Week in Review - October 24, 2014

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WEEK IN REVIEW

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

October 24, 2014 - Vol 10, Issue 43


 

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In This Issue

TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK

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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

NASET Sponsor - Boardmaker Online


New This Week on NASET
IEP Components Series

Taking a Closer Look into the Individual Education Program (IEP) Meeting Process
By Dr. John Nikolaros


This issue ofNASET'sIEP Component serieswas written by
Dr. John Nikolaros.  The paper specifies critical measures required by the Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for students with special needs.  The author explains and offers successful strategies in special education.  The specific benchmarks that are examined consist of the process leading up the Individual Education Program (IEP) meeting, the impact of the special education chair, and the least restrictive environment (LRE).  The purpose of this paper is to inform the audience of practices in special education that lead to consistency and successful implementation.

 

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

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AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER SERIES

The Right to Language Support for Students
on the Autism Spectrum
Introduction

In the summer of 2014, the National Council of Teachers of English sentNASETa Position Statement on the right to language support for students on the autism spectrum. They requested we disseminate it to our members. This resolution builds on NCTE's longstanding policies on students' rights to their own languages, resolutions opposing practices that denigrate home or heritage languages, policies supporting the unique learning needs of the individual, resolutions supporting inclusion of exceptional students, and similar language and exceptionality awareness initiatives passed and affirmed throughout NCTE's history.

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

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SeeNASET'sLatest Job Listings

Eating Disorders May Start in Elementary School

Eating disorders can begin before puberty and may be linked with other mental health issues, a new study shows. Canadian researchers evaluated 215 children, aged 8 to 12, with eating problems. More than 15 percent of the kids made themselves vomit occasionally, and about 13 percent had bulimic-like behaviors. Fifty-two percent of the children had been hospitalized at least once due to their eating problem, and 48 percent had been received outpatient treatment, the researchers said. Bulimia is an eating disorder characterized by eating and purging, usually by vomiting or using laxatives. To read more,click here

NASET Sponsor - University of Cincinnati

Broccoli Compound Shows Promise for Autism Symptoms in Small Study

A compound extracted from broccoli sprouts may improve some social and behavioral problems that affect people with autism, a new study suggests. The study was short-term and small, including just over 40 teenage boys and young men with autism. And experts stressed that no one is saying broccoli -- or its extracts -- is a magic bullet. "This is just one study, and it's a preliminary study," said lead researcher Dr. Kanwaljit Singh, of Massachusetts General Hospital for Children. It's also important to note that not everyone responded to the treatment. About one-third of those treated with the compound didn't have a positive response, according to the study. To read more,click here

Young Caregivers Risk Failing in School, Study Says

More than 1.3 million American children and teens care for family members with physical or mental illness or substance abuse problems, and these children are at risk for poor health and school failure themselves, a new study shows. This "hidden population" of young caregivers suffers physical and emotional stress due to their caregiving duties, wrote study author Dr. Julia Belkowitz, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She and her colleagues studied youth caregivers in Palm Beach County, Fla. Their median age was 12, and 63 percent were girls while 37 percent were boys. To read more,click here

Harvard Study Finds Psychiatrists Tough To Access

Making an appointment with a psychiatrist is often an uphill battle no matter if you're insured or if you intend to pay out of pocket, a new study suggests. In a secret-shopper test, researchers posing as patients attempted to make appointments with hundreds of psychiatrists in three major metro areas, but were only successful a quarter of the time. Instead, calls frequently went unanswered or doctors said they were not accepting new patients even in cases where callers said they had private insurance or were willing to pay out of pocket, according to findings published online Wednesday in the journal Psychiatric Services. To read more,click here

Sleeping on Sofa Can Be Deadly for Babies, Study Finds

One of the most dangerous places for a sleeping baby is a sofa, according to a new study. Of nearly 8,000 infant sleeping deaths in the United States, researchers found that about 12 percent were sofa-related. And nearly three-quarters of those infants were newborns. "It was shocking that one in eight SIDS and infant sleep-related deaths occurs on a sofa," said study co-author Dr. Jeffrey Colvin, a pediatrician at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City. "Sofas don't even come to mind when people think of places where infants sleep. The proportion was much, much higher than I ever could have guessed." SIDS refers to sudden infant death syndrome -- an apparently healthy baby's unexplained death that usually occurs during sleep. Approximately 4,000 babies die of SIDS each year in the United States, though the rate halved in the early 1990s after pediatricians began encouraging parents to place babies to sleep on their backs. To read more,click here

