can be reached 7 days a week, toll free at 1-877-600-0105 between 9AM-9PM EST  

 

Lost in Translation: District's Cost-Cutting Move Targets Non-English-Speaking Parents of Students with Special Needs

When his son was diagnosed with autism a few years ago, Fernando Romero worked with the Clark County School District to develop a personalized curriculum for the boy. Teachers reviewed test scores and grades, recommended special services and set annual learning goals for Romero's son, now 8. All of the information was written into an Individualized Education Plan, or IEP, a federally mandated contract between parents and schools that governs the education of a special-needs child. For parents of the nearly 32,000 special-needs children in Clark County, the IEP serves as a roadmap to help keep students on track to succeed. These 20-page-long documents are often dense with academic and legal language, making it difficult to understand. It helps that Romero speaks English fluently. But that's not the case for the parents of 8,000 English-language learner students with special needs in the district, the majority of whom speak Spanish at home. To read more, click here

 

 

SPECIAL EDUCATION LAW SYMPOSIUM AT LEHIGH UNIVERSITY, JUNE 23-28, 2013

Designed for a national audience, this intensive one-week, well-balanced program is available on both a non-credit and graduate-credit basis and provides a thorough analysis of the leading issues under the IDEA and Section 504. Among the 19 symposium sessions are the following "hot topics": RTI; discipline, including a mock manifestation determination hearing; child find; transitional services; tuition reimbursement and other remedies; disability-related bullying; and autism.

Special features include:

  • Parallel tracks for basic and advanced practitioners, starting with a keynote dinner presentation by Dr. Melody Musgrove, Director, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), U.S. Department of Education and ending with a post-luncheon crystal-ball culminating presentation led by national consultant and trainer Julie Weatherly, Esq., recipient of the 2012 National CASE Award for Outstanding Service.
  • Balance of district, parent, and neutral perspectives with a specialized set of topics and presenters for the advanced track.
  • Knowledgeable national faculty including attorneys Laura Anthony (Ohio), Emerson Dickman (New Jersey), Andrew Faust (Pennsylvania), Joshua Kershenbaum (Pennsylvania), Michele Kule-Korgood (New York), Deborah Mattison (Alabama), Marsha Moses (Connecticut), Michael Stafford (Delaware), Julie Weatherly (Alabama), Mark Weber (Illinois), and Dr. Perry Zirkel (Pennsylvania).
  • The symposium will take place on the beautiful campus of Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., located just 60 miles north of Philadelphia and 70 miles south of New York City, with access from Lehigh Valley (ABE), Newark, and Philadelphia International airports.
  • CLE and ACT 48 credits available.
  • Non-credit: $995 full week; or $295 per day.  Lehigh University Graduate Credit (3): $1,695
Special Education Law Symposium ~ June 23-28, 2013 ~ Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA ~ coe.lehigh.edu/law 

 

 

Commission Calls for 'Radically Different' Tests

Emerging technology and research on learning have the potential to dramatically improve assessments, if educators and policymakers take a more balanced approach to using them. That's the conclusion of two years of analysis by the Gordon Commission on the Future of Assessment in Education, a panel of top education research and policy experts that was launched in 2011 with initial funding from the Educational Testing Service. In a report that was set for release this week, the commission lays out a 10-year plan for states to develop systems of assessment that go beyond identifying student achievement for accountability purposes and toward improving classroom instruction and giving greater insight into how children learn. To read more, click here

 

Understanding How We Speak

A new study revealed the patterns of brain activity that produce human speech. The findings may one day lead to new approaches for treating speech disorders. Most of us barely give a conscious thought to the process of speaking, but it's one of the most complex actions we perform. In order to speak, your brain needs to quickly and precisely coordinate your lips, jaw, tongue and larynx (voice box). Speech disorders, such as stuttering, affect roughly 5% of children by the first grade. The underlying causes of most speech disorders, however, aren't well understood. Past studies have found that a part of the human brain called the ventral sensorimotor cortex, or vSMC, controls speech. Using electrical stimulation, researchers were able to discover which general areas of the vSMC controlled which parts of the face and mouth. However, this kind of stimulation couldn't evoke meaningful utterances. The finding implies that rather than being stored in discrete brain areas, speech sounds might arise from coordinated motor patterns involving multiple areas. To read more, click here

 

NASET Sponsor - University of Florida

Univ-Florida  

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Did You Know That....

Exposure to lead-based paint or paint dust is the most common avenue to lead poisoning. This exists in older buildings and poses a serious health hazard. That is why the paint we use today does not contain lead. It's also why there has been a public awareness and prevention campaign for at least two decades to alert people to the dangers of being exposed to lead.

