Week in Review - August 26, 2016

NASET

WEEK IN REVIEW

National Association of Special Education Teachers

August 26, 2016                                               Vol 12 Issue # 34


Dear NASET News,


Welcome to NASET'sWEEK 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

NEW THIS WEEK ON NASET

The Practical Teacher


1+1= iPad Math Apps for Teachers By Joanne Healy, Ph.D., Sanna Turnbough, Mercedes Anderson

This issue of NASET's Practical Teacher was written by Dr. Joanne Healy, Sanna Turnbough and Mercedes Anderson. The authors ask the question: Should teachers incorporate math applications (Apps) into their classrooms? If "yes", how can this be done effectively? An abundance of math apps for the iPad are available, ten engaging apps, (five elementary and five secondary) have been reviewed. Descriptions of application options and attributes that teachers need to consider in making the right choice in App are included as well as a detailed list of pros and cons of use in the classroom or small groups. iPad accessibility and system preferences to control access and monitor student progress will be clarified. Relevant tips on how and when to integrate iPads into the classroom successfully are examined. Read More

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Could Diet in Pregnancy Raise Child's Odds for ADHD?

An unhealthy diet during pregnancy could influence a child's risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a new study warns. Researchers found that a high-fat, high-sugar diet can affect the function of a gene called IGF2 that helps steer fetal development of brain regions previously linked to ADHD. "These results suggest that promoting a healthy prenatal diet may ultimately lower ADHD symptoms and conduct problems in children," said senior researcher Edward Barker, director of the developmental psychopathology lab at King's College London. Read More

Improper Use of Contact Lenses Could Lead to Serious Visual Impairments and Eye Injuries

Unsafe use of contact lenses -- such as sleeping with them in place or using the same pair for too long -- is triggering serious eye injuries for many Americans, a new report finds. In fact, eye damage occurred in nearly 20 percent of contact lens-related eye infections reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration over 10 years, researchers say. "Improper wear and care of contact lenses can cause eye infections that sometimes lead to serious, long-term damage," Michael Beach, who directs the Healthy Water Program at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in an agency news release. Read More

Peanut Allergy Treatment: The Earlier in Childhood, the Better

A treatment for peanut allergies may work better if it's given to children earlier, even as young as 9 months, before the body's "allergic program" fully matures, new research suggests. The treatment is called oral immunotherapy -- also known as exposure therapy. In this approach, peanut-allergic children are given very tiny amounts of peanut allergen as directed by a doctor. Over time, these small amounts of the allergen are thought to lessen the body's reaction to it. 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

Meds May Curb Risky Behavior for Kids with ADHD

Despite concerns that the stimulants used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) might raise the risk of drug abuse, new research suggests the medications are linked with less risky behaviors in teens. The research finds that ADHD medications are "effective in reducing the probability of these events," said study co-author Anna Chorniy, a postdoctoral associate at Princeton University in New Jersey. Chorniy and her co-author Leah Kitashima, a Ph.D. candidate at Clemson University in South Carolina, examined the Medicaid claims of nearly 150,000 children aged 4 to 19 who were diagnosed with ADHD in South Carolina between 2003 and 2013. Read More

Kids with Asthma Can Take Acetaminophen (Tylenol): Study

Acetaminophen does not worsen asthma symptoms in young children, a new study finds. Acetaminophen (Tylenol, Panadol) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) are often used to treat pain and fever. Some previous research has suggested that frequent use of acetaminophen may worsen asthma in kids with the respiratory condition. To investigate, researchers studied 300 children between the ages of 1 and 5 with mild, persistent asthma, which is defined as having symptoms more than two days a week, but not daily. All of the children used daily inhaled treatments to manage their asthma. Read More

TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Congratulations to:  Pamela Downing-Hosten, Patsy Ray, Olumide Akerele, and Heather Chapman who all knew the answer to last week's trivia question.

QUESTION:
According to the least research in the field, approximately what percentage of children with epilepsy also have other health related conditions?
ANSWER: 80%

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:  Governor Jay Nixon of Missouri recently signed a bill that requires every student in Missouri public schools to be screened for a particular learning disability. Screenings are to start in the 2018-19 school year. The bill also says teachers must receive two hours of training on methods to address this learning disability. What is the learning disability that every student in Missouri public schools will be screened for starting in 2018?
If you know the answer, email us at contactus@naset.org by August 29, 2016.  We will acknowledge your correct answer in the next Week in Review.

