Week in Review - January 29, 2016


National Assocation of Special Education Teachers

Vol 12 Issue #5


NEW THIS WEEK ON NASET

Parent Teacher Conference Handout


What is Travel Training

There may be times when parents work on getting their children work experience. As a result, they may also want to become familiar with Travel Training programs which can facilitate some children’s ability to become more mobile and take transportation to work. This learning experience will enhance independency and add to a student’s self-reliance. Travel training provides tailored and practical help in travelling by public transport, on foot or by bicycle. Travel training aims to help people travel independently and without fear to work, to education, to other key services, or simply for leisure. Read More

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More Evidence Preterm Birth Could Raise Autism Risk

According to a new study, very premature infants may have an increased risk of being diagnosed with autism by age 4, although the research questions just how high the odds are. The Australian study, published online Jan. 21 in Pediatrics, found that just under 2 percent of tiny preemies were later diagnosed with autism between 2 and 4 years of age. That prevalence, the researchers say, is lower than what's been seen in past studies -- where figures have ranged from roughly 4 percent to 13 percent. They also said there are reasons to trust the reliability of their findings. This study is one of the few to directly evaluate children, rather than using parent questionnaires, said lead researcher Margo Pritchard, a professor of neonatal nursing at Australian Catholic University, in South Brisbane. Read More

Feds Boost Spending On Special Ed, Disability Programs


With funding gains for special education, housing and other disability programs, advocates say the federal government's latest budget is a step in the right direction. The $1.1 trillion plan lawmakers approved last month boosts spending - at least a little bit - for most federal government programs that touch the lives of people with disabilities. Most of the gains are modest especially when spread across 50 states, advocates say, but after years of cutbacks, any rise is a good sign. Read More

Board Certification in Special Education Available to NASET Members

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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.Read More

Police Get Schooled On Special Needs Interactions

Say a young man is pacing outside a house. A police officer asks him to stop, but the young man keeps pacing. Maybe the young man notices the officer's gun and just wants to touch it. He reaches ..."They may not know not to come up and touch their guns," Elizabeth Benevides said. Her teenage son has autism, and often repeats words said to him. "If you're an officer," she said, "you might think that's really flippant." Benevides plans this week to help train police recruits to resolve such encounters with "de-escalation tactics:" speak calmly, give space, be patient. Read More

Teens' IQ Drop Can't Be Blamed Solely on Pot: Study

Studies have suggested that teenage marijuana use leads to a decline in intelligence. But new research with twins suggests the link may not be as clear-cut as some believe. Confounding family issues that lead a kid to try pot in the first place may be to blame for any brain drain, according to the new study. The researchers did report that marijuana users had lower IQ test scores, on average, when compared to those who didn't indulge in pot. But they also discovered that a twin who uses pot winds up with about the same IQ as a twin who doesn't. "We found there was no difference between twins in terms of how much their IQ changed," said study co-author Joshua Isen, a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Minnesota. "The twin who didn't use marijuana showed as much IQ drop as the twin who did.". Read More

NASET Sponsor - Wizcom Reader

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: Abbey Lewis, Patsy Ray, Maria Sansalone, Meghan Radtke, Brenda Bondurant, Vera Sticker, Pamela Downing-Hosten, Olumide Akerele, Shameem Banu, Sonia Gulbin, Diane Fesler and Madonna Catiis who all knew the answer to last week's trivia question:

QUESTION: "Orientation and mobility services enable and teach students with a specific IDEIA disability to move safely within the school, home and community environment. Which one of the 13 IDEIA disabilities is orientation and mobility services specifically designed for?"

ANSWER: Visual Impairments

THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION:


According to Nelson Mandela, what is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world?

If you know the answer, send an email to contactus@naset.org
All answers must be submitted no later than Monday, February 1, 2016 at 12:00 p.m.