 

Children with Autism at Greater Risk for Suicide

Children who have autism may be at greater risk for thinking about or attempting suicide than children without the condition, according to a new study. Researchers looked at data for about 1,000 children, including 791 kids with an autism spectrum disorder, 186 non-autistic children without a mental condition and 35 non-autistic children with depression. Parents gave numerical ratings describing whether and how frequently their children had contemplated or attempted suicide. Children with autism were 28 times more likely to be rated as contemplating or attempting suicide "sometimes" to "very often," compared with children who didn't have autism, according to the researchers. However, children with depression were three times more likely to receive these ratings compared to children with autism. To read more, click here

 

NASET Sponsor - Cal Poly Pomona  

 Cal_Poly_Pomona-8-12

 

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: Merril Bruce, Ope-Oluwa Olubela, Ana Crespo, Albinia Chie Marquez, Desiree Saladin, Genny Schwarzberg, Kerry Drossos, Cheri Mclean, Savetria Y. Francis, Olumide Akerele, Pamela R. Downing-Hosten, Prahbhjot Malhi, Barry Joel Amper, Kirsten Pomerantz, Craig Pate, Debra Silsbee, Mike Namian, Marilyn Haile, Mersh Lubel Kanis, and Emily Cayon,  
who all knew the answer to last week's trivia question: Howard Gardner is known for the Theory of Multiple Intelligence. 
  
  
THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION: 
Who is considered the "Father of American Public Education"? 
 
If you know the answer, send an email to contactus@naset.org 
All answers must be submitted no later than Monday, March 25, 2013 at 12:00 p.m.
 

Only One Concussion Can Cause Lasting Damage

 A new study published online in the journal Radiology showed that just one concussion could cause long lasting structural changes to the brain.  "This is the first study that shows brain areas undergo measurable volume loss after concussion," said Yvonne W. Lui, M.D., Neuroradiology section chief and assistant professor of radiology at the NYU School of Medicine. "In some patients, there are structural changes to the brain after a single concussive episode." To read more, click here

 

Autism and Pollution Study Links Autism with Prenatal Exposure to Traffic Pollution

Babies exposed to air pollution in the womb are more likely to have autism than those whose mothers spend pregnancy in clean air, according to a new studyIn the largest study of its kind, UCLA researchers compared levels of air pollutants, mostly related to vehicle traffic, during pregnancy gestation periods of 7,603 children with autism and 75,635 children without autism, born from 1995 to 2006 in Los Angeles. The study was published March 1 in Environmental Health Perspectives, a peer-reviewed journal published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Babies at the 75th percentile of exposure to toxins had 8 percent to 10 percent higher risk of autism than babies at the bottom 25th percentile, the study said. Ozone and fine particulates had the strongest association with autism. To read more, click here

 

NASET Sponsor - Perkins eLearning

Perkins normal  

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AASEP Logo

NASET MEMBER'S BENEFIT -

Board Certification in Special Education Available to NASET Members

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

 

In Seriously Ill Kids, Obesity May Be Tied to Higher Death Risk: Study

Obese children hospitalized for certain serious illnesses may have a higher risk of dying than thinner patients, a new research review suggests. Experts caution that the findings are just "suggestive" of a link, and do not prove that critically ill children are more likely to die if they're obese. But the results, published online March 11 in JAMA Pediatrics, add to the list of potential risks tied to childhood obesity. Past studies have found that obese children face higher rates of some long-term health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and asthma. They also tend to become obese adults, with all the potential health consequences that come with that, including increased risks of heart disease and certain cancers. To read more,click here

 

Developing Male Brain Exposed to Less Stress-Protective Protein

Why are rates of schizophrenia and autism higher in males? New evidence implicates an enzyme expressed in the placenta that helps protect the developing fetal brain from adverse effects of maternal stress early in pregnancy. Video: NIMH grantee Tracy Bale, Ph.D., of the University of Pennsylvania, discussed her line of research into how maternal stress might differentially affect the developing male brain during an interview at the 2011 Society for Neuroscience meeting. To read more, click here

 

 NASET MEMBER'S BENEFIT -

Group Savings Plus from Liberty Mutual

Liberty Mutual Savings
As a member of NASET you qualify for a special group discount* on your auto, home, and renter's insurance through Group Savings Plus® from Liberty Mutual. This unique program allows you to purchase high-quality auto, home and renters insurance at low group rates.

