Week in Review - May 29, 2015

WEEK IN REVIEW

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

May 29, 2015 - Vol 11, Issue 22


 

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In This Issue

TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK


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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New This Week on NASET

NASET's HOW TO Series
May 2015

How To Create Success Bank Accounts for Your Students

Introduction

A major factor in creating confidence is allowing repeated successful experiences. Positive Restructuring assumes that tangible successful experiences are crucial in the development of confidence. Further the use of verbal praise or encouragement alone will never be enough to fully develop a sense of confidence. In order to have children realize how successful they have been we suggest you develop Success Bank Accounts for each child.


&


NASET's HOW TO Series
May 2015

End of School Year Responsibilities

Even though we are coming down to the end of the school year, there will be several important issues that need to be the focus of your attention. This is a very crucial part of the year since it will define what you have accomplished with parents and students. Many legal requirements occur during this time of year depending on the school district in which you are employed. So let's take these topics one at a time so that you are prepared for each one. The topics covered in this stage will include:
* Teacher reports for triennial evaluations
* Preparing for annual review meetings
* Declassification or decertification of students with learning disabilities
* Extended school year recommendations
* Writing end of year reports to parents


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

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NASET Q & A Corner
Issue #75
Amblyopia

The brain and the eyes work together to produce vision. The eye focuses light on the back part of the eye known as the retina. Cells of the retina then trigger nerve signals that travel along the optic nerves to the brain. Amblyopia is the medical term used when the vision of one eye is reduced because it fails to work properly with the brain. The eye itself looks normal, but for various reasons the brain favors the other eye. This condition is also sometimes called lazy eye. Amblyopia is the most common cause of visual impairment among children, affecting approximately 2 to 3 out of every 100 children. Unless it is successfully treated in early childhood, amblyopia usually persists into adulthood. It is also the most common cause of monocular (one eye) visual impairment among young and middle-aged adults. This issue ofNASET'sQ & A Cornercomes from the National Eye Institute (NEI) and will focus on questions pertaining to amblyopia.

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

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SeeNASET'sLatest Job Listings

Scientists Pinpoint a Speech Center in Brain

Researchers say they've pinpointed a part of the brain that processes speech. The finding about the superior temporal sulcus -- located in the temporal lobe -- helps resolve the decades-old question about whether there are certain regions of the brain exclusively dedicated to managing speech, the New York University research team said. "We now know there is at least one part of the brain that specializes in the processing of speech and doesn't have a role in handling other sounds," study senior author David Poeppel, a professor in the department of Psychology and Center for Neural Science, said in a university news release. 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

Many Kids With Asthma Also Sensitive to Peanuts: Study

Sensitivity to peanuts is common among children with asthma, yet many children and their parents are unaware of the problem, a new study finds. There's been little research into the link between childhood asthma and peanut allergy, according to the study authors. "Many of the respiratory symptoms of peanut allergy can mirror those of an asthma attack, and vice versa. Examples of those symptoms include shortness of breath, wheezing and coughing," said the study lead author, Dr. Robert Cohn from Mercy Children's Hospital in Toledo, Ohio, in a news release from the American Thoracic Society. To read more,click here

NASET Members Only

Combo Treatment for Cystic Fibrosis Shows Promise

Combining two medications that target the most common genetic cause of cystic fibrosis improved lung function in people with the disease. The combination therapy also reduced the rate of lung infections and other problems, according to a new study. The two drugs are called ivacaftor and lumacaftor. Ivacaftor is already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treating certain people with cystic fibrosis, according to the researchers. "Just a few years ago, ivacaftor became the only FDA-approved drug for the genetic defect in cystic fibrosis, but it only works for genetic mutations found in a small portion of cystic fibrosis patients. Our study showed that combining ivacaftor with lumacaftor helps patients with the most common cystic fibrosis mutation. This is an exciting step forward," said study co-author Dr. Susanna McColley in a news release from the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. She is the associate director of the hospital's Cystic Fibrosis Center. To read more,click here


Clowning Around May Be Good Medicine for Kids Facing Surgery

If laughter is the best medicine, that may be doubly true for kids undergoing surgery who were cheered up by visiting clowns, a new Israeli study suggests. This study included children ages 2 to 16 undergoing outpatient urologic surgery at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem. The children were divided into two groups -- in one group, the surgical team included a "medical clown" in the operating room to help entertain the kids. The results suggest a funny intervention can make a serious impact on kids' well-being: The clown's antics were tied to less anxiety for kids before and after surgery, less time in the operating room, lower levels of pain, and shorter time to discharge from the hospital, the study found. To read more,click here


NASET Sponsor - Special Learning


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: Olumide Akerele, Pamela Downing-Hosten, Marie Wise-Miu and Ashley Sliwa who all knew the answer to last week's trivia question: An estimated 194,000 toddlers and preschoolers (age 2-5 years) in the United States have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).  Yet, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), approximately what percentage of them is not receiving the recommended treatment?
ANSWER:  Approximately 50%
THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION:
According to recent research in the field, in what location are children with peanut allergies at the greatest risk of exposure ?
If you know the answer, send an email tocontactus@naset.org
All answers must be submitted no later than Monday, June 1, 2015 at 12:00 p.m.

