Week in Review - February 19, 2016

NASET

WEEK IN REVIEW

National Association of Special Education Teachers

February 19, 2016                                                 Vol 12 Issue # 8



Dear NASET News,

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

Sincerely,

NASET News Team

NEW THIS WEEK ON NASET

JAASEP Winter 2016

Table of Contents:

The Effectiveness of Using a Social Story Intervention to Improve Social Interaction Skills of Students with Autism

Preventing and Responding to Student Escalation: Combining De-Escalation Strategies and Function-Based Support

Teaching Sam to Read: An Integrated Team Approach with One Child with Autism Spectrum Disorder

High Stakes Testing in the 21st Century: Implications for Students in Special Education

Identifying and Correcting Barriers to Successful Inclusive Practices: A Literature Review

Cameras in Self-Contained Classrooms: Legal, Professional and Student Implications

Effects of an Intervention on Math Achievement for Students with Learning Disabilities

Crossing Borders and Building Bridges: A Video Ethnography of Special Education in Nuevo Progresso, Mexico

Evaluating and Using Literature Including People with Disabilities in All Classrooms

A Pilot Examination of the Adapted Protocol for Classroom Pivotal Response Teaching

Principals and Teachers' Attitudes Towards Inclusion in IsraelRead More


How To Series Issue #32

How To Communicate with Parents and Staff at the Beginning of the School Year

Introduction

'As a new teacher you will have to communicate as quickly as possible with parents and staff to introduce yourself and communicate important information on the child. The following four letters are examples of communication that should be sent out to 
* Parents
* Classroom teachers if you are a Resource Room Teacher
* Related Service Providers. Read More

Autism Spectrum Disorder Series

Literature Review: Assistive Technology and Advocacy By. Marilyn R Reyes

This issue of NASET's Autism Spectrum Disorder series was written by Marilyn Reyes of Florida International University. Having a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other disabilities may become very overwhelming as the child becomes older and goes through grade school. As a professional, having a classroom of students with ASD and other disabilities comes with certain criteria, not only from administration but also from the state. This criterion is all in effort to give the student with ASD and other disabilities an equal chance in success. Not only is there legislation for teachers and administration to abide by such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), but it is the teacher's duty to help the parents to be knowledgeable advocates for their children by giving them helpful tips, organizations to research, and different tools such as Assistive Technology (AT) to give their child an equal opportunity to be successful in their education.  Read More

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Study Ties Parents' Criticism to Persistent ADHD in Kids

Constant criticism from parents reduces the likelihood that children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) will have fewer symptoms by the time they reach their teens, a new study suggests. In many cases, ADHD symptoms decrease as children get older. But this doesn't occur in all cases. And the new study findings suggest that parental criticism may be a factor. For the study, researchers followed 388 children with ADHD and their families for three years. The parents' levels of criticism and over-protectiveness were assessed two times one year apart. To determine levels of parental criticism and over-protectiveness, the investigators asked parents to talk about their relationship with their child. Experts then rated the level of criticism by how many harsh, negative statements the parents made about their child, rather than about the child's behavior. Over-protectiveness was measured by determining levels of emotional over-involvement. 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

Researchers Probe Colombia's Claim of No Birth Defects Linked to Zika


At first glance, it seems like a small ray of hope in the ongoing Zika epidemic hitting Latin America. Colombia's president said the other day that there were no signs of brain birth defects involving nearly 3,200 pregnant women in that country who were infected with the mosquito-borne virus. This, of course, would be good news, given that unborn babies are assumed to bear the primary risk from Zika. The virus has been linked in Brazil to hundreds of cases of microcephaly, a birth defect in which the head and brain are unusually small. But major public health institutions -- including the World Health Organization, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the March of Dimes -- say it's too soon to tell whether the Colombia reports are accurate. Read More

Uncorrected Eye Problem Linked to Learning Issues for Preschoolers


Preschool children with uncorrected farsightedness are at risk for literacy problems, new research suggests. The study included nearly 500 children, aged 4 and 5, who had either moderate farsightedness (hyperopia) or normal vision. Those with uncorrected farsightedness had much lower scores on a test of early literacy than those with normal vision. This was particularly true on the portion of the test that assessed a child's ability to identify letters and written words, the U.S. National Eye Institute-funded study found. "This study suggests that an untreated vision problem in preschool, in this case one that makes it harder for children to see things up close, can create literacy deficits that affect grade-school readiness," Maryann Redford, director of the institute's Collaborative Clinical Research program, said in an institute news release. Read More

Child Abuse Costs Nations Billions of Dollars a Year: Panel


Child abuse costs nations worldwide billions of dollars a year, experts report. In high-income nations, the median cost of child abuse equals a loss of 1.2 percent of per capita income, or $150 billion a year in the United States. The estimated cost in China -- a middle-income country -- is $50 billion a year, the experts added. In East Asia and the Pacific, the cost of emotional child abuse alone is more than $48 billion a year, the researchers said. The findings, from an international panel of experts, were to be presented Feb. 12 at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington, D.C.  Read More

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: Kenneth Lemanski, Chaya Tabor, Jeannie Clark, Carren Carroll, Lisa Keith, Jennifer Klump, Melody Owens, Jenn Vallot, Meredith Martin, Olumide Akerele, Madonna Catiis, Laurine Kennedy, Debise Morales, Denise O. Keeling, Andrea DeMeo, Joanna Blau, Beth Cushing, Patsy Ray, Pamela Downing-Hosten and Sharon Johnson-Hiltz who all knew the answer to last week's trivia question

QUESTION: Which toy company will include a boy in a wheelchair in a forthcoming set of its iconic minifigures? (The wheelchair will be part of a city set called "Fun in the Park" that will be available in June).

