Week in Review - December 23, 2016

NASET

WEEK IN REVIEW

National Association of Special Education Teachers
December 23, 2016                                                Vol 12 Issue # 51

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

NASET's ADHD Series Part #19

The Redundancy Effect on Retention and Transfer for Individuals with High Symptoms of ADHD

This issue of NASET's ADHD series was written by Victoria Brown, Ed.D., David Lewis, Ph.D. and Mario Toussaint and was excerpted from the Fall 2016 edition of the Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals (JAASEP). The multimedia elements of text and audio need to be carefully integrated together to maximize the impact of those elements for learning in a multimedia environment. Redundancy information presented through audio and visual channels can inhibit learning for individuals diagnosed with ADHD, who may experience challenges in the processing of information through visuospatial and phonological loop channels in the memory system. This study explores how redundancy affects the individuals with self-reported higher levels of ADHD symptoms ability to process information presented using multimedia presentations. Individuals with higher-reported ADHD symptoms had lower performance levels when using the multimedia presentation with redundancy. Read More

NASET's HOW TO Series

How to Deal with Attention Seeking Students

Purpose
The  purpose of this issue of the Classroom Management Series is to explain how to short circuit a student's need for inappropriate attention. Read More

NASET's HOW TO Series


How to Develop Manageable Consequences

Purpose
The purpose of this issue is to provide you with manageable and realistic guidelines for inappropriate behavior on the part of your students. Read More
Gift Membership

'Epilepsy Gene Network' Identified in Brain

Scientists say they have identified a gene network in the brain that's associated with epilepsy. Although the research is in the early stages, the investigators hope their discovery can revive interest in finding new epilepsy treatments.  "Identifying groups of genes that work together, and then targeting these networks of genes, may lead to more effective treatments," said study senior author Michael Johnson. He's a professor of medicine at Imperial College London in England. "Our proof-of-concept study suggests this network biology approach could help us identify new medications for epilepsy, and the methods can also be applied to other diseases," Johnson said in a college news release. Read More

Research Unlocks Clues to Language-Based Learning in Children

According to the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD), one in five individuals are impacted by language-based learning disabilities -- one of the most common being dyslexia, which involves difficulty in reading or interpreting words, letters and other symbols. Now, a new study from the University of Missouri that focuses on typically learning children, has found a link between "working memory" and how children learn. Researchers feel this discovery may later help educators uncover new ways to teach children with learning disabilities. "Working memory, or the retention of a small amount of information that is readily available, is an integral aspect to learning," said Nelson Cowan, a professor psychological sciences in the MU College of Arts and Science. "Our goal was to understand the structure of working memory and how it relates to language use and intelligence in children." Read More

Down Syndrome May Not Be Big Financial Burden on Families

Although families with a child with Down syndrome do face extra medical expenses, they probably won't be deeply burdened financially, a new study suggests. Researchers found that average monthly out-of-pocket medical costs are about $80 more for children with Down syndrome compared to other kids. That adds up to about $18,000 over the first 18 years of life, the study authors said. "I think many people will be surprised to learn that parents have few extra medical expenses when raising a child or adolescent with Down syndrome, since health insurance covers most of the costs," said study author Dr. Brian Skotko. He is co-director of the Down Syndrome Program at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Read More

Does Mindful Parenting Help With ADHD? It Could Be a Helpful Tool

For many people, studying mindfulness can provide a tremendous sense of peace in a harried, overworked world. Focusing on the present moment can help you - and those around you - maintain calm and focus. You may also wonder how far mindful parenting can go toward helping your children. For instance, does mindful parenting help with ADHD? Because sometimes, parenting a kid with ADHD can feel like you're trying to harness a tornado. First, it's helpful to understand the basics of mindful parenting. According to Mindful.org, mindful parenting involves noticing your feelings toward your child, pausing prior to responding, and listening attentively to your child's views (even when you disagree with them). Although you could fill volumes with info about this parenting strategy, attentiveness is the general takeaway idea. Read More
George Washington Univeristy

MRI Helps Assess Fetal Brain Abnormalities: Study

A follow-up MRI scan after a mid-pregnancy ultrasound could help improve diagnosis of a possible fetal brain abnormality, a new British study reports. Women selected for this study had undergone an ultrasound at 18 to 21 weeks of pregnancy that detected a potential brain abnormality in the fetus. The extra information provided by the follow-up MRI helped doctors give a more accurate diagnosis and advice, according to the study authors. The study was published Dec. 14 in The Lancet. "Adding an MRI scan when a problem is detected provides additional information to support parents making decisions about their pregnancy," said lead author Paul Griffiths. He's a professor of radiology at the University of Sheffield. Read More