Exercise May Not Ward Off Teen Depression

Although exercise has long been thought to help improve the symptoms of depression, teenagers may not reap these benefits, a new British study suggests. The study found that physical activity levels in early teen years didn't appear to affect rates of depression in later teen years. "Those participants who were more physically active in early adolescence did not subsequently have significantly lower (or higher) depressive symptoms or significantly altered odds of depressive disorders in later adolescence," the study authors wrote. "Although it is important to promote physical activity because of its well-documented effect on physical health, during adolescence, physical activity may not serve as a strong protective factor of developing depressive symptoms or disorders," they added. To read more,click here

TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Congratulations to: Stacy Millspaugh, Pamela Downing-Hosten, Olumide Akerele and Mike Namian

who all knew the answer to last week's trivia question:
Nearly 2 million children younger than 5 died worldwide in 2013 of complications from _____ and ______, a new study shows. In all, 6.3 million children under 5 died in 2013, said researchers who examined the leading causes of death.
ANSWER:  Premature birth and pneumonia

THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION:

 

Fill in the blank:  According to the latest research in the field, 66 percent of researchers, 67 percent of parents and 90 percent of pediatricians agree or strongly agree that ______ can increase aggressive behavior among children.

If you know the answer, send an email tocontactus@naset.org

All answers must be submitted no later than Monday, October 27, 2014 at 12:00 p.m.

NASET Members Only


Wheelchair Ad Sparks Controversy In Divisive Governor's Race

Texas gubernatorial hopeful Wendy Davis defended a controversial TV spot criticizing her opponent who is paraplegic, saying Monday that the advertisement was meant to highlight his alleged hypocrisy and not his disability. "In 1984, Greg Abbott sought out and received justice following a horrible injury, rightly so," Davis said at a news conference in her state Senate district in Fort Worth. "But then he turned around and built his career working to deny the very same justice that he received to his fellow Texans rightly seeking it for themselves." To read more,click here


Tool Enhances Social Inclusion for People with Autism

The University of Alicante has developed, together with centres in the UK, Spain and Bulgaria, a tool designed to assist people with autism spectrum disorders by adapting written documents into a format that is easier for them to read and understand. This is the main result of the three-year project FIRST (A Flexible Interactive Reading Support Tool), funded by the European Commission under the Seventh Framework Programme. "Through language technology and a simple interface we have achieved an enriched version of text which allows a better understanding without assistance. The software called Open Book provides synonyms, images, metaphors and definitions of complex verbs," explains Paloma Moreda, computer programmer at the University of Alicante. "It provides additional information to understand the main ideas of a document and therefore increases independence and social inclusion of the users as they gain better access to education, employment, health care and social activities," she adds. To read more,click here


Gene Variants Implicated in ADHD Identify Attention, Language

Are deficits in attention limited to those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or is there a spectrum of attention function in the general population? The answer to this question has implications for psychiatric diagnoses and perhaps for society, broadly. A new study published in the current issue of Biological Psychiatry, by researchers at Cardiff University School of Medicine and the University of Bristol, suggests that there is a spectrum of attention, hyperactivity/impulsiveness and language function in society, with varying degrees of these impairments associated with clusters of genes linked with the risk for ADHD. Viewing these functions as dimensions or spectrums contrasts with a traditional view of ADHD as a disease category. To read more,click here


More Physical Activity Improved School Performance in Swedish Study

Just two hours of extra physical activity each week can improve school performance. This has been shown by a study of approximately 2,000 twelve-year-olds carried out by scientists at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg. The scientists Lina Bunketorp Käll, Michael Nilsson and Thomas Linden, at the Centre for Brain Repair and Rehabilitation at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, have tested the hypothesis that increased physical activity stimulates learning and improves school performance. In the study, published in the scientific periodical "Journal of School Health," 408 twelve-year-olds in the Gothenburg region were given two hours of extra play and motion activities per week, in collaboration with a local sports club. This was approximately twice the normal amount of curricular physical activity. To read more,click here