ANSWER: LEGO

THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION:

Fill in the Blank:
According to a report to Congress issued late last year by the U.S. Department of Education outlining the progress of the nation's special education students, a growing number of students with disabilities are spending most of the day in regular education classrooms alongside their typically-developing peers. As of 2013, more than _______ in 10 school-age students served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act spent at least 80 percent of their day in regular classrooms. By contrast, roughly half of students with disabilities met that threshold in 2004

If you know the answer, send an email to contactus@naset.org
All answers must be submitted no later than Monday, February 22, 2016 at 12:00 p.m.

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

Gains in Kids' Health Coverage Continue, But Many Still Uninsured

Despite a significant increase in the number of American children with health insurance, many still lack coverage, a new study reveals. From 2013 to 2014, the number of uninsured children fell from 5.9 million to 4.9 million. In 2013, 7.5 percent of youngsters were uninsured, compared to 6.3 percent in 2014 -- a 16 percent decrease. While the findings show progress, nearly 5 million Americans under age 19 still lack health insurance, according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation report prepared by University of Minnesota researchers. "Despite the politicking around health policy lately, I think we can all agree that coverage for kids is essential for their healthy development," Kathy Hempstead, the foundation's director of coverage issues, said in a news release from the organization. Read More

Lasting Damage Seen in LGBT Teens Who Suffer Harassment

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) teens who experience severe harassment can suffer from serious mental health problems, a new study suggests. "With bullying, I think people often assume 'That's just kids teasing kids,' and that's not true," said study author Brian Mustanski, director of Northwestern University's Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing in Chicago. "If these incidents, which might include physical and sexual assaults, weren't happening in schools, people would be calling the police," he said in a university news release. "You can't equate someone giving you a dirty look with someone physically assaulting you. Victimizations that are more severe are going to have bigger effects. We scored them in a way that represented that, and we saw they had a profound effect on mental health rates over time," Mustanski explained. Read More

Many U.S. Women Still Smoke Before, During Pregnancy: Puts About 300,000 Infants at Risk Each Year

Despite the potential risks to their baby's health, roughly one in 10 women smoke in the three months before getting pregnant, U.S. health officials reported Wednesday. And only one-quarter of those women quit before they become pregnant, the researchers said. "Smoking during pregnancy is double trouble," said lead researcher Sally Curtin, a statistician at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. "There is a mountain of research that it does affect the unborn child." Dr. Edward McCabe, senior vice president and chief medical officer at the March of Dimes, said, "We know that smoking is a problem for pregnancy, and we continue to see many women smoking."  Read More

Spelling Prowess Relies on Multiple Brain Areas, Study Finds

The brain relies on several areas on the left side (hemisphere) of the brain to spell words, a new study says. Researchers from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore pinpointed these regions by studying the brains of 33 stroke patients who lost the ability to spell. Their spelling struggles were due to damage in seemingly unrelated parts of the brain. "When something goes wrong with spelling, it's not one thing that always happens -- different things can happen and they come from different breakdowns in the brain's machinery," said study lead author Brenda Rapp, professor and chair of the Department of Cognitive Science. "Depending on what part breaks, you'll have different symptoms," she explained in a university news release. Read More

Doctors Should Screen Teens for Major Depression, U.S. Task Force Says

Primary care doctors should screen all patients between 12 and 18 years of age for major depression, but not younger children, preventive health experts say. Screening of adolescents needs to be accompanied by accurate diagnosis, effective treatment and appropriate follow-up, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) said in a final recommendation released Monday. Screening tools are available to help primary care doctors accurately identify major depression in adolescent patients, and there are effective treatments for this age group, the task force said. But there isn't enough evidence to gauge the benefits and risks of screening children who are 11 or younger, and more research on depression screening and treatment in this age group is needed, the task force said. Read More

Study Ties School Calendar to Asthma Flare-Ups

Greater exposure to cold viruses may help explain why children with asthma tend to suffer their worst symptoms when their school reopens after a break, a new study suggests. "The school calendar predicts common cold transmission, and the common cold predicts asthma exacerbations," said senior author Lauren Meyers, a professor of integrative biology and statistics and data sciences at the University of Texas at Austin. "And this study provides a quantitative relationship between those things." It's been noted that children's asthma symptoms tend to spike when school starts in the fall and after long holidays such as spring break. Read More