Celiac Disease May Be Tied to Time and Place of Birth

Where and when children are born may affect their risk for celiac disease, according to a new study. People with celiac disease are highly sensitive to gluten, making it hard for them to digest food. Gluten is found in many grains and starches, including wheat, rye and barley, as well as many processed foods. For the study, researchers analyzed data from nearly 2 million children born in Sweden between 1991 and 2009. Of those, nearly 6,600 were diagnosed with celiac disease before age 15. Overall, children born in spring (March-May), summer (June-August) and fall (September-November) were about 10 percent more likely to be diagnosed with celiac disease than those born in winter (December-February), the findings showed. Read More

In NYC, Charter-School Kids with Disabilities Outperforming Public School Peers


Charter-school students with-disabilities and English language learners are outperforming their public-school peers on state exams, according to new data. NYC Mayor de Blasio criticized charters last week for marginalizing challenged students and suggested the schools' sterling test numbers stem from cherry-picking kids. But Families for Excellent Schools, a charter backer, said they are enrolling an increasing number of kids with disabilities and English-language deficits who are outpacing public-school students. Read More

Dog Ownership May Ease Stress in Autism Families


Having a pet dog around the house may markedly lower stress and offer other benefits for families of children on the spectrum, researchers say. In a study looking at the experiences of families with a child with autism who obtained a dog, researchers found declining stress levels and fewer dysfunctional interactions between parent and child in the two-and-a-half years after acquiring their furry friend. Read More

Texas Schools Could See Cameras in Special Education Classrooms


Starting this fall, all public and charter schools in Texas will be allowed to equip special education classrooms with security cameras. The installation would be on a request-only basis by parents or school staff members. "This will be an opportunity to have an unbiased view and opinion of what's actually happening inside the special needs classroom," said Hector Hernandez. Hernandez's 14-year-old son has Down Syndrome and says his son's class at Oliveira Middle School in Brownsville will be equipped with the cameras. "As a parent of a special needs child, we understand the routine is very important," he said. "You never know what's gonna trigger an incident, whether it could be a slight tantrum, trigger into a meltdown," Hernandez said.  Read More

Oregon to Receive Half Million for Disabilities Education


The U.S. Department of Education is awarding $7 million in grants to seven states to recruit and train teachers, principals and other personnel to provide quality education for children with disabilities, including Oregon. The Oregon Department of Education will receive $529,539, as announced Thursday. The State Personnel Development Grants Program provides funds to assist states in reforming and improving their systems, according to a recent press release. It focuses on the areas of early intervention, education, and transition services in order to enhance results for children with disabilities.  Read More

South Africa: Little Progress for Youth With Disabilities


South Africa has made little progress in addressing the discrimination and exclusion faced by children with disabilities when accessing schools, Human Rights Watch and Section 27 said today. South Africa's national government needs to take urgent action to demonstrate its commitment to inclusive education. Section 27, a leading South African public interest law center, conducted new research demonstrating widespread and severe violations of the rights of children with disabilities, including the ongoing discrimination and the lack of concrete action to address areas of high exclusion in the Umkhanyakude District of KwaZulu Natal. Based on interviews with 100 caregivers of children with disabilities and visits to 14 special and full-service schools, it described the situation there as a "dual racial and disability apartheid in South Africa's education system."  Read More

After Firing Employee with Special Needs, Wal-Mart To Pay Up


A former Wal-Mart employee will receive $90,000 to settle a federal discrimination lawsuit he filed against Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said. William Clark has intellectual disabilities, which were diagnosed in childhood, according to the EEOC. He began working for the company in 1994 and had worked there for 18 years before being fired from the store at 7219 Walton St. in Rockford. Read More

Education Groups Demand Overhaul of Florida Standardized Testing System


Does the Florida Department of Education need to overhaul its testing and grading system? Some say yes, and they believe several things, including poor leadership and a flawed test, are to blame for the problems in Florida's education system. Criticisms of the state's testing system aren't necessarily anything new. In recent weeks, however, they've reached an amplified volume in the advent of a new lawsuit over third grade retention rates and the state's A-F grading system. Started in 1999 under former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, the test-based accountability system gave each school an A-F letter grade based on their performance on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). Supporters lauded the system for bringing much-needed change to Florida's education system, which sat at the back of the pack for decades prior. Read More