It's Time to Include Disabilities in Diversity

Article after article discusses our need to ensure diversity, but they rarely mention disabilities. It's as if people with disabilities are an afterthought (or more accurately, a forgotten thought). If the omission is mentioned, people often get defensive, as if they are being accused of insensitivity. But if another protected class like gender, race, religion, or sexual orientation were omitted, people would be up in arms about that. The Newseum in Washington, DC has a section on civil rights in the media but fails to include disabilities. The museum was made aware of the oversight but hasn't done anything to correct it. Museums across the country, such as the National Museum of African-American History and Culture in Washington, DC and the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York City, that are dedicated to ensuring civil rights for various populations, tend to overlook those with disabilities. Read More

Birth Defects From Zika More Far-Reaching Than Thought

Zika's ability to damage the infant brain may be even more far-reaching and insidious than previously thought, two new studies suggest. One study found that 6 percent of infants born to Zika-infected mothers in the United States had one or more birth defects related to the mosquito-borne virus. Meanwhile, a Brazilian study found 46 percent of babies of infected mothers in that country developed birth defects or died. The author of the U.S. study said many of the U.S.-born babies may still be diagnosed with birth defects as they approach the age of 1, since evidence has shown the virus can continue to damage a baby's brain after birth. The Zika outbreak first struck Brazil in April 2015, while the United States did not start reporting Zika infections until 2016. Read More

Child Abuse Cases in Army Families May Be Under-Reported

Child abuse within U.S. Army families may be significantly under-reported, a new study suggests. Researchers found that only one-fifth of diagnosed child abuse and neglect cases among U.S. Army-dependent children from 2004 to 2007 had a substantiated report with the Army's Family Advocacy Program (FAP). The program is responsible for investigating and treating child abuse. That's less than half the rate (44 percent) of child abuse cases substantiated by civilian Child Protective Services, according to the study. The investigation was conducted by researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the U.S. Army FAP. Read More

Emergency Surgery Riskier for Kids in Poorer Countries

Children in poorer countries are much more likely to die after emergency abdominal surgery than those in wealthy nations, a new study finds. Researchers analyzed the outcomes of more than 1,400 children in 43 countries who had emergency abdominal surgery in 2014. The surgeries were for conditions such as appendicitis, congenital abnormalities and hernia. Compared to children in wealthy countries, those in middle-income nations were four times more likely to die within 30 days of surgery, and those in poor countries were seven times more likely to die, the study found. Rates of serious complications were just over 11 percent among children in poor countries, compared with just over 6 percent for those in middle-income and rich countries. Read More
survey12-16

Drug Use by U.S. Teens Drops to All-Time Low

Drug use among U.S. teens is at an all-time low. That's the heartening finding from a new survey by the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Fewer teens are using illegal drugs than ever before, the survey found, and fewer are falling prey to the epidemic of prescription drug abuse plaguing many adults in the United States. Many teens also have turned away from drinking alcohol and smoking tobacco, said NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow. "There are significant decreases in the patterns of drug consumption among teenagers in our country," Volkow said. "Quite significant, to the point where we have several drugs at the lowest levels that we've ever seen since the inception of the survey." Read More

Autism Breakthrough: One Protein's Sweeping Influence on Development of Autism Revealed

As many as a third of autism cases could be explained by a scarcity of a single protein in the brain, Toronto scientists have revealed. The findings provide a unique opportunity to develop treatments for a disorder that is rooted in a motley crew of genetic faults. Researchers induced autistic-like behavior in mice by lowering the levels of a protein called nSR100 (also known as SRRM4), which is important for normal brain development. The study, published in the December 15 issue of the journal Molecular Cell, builds on the teams' previous work which showed that the nSR100 protein was reduced in the brains of autistic people. Read More
Gift Membership

TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Congratulations to: Deborah Cherry, Melody Owens, Olumide Akerele, Tracey Christilles, Jessica Gaspar, Patsy Ray, Catherine Cardenas and Cliff James who all knew the answer to last week's trivia question.

QUESTION:  According to the latest report from the U.S. Department of Education (38th Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 2016), of the 13 disability categories under IDEA, which disability category was the most prevalent one for students ages 6 through 21 served under IDEA, Part B? (Hint: 39.2 percent of all children 6-21 years of age receiving special education services had this as their classification).

ANSWER:  Specific Learning Disabilities

This week's question: According to Albert Einstein, what remains after you have forgotten what you learned in school?

If you know the answer, email us at contactus@naset.org by December 26, 2016.  We will acknowledge your correct answer in the next edition of the Week in Review
George Washington Univeristy

Teens Benefit from Later High School Start Times


A review of the scientific literature by a workgroup composed of representatives from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Sleep Research Society, and American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine found that later high school start times are associated with positive outcomes among teens, including longer weekday sleep durations and reduced vehicular accident rates. Results of a systematic review and meta-analysis of 18 peer-reviewed studies published prior to April 2016 show that sleep durations on school nights increased by an average of about 19 minutes when school started up to 60 minutes later, and total sleep time on school nights was about 53 minutes longer when the delayed school start time was more than 60 minutes later. Delayed high school start times also were associated with reduced motor vehicle accident rates, less subjective daytime sleepiness, and lower differences between sleep durations on school and weekend nights. Read More