 

See for yourself how much money you could save with Liberty Mutual compared to your current insurance provider. For a free, no-obligation quote, call 800-524-9400 or visit

www.libertymutual.com/naset, or visit your local sales office.

*Group discounts, other discounts, and credits are available where state laws and regulations allow, and may vary by state.  Certain discounts apply to specific coverage only.  To the extent permitted by law, applicants are individually underwritten; not all applicants may qualify.  Coverage provided and underwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and its affiliates, 175 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA.

 

Did You Know That....

Lead poisoning is diagnosed through a simple blood test. Results come back in a few days and show how much lead is in the bloodstream. A level of 10 micrograms per deciliter (mcg/dL) or greater is considered unsafe. All children 6 months through 6 years of age who are entering day care, preschool, or kindergarten should be screened for lead poisoning by a health care provider.
 

Ending Racial Inequality in Gifted Education

Starting in second grade, I took a school bus from my middle-class neighborhood to downtown Louisville, Ky., where my grade school was surrounded by public housing projects, as part of an effort to desegregate schools. The year I started there, I was identified as "gifted" and put in a separate, accelerated class where my classmates were mostly other white boys and girls from the suburbs. In 1975, the school system in Louisville had launched the district-wide "Advance Program," which offered an enriched curriculum, just as the desegregation plan went into effect. All Louisville schools were required to have a mix of black and white students so that the number of black students never fell below or rose above a certain cutoff. (It varied over the years, but the range was around 20 percent to 40 percent.) In the Advance program, however, the rules didn't apply because classroom assignments within schools were exempt. The percentage of black students in the gifted program was 11 percent. To read more, click here

 

Expanded ADA Accommodations Sought

Two bills introduced this week in Congress would broaden access to the movies for people with disabilities. Under legislation proposed Wednesday, the Americans with Disabilities Act would be amended to require movie theaters to offer closed captioning and audio descriptions of films to aid those with visual or hearing impairments. The accommodations would be required at all showings at movie theaters with two or more screens. A second bill would mandate captioning and narration on all airplanes where in-flight video entertainment is offered. To read more, click here

 

Low Cognitive Function, Socioeconomic Status Linked to Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Young men with low socioeconomic status and low cognitive function are at much greater risk for suffering from a mild traumatic brain injury than those without, according to a new study. Mild traumatic brain injuries may cause brain tissue damage and long-term problems with cognitive function, including deficits in attention, memory, verbal learning and processing speed. There are approximately 10 million cases of traumatic brain injury globally per year with mild traumatic brain injuries being responsible for 70-90% of these. Incidence is highest among young males. To read more, click here

 
 jobsNASET's Latest Job Listings

* Head Teacher, First and Second Grade - The Eliot-Pearson Children's School is a laboratory demonstration school for the Department of Child Development at Tufts University. The school enrolls approximately 85 children ages 3-8. To learn more - Click here

 

* Special Education Teacher - Shows an unwavering commitment to improving the knowledge, skills, and lives of students with disabilities. Mastery is looking for teachers who are committed to outrageously high expectations and high support for students. To learn more - Click here

 

* Special Education Case Manager - Ensures that the students on their caseload achieve academic success, across all subjects, as measured by achievement on Individualized Education Plan (IEP) goals, student grades, and the PSSA. To learn more - Click here

 

* Teacher: Special Education-BD/ED K-12 - Special Education Services (a member of The Menta Group) is currently seeking a progressive state certified special education teacher for academic and career-path class's k-12 to join the clinical team at our therapeutic day school in the Country Club Hills area. To learn more - Click here

 

* $125,000 Salary for Master Middle School Teachers - Earn a $125,000 salary and join a team of master teachers at The Equity Project (TEP) Charter School, recently featured on the front page of the New York Times. To learn more - Click here

 

* Special Education Teacher - Hillside Academy West Campus (HAWC), an affiliate of The Menta Group® (www.thementagroup.org), is a Special Education school with a kindergarten through 12th grade therapeutic educational services program for Behavior, Emotional, and Developmentally disabled children living in the Chicago, Illinois Metro Area. To learn more -Click here

 

* Master Teacher - Are you an innovative early childhood educator who enjoys creating the foundation for children's education? Do you love motivating students and their parents to develop the abilities, attitudes, skills, and knowledge that will prepare them for a successful life of learning? Then we have the career you are looking for! To learn more - Click here

 

 

 

 

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

Let no feeling of discouragement prey upon you, and in the end you are sure to succeed. 

                Abraham Lincoln 

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