Honor Society for Special Education Teachers

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Tommy Hilfiger Doubles Down on its Commitment to Outfitting Kids with Disabilities


Back in February, Tommy Hilfiger, a company known for its preppy polos and well-fitting khakis, made history by being the first major brand to embrace adaptive clothing, or clothing designed for people with disabilities in mind. In a collaboration with the non-profit organization Runway of Dreams, which works with the fashion industry to create more options for people with disabilities, Hilfiger released a spring collection of children's clothing with features like MagnaReady magnet closures rather than buttons and adjustable waistbands for wheelchair users. Read More

Regression marks one in five autism cases, large study finds


In some children with autism, normal development stalls, often around age 2, and they start to lose many of the communication and social skills they had already mastered. The first large epidemiological study of this phenomenon, called regression, reveals that it occurs in at least 20 percent of children with autism. The new work, published in the July/August issue of the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, also shows that regression can appear long after the toddler years. Read More

Regulations Broaden Who's Covered Under ADA


The U.S. Department of Justice is issuing new regulations significantly expanding who's covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act. In a final rule published this month in the Federal Register, the agency is clarifying that those with everything from cancer to diabetes, epilepsy, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, learning disabilities and other conditions should be protected under the ADA. The regulations cement changes that Congress made when it passed the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, the Justice Department said. Read More

Black, Hispanic Children, Youth Rarely Get Help for Mental Health Problems


Black children and young adults are about half as likely as their white counterparts to get mental health care despite having similar rates of mental health problems, according to a study published today in the International Journal of Health Services. Hispanic youth also get only half as much mental health care as whites. The study used data on children under 18 and young adults 18-34 from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey covering all 50 states for the years 2006-2012. It found that minorities received much less of virtually all types of mental health care, including visits to psychiatrists, social workers and psychologists, as well as substance abuse counseling and mental health counseling by pediatricians and other doctors. Read More

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LATEST JOB LISTINGS POSTED ON NASET


*Curriculum Coordinator - Is responsible for coordinating the curriculum resources (print, technology, and created) for the school in order to meet the needs of our students in accordance with the COMAR regulations set forth by the Maryland State Department of Education.  The CC serves as the school Test Coordinator for all state mandated testing (Alt-MSE, NCSC, etc).  To learn more  - Click here
*PRINCIPAL - STEM3 ACADEMY - We are seeking an engaged, knowledgeable, enthusiastic individual to take on the position of Principal for a new STEM Academy for students with social and learning differences, including autism. STEM3 Academy is for students in grades 9 through 12 who have a talent and passion for STEM-related activities. To learn more - Click here
*Curriculum Specialist - STEM3 is a unique, state-of-the-art STEM-based high school educating students with special needs, including those with high functioning autism. STEM3 Academy is home to students who are interested in a variety of careers including those that relate to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. To learn more - Click here
*Intervention Specialist, Grades 9-12 - At Life Skills High Schools we strive to provide our unique students with the best education possible. It is our goal each and every day to Educate, Innovate, Inspire, and Love each and every individual that comes to our schools. We pride ourselves in knowing that our students are not only receiving the best education that they deserve, but also developing the necessary life skills needed in this day and age to become the successful person that is in us all. To learn more - click here
*Special Education Coordinator / Cross-Categorical - Through the use of consultation, resource, inclusion, and co-teaching models in a variety of academic environments, the Special Education team aims to provide support for students while working to ensure as much time as appropriate is spent within the regular classroom. To learn more -Click here
*Special Education Teacher - Is sought who will provide instruction for students that enables them to learn and demonstrate mastery of the Georgia Performance Standards. To learn more - Click here
*Special Education Teachers - The special education teacher will develop, implement and monitor the students' Individualized Education Programs in collaboration with parents and other IEP Team members. The teacher will promote a collaborative relationship with school staff and parents that will foster inclusionary practices. To learn more - Click here
*SPECIAL ED TEACHERS -  $7500 SIGN ON BONUS - Plan, coordinate & implement individual student programs. Select appropriate curriculum content for each student and determine appropriate, measurable goals and objectives for each student. Great Benefits with a $7,500 sign on Bonus! to learn more - Click here
* Special ED Teacher/Education Specialist - Antioch, CA - Excellent compensation and benefits package including a choice of two medical plans for the right candidate. This position requires California Special Education Credential Moderate/Severe. To learn more -Click here

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

Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine
Anthony J. D'Angelo

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