Parents' Perception of Teens' Experiences Related to Mental Health

Adolescents whose parents better understand their daily experiences have better psychological adjustment, suggests a study in the October issue of Psychosomatic Medicine: Journal of Biobehavioral Medicine, the official journal of the American Psychosomatic Society.The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health. Having parents who understand how their day went may even affect teens' cellular responses to stress -- providing a possible link to improved physical health as well. "These results provide preliminary evidence that parental accuracy regarding their adolescent's daily experiences may be one specific daily parent factor that plays a role in adolescent health and well-being," according to the study by Lauren J. Human, PhD, of University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues. To read more,click here


Parental Misconceptions About Concussions Could Hinder Treatment, Recovery

With football season in full swing, there's no shortage of talk about young players -- from high school down to the pee wee levels -- suffering from concussions. Yet many parents may lack knowledge about this mild traumatic brain injury, according to two studies to be presented Oct. 10 at a pre-conference symposium on pediatric sports medicine at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference & Exhibition in San Diego. Nearly 175,000 children are treated in U.S. emergency rooms each year for concussions due to sports-related activities, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Parental knowledge of the signs and symptoms of concussion and recognizing that this is a brain injury is important to ensure children are diagnosed in a timely manner and get appropriate treatment. To read more,click here


Down Syndrome: What is the Current Focus of Research?

People with Down syndrome are born with three - rather than two - copies of chromosome 21. This extra chromosome causes cognitive disability, early-onset Alzheimer's disease, increased risk ofleukemia, heart defects and abnormal function in the immune and endocrine systems. While most research into Down syndrome has focused on understanding the the mechanisms behind its symptoms, Jeanne Lawrence, PhD, from University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS), and her team have directly addressed the issue of the third chromosome, known as trisomy 21. To read more,click here


State Education Funding Lags Behind Pre-Recession Levels

Despite incremental increases in state support for K-12 education, funding levels still trail those before the Great Recession in 2007, according to a report released Thursday by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Overall, 30 of the 47 states analyzed are providing less per-pupil funding for K-12 schools this school year than they did before the recession. In 14 of the states, funding has been cut by more than 10 percent, the report says. In addition to the slow recovery of funding, at least 20 states cut their support for K-12 education compared to last year, the report found. To read more,click here

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

$121 Million in Grants Assist Education of Individuals with Disabilities

The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) announced more than $121 million in grants to help improve the outcomes of individuals with disabilities-from cradle through career. The investments are aimed at promoting inclusion, equity and opportunity for all children and adults with disabilities to help ensure their economic self-sufficiency, independent living and full community participation. "These investments are significant in assisting individuals with disabilities to reach their full potential," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "We want all individuals with disabilities to succeed and these investments symbolize our values and commitment as a nation toward achieving excellence for all." To read more,click here


Students with ADHD at Risk for Involvement in Criminal Justice System

Many persons with ADHD have successful careers and stable home lives.  However, the sad reality for many people with ADHD is that the impulsiveness which defines their disorder puts them at risk of committing crimes. Study after study hammers out the unfortunate fact that persons with ADHD are more than twice as likely to be arrested compared with a control group without ADHD (42% vs 24%), three times more likely to be  convicted (42% vs 14%), and 15 times more likely to serve time in jail (15% vs 1%).  Up to 40% of prisoners have ADHD, and their recidivism rate is astoundingly high-up to two thirds are rearrested within three years.  But a study out of Sweden published in the New England Journal of Medicine strongly suggests that older teens and adults with ADHD who are medicated are much less likely to commit a crime than those who are not medicated.To read more,click here


NASET Applications for iPhone & iPad

PTCH
Impartial Review of IEP App - Click here - To learn more about these Apps click on the image