Feds Call For Greater Inclusion In Preschools

The Obama administration wants to see more kids with disabilities - no matter how significant - participating in classrooms alongside their typically-developing peers. The U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services are jointly seeking public comment this week on a draft policy statement encouraging greater inclusion for young children with disabilities. While the majority of preschoolers with disabilities attended general early childhood programs as of 2013, more than half of these children received their special education and related services in segregated environments, the Education Department said. To read more,click here


Suicide Rate Up Among Young Black Children in U.S.

Suicides among black American children have increased in recent years, while fewer white children are killing themselves, a new analysis finds. The odds of any children in the age group 5 to 11 taking their own life remain small. But young black children are three times as likely to do so as whites, the researchers said. "While overall suicide rates in children younger than 12 years in the United States remained steady from 1993 to 2012, there was a significant increase in suicide rates among black children and a significant decrease in suicide in white children," said Jeffrey Bridge, of the Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. To read more,click here


Brain Differences Seen in Teenage Heavy Drinkers

Teens who drink heavily appear to have significant abnormalities in brain development, a new study finds. Heavy drinking by teens may also be associated with a gene mutation linked to impulsiveness, according to another new study. The studies, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, were scheduled for presentation Monday at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association, in Toronto. Research presented at meetings is considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal. To read more,click here


Parents of Child Cancer Patients Prefer Honesty, Study Finds

It's better for doctors to be open with parents about their child's cancer prognosis, even if the news is bad, researchers say. Doing so is more likely to give parents peace of mind and hope rather than increase their anxiety or cause them to become despondent, the study found. "Providing families with a full explanation of the likely course of a disease is critical to helping them plan and have reasonable expectations about the outcome of treatment," said study leader Dr. Jonathan Marron, of Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. To read more,click here


Preschoolers Get Too Little Physical Activity in Child Care

Kids in daycare and preschool may not be getting enough physical activity, according to a new study. Preschoolers in the Seattle study spent just a half hour playing outside and were offered less than an hour each day for indoor play at child care centers, the researchers found. Guidelines recommend at least one hour of adult-led, structured physical activity and one hour of unstructured free play time per day, according to lead author Dr. Pooja Tandon, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington in Seattle. To read more,click here


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

More U.S. Kids Getting Mental Health Treatment

The number of U.S. children and teens being treated for mental health issues has risen by about 50 percent in the past 20 years -- with most of those kids having relatively mild symptoms, a new study finds. The research, published in the May 21 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, comes at a time of growing concern over young people's mental health treatment. In particular, some worry that kids with milder issues are being overtreated with antidepressants, stimulants (such as those used for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and antipsychotic drugs, said lead researcher Dr. Mark Olfson, a professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University in New York City. To read more,click here


Researchers Report Progress in Making All Blood Types Universally Accepted

Scientists are closing in on a way to transform any type of donated blood into type O, the universal blood type that can safely be given to any patient. Researchers have created a special enzyme that can shear off the substances on red blood cells that are responsible for potentially fatal immune reactions if a patient receives the wrong type of blood, according to a new study. The enzyme is not yet effective enough to allow for large-scale processing to convert type A or type B blood into type O, said lead author David Kwan, a postdoctoral fellow of chemistry at the University of British Columbia's Centre for Blood Research in Vancouver, Canada. To read more,click here


Bullied as a Kid, Obese as a Grown-up?

Adults who were bullied in childhood may be at an increased risk for obesity, heart disease and diabetes, a new British study suggests. "Our research has already shown a link between childhood bullying and risk of mental health disorders in children, adolescents and adults, but this study is the first to widen the spectrum of adverse outcomes to include risks for cardiovascular disease at mid-life," said senior study author Louise Arseneault. She is a professor from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King's College London. 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

Supreme Court Punts On Special Ed, ADA Cases

The U.S. Supreme Court chose not to rule on whether the Americans with Disabilities Act applies during police encounters the same day the court said it would not consider a closely-watched special education case. In a ruling issued Monday, the high court failed to address key questions about the implications of the ADA in situations involving law enforcement. At issue was the case of Teresa Sheehan, a woman with mental illness who was living in a San Francisco group home. Police were called when Sheehan threatened to kill her social worker. The responding officers initially retreated from Sheehan's room when she brandished a knife, but they then re-entered the room and shot her multiple times when she continued to confront them with the knife. To read more,click here