Adult Survivors of Childhood Brain Tumors May Have Lingering Troubles: Study

Adults who survived childhood brain tumors may have significant treatment-related thinking, attention and memory problems, a new study suggests. "Our study was the most comprehensive analysis of a large cohort of adult survivors of pediatric brain tumors, with direct assessment of their cognitive functioning and the resulting impact on social attainment. Also, it was the first to report on the long-term outcomes for multiple types of brain tumors," said study leader Tara Brinkman, from the departments of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, and Psychology, at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. Read More

Texting After Dark May Harm Teens' Sleep, Grades

Instant messaging can be a source of emotional support for teens and help them collaborate on school projects, but new research shows that texting after the lights go out takes a toll on students' sleep quality and academic performance. "We need to be aware that teenagers are using electronic devices excessively and have a unique physiology," study author Xue Ming, a professor of neuroscience and neurology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, said in a university news release. "They tend to go to sleep late and get up late. When we go against that natural rhythm, students become less efficient." During the study, researchers examined the link between instant messaging (such as texting) and academic and sleeping troubles among young people. Read More

Mainstreaming Effort Prompts Outcry From Teachers

Just months after rolling out a program integrating scores of special education students into general education classrooms, Panama-Buena Vista Union School District teachers are crying out in frustration over a lack of preparation, training and breakdowns in communication. Panama began mainstreaming about 120 students this year with mild and moderate disabilities, including ADHD, autism and other learning impairments, into general education classrooms on a case-by-case basis. Administrators say they are following the lead of other districts across the state, and that the move limits the amount of time special education students spend on buses traveling across the district to designated campuses, protects their civil rights and better serves students. Administrators say they are following the lead of other districts across the state, and that the move limits the amount of time special education students spend on buses traveling across the district to designated campuses, protects their civil rights and better serves students. Read More

Narrow Marketplace Plans Pose Problems For Those With ASD

When Jennifer Nechetsky Maupin's son was diagnosed with autism in May 2014, she and her husband quickly started looking into early intervention therapies for him. Their employers' insurance plans offered limited coverage, so for 2015 the Houston family purchased an individual plan for their son on the marketplace set up by the federal health law. Because Texas mandates that individual plans must cover applied behavioral analysis (ABA) therapy, other parents of children with autism have made a similar choice. But many of those families are facing difficulties finding adequate coverage in 2016. Read More

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Study: Wandering A 'Pervasive Problem' For Kids With Disabilities

More than a quarter of children with developmental disabilities wander away from safe environments each year, a new study suggests, and those with autism appear to be at greatest risk. The findings published this month in the journal PLOS ONE come from what's being called the broadest study yet looking at the prevalence of elopement among school-age children across the country. Researchers assessed data from a 2011 survey conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of parents and guardians of more than 4,000 kids ages 6 to 17 with special health care needs. Read More

Study Links Child Abuse, Neglect to Earlier Onset of Bipolar Disorder

People with bipolar disorder who have a history of being abused or neglected as children may have more severe symptoms and a higher risk of suicide, new research suggests. "Our findings have important implications for clinical practice, as they suggest that a history of childhood maltreatment could be used as an early indicator of high risk for poor outcomes among individuals with bipolar disorder," said study author Jessica Agnew-Blais, a postdoctoral researcher at King's College London in England. "This information could be valuable for identifying patients with bipolar disorder who may benefit from greater support and treatment," she said in a college news release. Read More

Prenatal Acetaminophen (Tylenol) Use Tied to Higher Asthma Risk in Kids: Study

Pregnant women who take the painkiller acetaminophen -- best known under the brand name Tylenol -- may be more likely to have a child with asthma, new research suggests. Although the study wasn't designed to prove cause-and-effect, researchers found that prenatal exposure to the over-the-counter medicine was associated with an increased risk for asthma in children. However, the study authors and a U.S. expert agreed that the effect seen in the study doesn't yet warrant any change in guidelines regarding pain relief during pregnancy. In the study, Norwegian researchers tracked data from a large database -- the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study. Read More
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LATEST JOB LISTINGS POSTED ON NASET


* Upper School Math Teacher - Is sought by the Lighthouse Point Academy with the ability to articulate the Mission, Vision, and Values of the school both verbally and in writing and have a comprehensive knowledge of curriculum and instruction within the appropriate content area and/or grade level. To learn more - Click here

* Alternative Assessment Developers - Work at home! Ceres Publishing Services LLC (www.ceres-llc.com) is assembling a team of special education teachers or former teachers to lend their expertise to the development of state alternative assessments. To learn more- Click here

* Director of Student Services - Oversees the delivery of educational services that augment and supplement regular classroom education. These services include special education, school nursing, home tutoring and oversight of the education of homeless children. To learn more - Click here

* Special Education Teacher - The Research Foundation, founded in 1951, exists to serve SUNY and to capitalize on the scope, scale and diversity of SUNY as an engine of New York state's innovation economy. To learn more - Click here

* Assistant Professor of Special Education - Texas Woman's University College of Professional Education is seeking qualified candidates for a tenure- track position as Assistant Professor of Special Education in Denton, Texas. To learn more - Click here

* 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

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

Swearing doesn't make your argument valid; it just tells the other person you have lost your class and control

Shannon L. Alder

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