Parental Debt May Affect Kids' Behavior

The type of debt parents accrue might affect their child's behavior -- for better or worse, new research suggests. Mortgages fall in the plus column, meaning they're positively linked to a child's emotional well-being. But, unpaid credit card bills appear to occupy the negative side, associated with more behavioral problems in kids, researchers determined. Study co-author Jason Houle said the findings suggest that borrowing money can be a "double-edged sword" for parents and children alike, having "both positive and negative consequences depending on what it's being used for." Read More

Justice Department Intervenes In Housing Discrimination Case

A mother and daughter - both of whom have developmental disabilities - are set to receive a five-figure payout amid claims that they were repeatedly harassed and pressured to move from their apartment. Laura Doty, who has cerebral palsy and visual impairment, and her daughter Brenda, who has Down syndrome, along with an advocate who helped them, will get $40,000 in damages under a proposed settlement brokered by the U.S. Department of Justice. Read More

Teen Weapon Use Varies by Race and Gender:

Study

The likelihood of an American teen using or carrying weapons varies according to race and gender, new research contends. Using data from a national survey conducted during the mid-1990s, when violent crime rates were falling in the United States, researchers found that 13 percent of black students, 10 percent of Hispanic students and 7 percent of white students had been involved with weapons. The data on students in grades 7 through 12 who were interviewed twice, about a year apart, showed that 17 percent of those who carried weapons had shot or stabbed someone in the previous 12 months. Read More

NASET is pleased to provide our members with exclusive access to discounts on products and services. These savings are available to all current NASET members. To find out more about savings from Life Lock, Avis, Budget, Cruises Only, Orlando Vacations and more. Read More

Psychology Study Explains When and Why Bystanders Intervene in Cyberbullying

People on social media are often unsupportive of cyberbullying victims who have shared highly personal feelings, UCLA psychologists report. Compared to face-to-face situations, bystanders are even less likely to intervene with online bullying. The researchers wanted to learn why bystanders are infrequently supportive of when bullying occurs online. In a new study, the researchers created a fictitious Facebook profile of an 18-year-old named Kate, who, in response to a post, received a mean comment -- "Who cares! This is why nobody likes you" -- from a Facebook friend named Sarah. That comment gets six likes. Read More

More Evidence That Severe Poverty Harms Kids' Health

Severe poverty is a threat to young children's health and development, a new study suggests. "Deep poverty, which affects approximately 3.9 million young children, clearly makes large numbers of U.S. children vulnerable to health and developmental problems that limit their life opportunities," said study senior author Sheila Smith. She is director of early childhood at the National Center for Children in Poverty at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health in New York City. Researchers analyzed U.S. data gathered from 2011 to 2013. They focused on children younger than age 9, comparing those in deep poverty -- defined as a family income below 50 percent of the federal poverty line -- with those who are poor but not in deep poverty, and those who aren't poor. Read More

Targeted Muscle Reinnervation:

Man Controls Prosthetic Arm With His Thoughts

Johnny Matheny has become the first amputee to undergo surgery to reattach the nerves of his arm to an advanced prosthetic device, allowing him to move the robotic arm with his thoughts. Matheny, who lost his left arm to cancer in 2008, has been a proponent of advanced prosthetics for years - and is excited to have the movement and freedom of an arm once again, thanks to researchers at Johns Hopkins University. Matheny notes that the prosthetic arm can do as much as what a normal hand, arm, and elbow could do. "It's all natural now," he said. "Nothing is holding me down. Before, I had limited range; I couldn't reach over my head and behind my back. Now-boom!-that limitation is gone." Read More

Take The Pain Away:

Sub-Atomic Images Of Important Pain Receptor Could Lead To Improved Chronic Pain Treatment

Using advanced technology, researchers at Duke University were able to take subatomic images of a key receptor responsible for how our body responds to pain. These images explain the inner-workings of our skin's pain receptors and could be a step forward in developing new treatments for chronic pain . Our bodies' sophisticated response to pain stimuli is an important survival mechanism that keeps us away from potential harm. When we touch a surface that is too hot, receptors in our skin send a message to our brain, urging us to let go as quickly as possible. This message is interpreted as pain. Thanks to a recent study published online January 18 in the journal Nature Structural Biology and Molecular Biology , researchers now have a better understanding of how our bodies know when to feel pain or not. Read More

Speed Reading Is Just Effective Skimming:

Learn How To Read Faster By Increasing Your Comprehension

Skilled readers average 200 to 400 words per minute, yet speed reading classes and technologies claim this pace can be doubled or even tripled to 500 to 750 words per minute. Sadly, there are no shortcuts to reading more quickly if you want to fully understand what you've read, a new study finds. "There is a trade-off between speed and accuracy in reading," concluded a team of psychology scientists, who examined reams of available research on the science of reading. Read More