Main Street Fighting Back Against Flurry Of Accessibility Suits

Cal Brink was tired of the lawsuits that just kept coming. Since the first suit claiming lack of disability access was filed more than a year ago, businesses in this southwest Minnesota town of nearly 14,000 people have been worried that they, too, would be hit. Nine lawsuits have been filed here so far by the Disability Support Alliance, a nonprofit group formed last summer, including one against the only bowling alley in town. The owner said he will soon close rather than pay the DSA's $5,500 settlement offer or make the $20,000 of changes needed to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. To read more,click here


Calming Chair For Kids On The Spectrum May Be Headed To Market

In the year and a half or so since students in a high school engineering program helped bring it to fruition, the Sensory Lounger has enjoyed quite a run. The high-tech chair has warranted significant attention across the Kansas City area recently. And last month, the project received a prestigious Edison Award for health and wellness innovation. (For context, products from Motorola, the Dow Chemical Co. and Gillette also were honored.) Now, the man behind the chair - which provides the kind of full-body, deep-touch pressure many children with autism crave - has even bigger plans. To read more,click here


Honor Society for Special Education Teachers

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New Studies Contradict Earlier Findings on Rett Syndrome

Bone marrow transplant does not rescue mouse models of Rett syndrome, a severe neurological disease that affects very young girls, a new study shows. The findings contradict seemingly promising results published in 2012, which initiated a clinical trial for human patients. Rett syndrome is caused by mutations in the X-linked MECP2 gene and affects about 1 in every 10,000 girls (it is most often fatal in boys at or near birth). Rett syndrome causes many disabilities, both intellectual and physical.To read more,click here


New School-Based Program Helps Reduce Absentee Rate for Urban Minority Children with Asthma

Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases in children, and it can only be managed, not cured. It affects a disproportionally higher percentage of low-income, urban minority children, and is also the most common disease-related reason for children missing school. This can have a negative effect on their academic achievement, as well as later success in life. Initial results from a pilot study show that a new program called "Building Bridges for Asthma Care" -- an initiative that helps school nurses identify children with asthma and support them and their families in getting the care they need -- is helping reduce absenteeism. The program is a collaboration between Colorado Children's Hospital, Connecticut Children's Medical Center, the public school systems in Hartford, CT and Denver, CO, and GSK. The study specifically looked at 2,244 urban children attending three schools in Hartford: 40% were African American, 53% were Hispanic, and 7% were from other minority backgrounds. To read more,click here


Bullying: What We Know Based on 40 Years of Research

A special issue of American Psychologist provides a comprehensive review of over 40 years of research on bullying among school age youth, documenting the current understanding of the complexity of the issue and suggesting directions for future research. "The lore of bullies has long permeated literature and popular culture. Yet bullying as a distinct form of interpersonal aggression was not systematically studied until the 1970s. Attention to the topic has since grown exponentially," said Shelley Hymel, PhD, professor of human development, learning and culture at the University of British Columbia, a scholarly lead on the special issue along with Susan M. Swearer, PhD, professor of school psychology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. "Inspired by the 2011 U.S. White House Conference on Bullying Prevention, this collection of articles documents current understanding of school bullying." To read more,click here


jobsNASET's Latest Job Listings

* Special Education Teacher - $125K Salary - 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


* Self Contained Classroom Special Education Teacher - Needed in Arizona (Phoenix and surrounding cities). Needs are in the self-contained setting serving students with emotional disabilities (ED), Autism (A), Severe/Profound (S/P), and Intellectual Disabilities (ID). STARS is the largest school contract agency in AZ. STARS is therapist owned and operated. To learn more - Click here


* Informational Technology Resource Teacher - is a full time, 10-month salaried employee who will work with students, faculty, and the administration to facilitate the integration of technology into all areas of instruction at Oakwood School. To learn more - Click here


* Special Education Teachers beginning the 2015/2016 School Year- Various Levels - Demonstrates understanding and is committed to each student's learning, taking into account each individual student's unique background and experiences, To learn more - Click here


* Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Teacher (Math) - SEED Miami is unlike any other school in South Florida. Its unique, college-prep learning and living environment affords a variety of benefits to both students and employees. To learn more - Click here


* Special Education Team (Elem, Middle, or High) - The Special Education Coordinator or Teacher is passionate about supporting the students who are at-risk for academic under-performance due to emotional and/or physical challenges so that they can succeed in the school's rigorous academic program.  To learn more -Click here


* Disability Program Coordinator - Full Time position in Silver Spring, MD for contractor to federal job training program. Requires strong analytical and computer skills. To learn more - Click here


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

What makes the difference between wishing and realizing our wishes? Lots of things, and it may take months or years for wish to come true, but it's far more likely to happen when you care so much about a wish that you'll do all you can to make it happen.

Fred Rogers

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