Medicaid ADHD Treatment Under Scrutiny in U.S.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, affects one in seven school-age children in the U.S., and from 2003 to 2011 the number of children diagnosed with the condition rose by more than 40 percent. Doctors have considerable leeway in deciding the best course of treatment for a child with the condition, no matter who is paying the bill. But children covered by Medicaid, the joint federal-state health-care program for the poor, are at least 50 percent more likely to be diagnosed with the disorder. Georgia alone spends $28 million to $33 million annually on these treatments out of its $2.5 billion Medicaid budget, according to the Barton Child Law and Policy Center at Emory University. To read more,click here


Man With Schizophrenia Records Episode To Give Glimpse Into Life With The Disorder

Schizophrenia is a severe mental health condition believed to affect around three million Americans. For the rest of those living in the U.S. who do not have schizophrenia, it's hard to imagine what living with this condition is really like. Thanks to social media, those living with schizophrenia and other mental health disorders are able to share their story and give the world a bit of an idea of what it's like to walk a day in their shoes.Scottie Long is just one of many schizophrenia patients who has documented his episodes on his YouTube channel. What makes his videos so truly fascinating is the heightened awareness that Long experiences when he distinguishes a hallucination from reality. "Obviously, this probably is an episode, but I just want to show you what can happen to you or your kid if you don't get your s--- done and get it done early, for detection, for any kind of mental illness. This is what life could be like," Long says in the video. You can witness his hallucinations in real time as he answers a phone, although it doesn't ring, and as he checks outside his house for "people watching him," although the camera shows there is no one there. To read more,click here


Teen Girls May Face Greater Risk of Depression

Teen girls have more relationship-related stress than boys, which puts them at greater risk for depression, a new study finds. Nearly 400 white and black American teens underwent an assessment for depression and then had three follow-up assessments at about seven-month intervals. Girls tended to have more depressive symptoms during the follow-up than boys. Boys' depressive symptoms seemed to decrease during follow-up, while girls' depressive symptoms did not. Further investigation showed that girls had more relationship-related stress (such as fights with parents or friends) than boys, which increased their risk for depression, according to the authors of the study published online recently in the journal Clinical Psychological Science. To read more,click here


jobsNASET's Latest Job Listings

*Special Education Teacher - Elementary/Middle - The High Road School of Anne Arundel County is currently hiring two special educators for an elementary and middle school classroom respectively. Special educator responsibilities include delivering and modifying the general education curriculum, administering formal and more. To learn more - Click here


* Assistant Professor in Special Education - Western Washington University seeks an assistant professor to teach Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in Special Education, Work with department and college to align department curriculum with state and professional performance-based standards. To learn more - Click here


* Education Therapist - - Special Education Teacher - Education Therapist for Brain Injured Patients - The position is full time, M-F only with paid holidays! Excellent benefits! To lear more - Click here


* Special Education Teacher (9th grade) - Chavez Schools is seeking a 9th grade Special Education Teacher who understands developmental levels of scholars and appropriately differentiate instruction and understands & uses variety of data and data sources for lesson planning. To learm more -Click here


* Part-Time Literacy Specialist - TEP's Part-Time Literacy Specialist (approximately 15 hours per week) will work one-on-one with students identified as struggling readers in both push-in and pullout capacities, spiraling effective literacy interventions into the student(s)' existing curriculum.To learn more - Click here


* Social Studies/ History, ELA & Special Education Teacher - The Equity Project Charter School is now hiring for Social Studies/ History, ELA and Special Education Teaching positions. Featured in The New York Times and on 60 Minutes, TEP is the school that pays its teachers a $125,000 salary to work on a team of master practitioners in an environment that values and develops teaching excellence. To learn more - Click here


* Director of Special Education -  Supervise and provide leadership for the Special Education program at multiple schools. Develop and implement appropriate educational curriculum. Provide leadership in the timely assessments of students including completion of IEP and 504 related paperwork To learn more -Click here


* Resource Specialist (RSP Teacher) - Options For Youth is a guided independent study public charter school serving students in grades 7 through 12. We are currently looking for a Resource Specialist (RSP Teacher) to join our dynamic team. - To learn more -Click here


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

Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently.
Maya Angelou

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