Anxiety Disorders

15 Facts About The Most Common Mental Disorder

Ask artist Gemma Correll, and she'll tell you living with anxiety is like living in a real-life horror movie. Actually, don't ask her - simply click on her recent comic book-style illustrations and you'll see an anxiety attack can begin when someone decides to call you instead of text. The illustrations are based on Correll's own "anxieties and neuroticisms," she told Mashable; she herself has been diagnosed with clinical anxiety and depression. Not only does finding the humor in her situation help her cope, but it doubles as education for other people who have no experience with these disorders. Consider the list here an extension of that - education. Who does anxiety typically affect? When does it present itself? What treatment is available? Is there still stigma? Ultimately, a deeper understanding of anxiety disorders will make it easier for people like Correll to open up about their struggles, and show others their anxieties are nothing to be ashamed of. Greater visibility leads to greater social support. Read More

Mosquito-Borne Virus May Cause Developmental Issues

Another mosquito-borne illness is rapidly spreading across South and Central America, one that may be linked to disturbing birth defects in Brazil. The Zika virus is confirmed in cases from Brazil to Mexico, including one reported near Monterrey, less than 150 miles from the Texas border. Puerto Rico just reported its first case in December. State officials say they don't believe that the Zika virus, discovered in Uganda in 1947, is an immediate threat to Texas, but many questions remain unanswered. Read More

Honor Society for Special Education Teachers

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Trio of Autism-Linked Molecules Orchestrate Neuron Connections

New research from Duke University reveals how three proteins work in concert to wire up a specific area of the developing brain that is responsible for processing sensory information. The findings, published in the Jan. 14 issue of the journal Cell, may also lend insight into brain disorders including autism, depression and addiction, because previous research has linked these proteins individually to those diseases. "We may have pinpointed a developmental process that may be critically impaired in diseases such as autism, and that's really exciting," said Cagla Eroglu, an assistant professor of cell biology and neurobiology at the Duke University School of Medicine, who led the research. Read More

Around The World In A Wheelchair

Cory Lee Woodard's muscular dystrophy put him in a wheelchair at age 4, but it hasn't kept him from swimming in Iceland's Blue Lagoon or enjoying Malibu beaches. Now, at age 25, his highly successful travel blog, Curb Free with Cory Lee, has sent him around the world a few times and won him more than 12,000 Twitter followers, 4,500 Facebook fans and over 8,500 Instagram followers. Advertising revenues from the blog, sponsorships and sales from his eBook, "Air Travel for Wheelchair Users," fund his trips. This month, the Lafayette, Ga., native is heading to Finland. Read More

Supreme Court Seeks Input On Special Education Matter

The U.S. Supreme Court is asking the Obama administration to weigh in as it considers whether to take up a case brought by the family of a girl with cerebral palsy who sought to bring her service dog to school. The family of Ehlena Fry petitioned the Supreme Court to take their case last fall. Rather than accept or decline the case outright, however, the high court this week asked the U.S. solicitor general to provide the federal government's viewpoint before the court decides whether to hear the matter. Read More
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LATEST JOB LISTINGS POSTED ON NASET


Special Education Teacher
Our real masterpiece is the unleashing of human potential.  While our main focus is on creating the conditions of success for children to achieve their dreams, we also focus on developing one another through meaningful relationships, challenging work, constructive feedback, sound professional training, and a true commitment to nurturing the career path of each team member. To learn more -  Click here
Early Childhood Special Educator
Magnum Medical has openings for  Early Childhood Special Educators to work with children of American military families stationed at Bahrain.  Position works in a home-based early intervention program, providing services to infants and toddlers of American military families stationed overseas. To learn more - Click here

Special Education Teachers
Special Education Teachers needed in Arizona (Phoenix and surrounding cities). Needs are in the self-contained and resource settings serving students with emotional disabilities (ED), Autism (A), Severe/Profound (S/P), and Intellectual Disabilities (ID). To learn more - Click here

Special Education Teacher (2016-17)
RePublic Schools is a network of high-performing public charter schools based in Nashville, TN and Jackson, MS with a mission to reimagine public education in the South and prepare all of our scholars to graduate from college. To learn more -  Click here

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

"You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today."

(Abraham Lincol)

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