Study Highlights Need for Improved, Stable Eye Screening for Premature Babies

Among the challenges faced in caring for premature babies is protecting their eye sight, and concerns are growing about an available workforce ready to screen for retinopathy of prematurity. Babies born early are at risk for ROP, a potentially blinding eye disorder. A survey in Pediatrics, shows only 56 percent of medical directors at 393 hospital neonatal intensive care units believe there are enough ophthalmologists who can screen and/or treat ROP in their local area. Rebecca Vartanian, M.D., a neonatologist at the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital and colleagues at the U-M Kellogg Eye Center, learned 28 percent of NICUs do not provide ROP treatment, most often due to lack of ophthalmologists, and frequently transfer babies needing treatment to another hospital. Read More

Oregon Law Requires Screening for Dyslexia

Legislation passed in Oregon is shining a new light on dyslexia, an often misunderstood learning disability. Senate Bill 612, which went into effect in July 2015, requires that every kindergarten and first-grade public school student be screened for risk factors of dyslexia, a learning disability that can make it difficult to learn to read and write. Looking for signs a student may be likely to have dyslexia can allow for early intervention, something that can make a huge difference in how it affects a child, according to dyslexia experts. Much of what the Senate bill mandates falls on the Oregon Department of Education to administer. The bill requires the state Education Department to hire a dyslexia specialist to support school districts in their new role in screening for risk factors. Read More

Penn State Study Examines Evidence of Racial Disparities in Special Education

Special education programs are designed to meet the needs of all students with cognitive, behavioral or physical disabilities, regardless of their race or ethnicity. However, a best-evidence synthesis lead by Paul Morgan, professor in the department of education policy studies at Penn State, recently found evidence that black children may not be receiving special education services they are entitled to, even when displaying the same clinical needs as white children.  The synthesis was published recently in the Sage journal Exceptional Children. Morgan also recently presented the findings to the White House's Office of Management and Budget, the President's Domestic Policy Council, and the U.S. Department of Education. Read More
Continuing_Ed
jobs

LATEST JOB LISTINGS POSTED ON NASET

Special Education Teacher - Elementary Special Education Teacher in New York City. To teach elementary students with learning disabilities. B.A. in Education and NYS Teacher's Certification required. Mail resume to AMAC, Attn: Giovanna Henson -  To Learn more - Click here
*Special Education TeacherAlfred E. Smith CTE High School is seeking multiple Special Education Teachers in all content areas. Positions are for immediate hire or February 2017. To learn more - Click here
*Executive Director - The Professional Center for Child Development, seeks applications for the position of Executive Director. The Professional Center's highly skilled and professional staff provide a range of services to support the growth and development of children including: developmental day school for children with disabilities; early intervention for children from birth to three years old with disabilities or who are at risk; preschool for both children with and without disabilities; play groups; pediatric therapy programs; and regional consultation. To learn more -Click here
*Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in Special Education - The position will be housed in the early childhood education PK-4 program in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, but will also teach special education for the secondary math education program housed in the School of Science. To learn more - Click here
*Special Education Teacher - Teaches in a Level V educational setting, serving children with severe emotional and behavioral disabilities, often accompanied by learning disabilities. The Special Education Teacher is responsible for developing and implementing plans for meeting the educational needs of students and for improving psychosocial development. To learn more - Click here
*Special Education Teacher - Youth Villages' Residential Treatment programs serve children with emotional and behavioral problems.  Our residential campuses provide the setting for an intensive treatment program that combines the unique balance of structure and freedom. To learn more - Click here
*Teacher Mild/Mod. & Mod./Sev. (Elem. & MS) - The Education Specialist, will serve as classroom teacher in both general education settings as a co-teacher and leading a Learning Center to support students with IEPs in the least restrictive environment. Case management, professionalism, communication, and ability to co-teach/collaborate with colleagues are cornerstones to this position. To learn more -Click here
*Special Education Teacher - The Hoffman Academy is a special education, private, academic school for students identified with social and emotional disorders.  The school is aligned with, and located on the grounds of, Hoffman Homes for Youth- a psychiatric residential treatment facility outside Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.  The Hoffman Academy educates approximately 100 students. To learn more - Click here
*Special Education Specialist - The primary responsibility of the Special Education Specialist is to provide instruction and other related services to Special Education students. The Special Education Specialist will also facilitate diagnostic assessment including administration, scoring and interpretation. To learn more - Click here
*Special Education Teacher - Under general supervision of the House Manager, the incumbent is responsible for teaching and supervising a class of special needs students utilizing various techniques to promote learning. Duties include planning, organizing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating class activities, developing Individualized Education Plans (IEP) and working with assigned staff, therapists and students to achieve the IEP goals and objectives. To learn more - Click here
*Special Education Teacher - is sought by Barstow Unified School District in Barstow CA. At present there is a single job opening for a full time position for 7 hours a day 185 days per year. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. To learn more - Click here


If you are an Employer looking for excellent special education staff - Click here for more information

Food For Thought..........
Seek not greatness, but seek truth and you will find both.

Horace Mann

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