Week in Review - October 20, 2017

Continuing_Ed

NASET

WEEK IN REVIEW

National Association of Special Education Teachers

October 20, 2017                                                Vol 13 Issue # 42


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

Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals ( JAASEP)

JAASEP Fall 2017

Table of Contents
  • Implementation of a Post-Secondary Inclusive Recreation Program
  • Strengthening Social and Emotional Intelligences through Writing
  • Let's Get Parents Ready for their Initial IEP Meeting
  • Preparing Preservice Teachers for Inclusive Classrooms: A State-Wide Survey of Teacher Education Faculty
  • Are We Practicing What We Are Preaching? An Evaluation of Self-Determination Instructional Components in IEPs at a Midwestern High School
  • STRETCH (Students Ready To Make Change): Making a Difference in the Lives of Students Twila Lukowiak, James Ghareeb, Sarah Wadi, Samantha
  • Effects of Activity Schedules on Challenging Behavior for Children with Autism
  • Alternative Approaches to IEP Conflict: A Review of the Literature
  • Evaluating the Validity and Reliability of a Student Self-Advocacy Teacher Rating Scale
Read More

How Fever in Early Pregnancy Causes Heart, Facial Birth Defects

Researchers have known for decades that fevers in the first trimester of pregnancy increase risk for some heart defects and facial deformities such as cleft lip or palate. Exactly how this happens is unclear. Scientists have debated whether a virus or other infection source causes the defects, or if fever alone is the underlying problem. Duke researchers now have evidence indicating that the fever itself, not its root source, is what interferes with the development of the heart and jaw during the first three to eight weeks of pregnancy. Their findings, demonstrated in animal embryos, will be published Oct. 10 in the journal Science Signaling. Read More

Bright Light Therapy at Midday Helped People with Bipolar Disorder

Daily exposure to bright white light at midday significantly decreased symptoms of depression and increased functioning in people with bipolar disorder, a recent Northwestern Medicine study found. Previous studies found morning bright light therapy reduced symptoms of depression in patients with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD.). But patients with bipolar disorder can experience side effects such as mania or mixed symptoms from this type of depression treatment. This study implemented a novel midday light therapy intervention in an effort to provide relief for bipolar depression and avoid those side effects. Compared to dim placebo light, study particpants assigned to bright white light between noon and 2:30 p.m. for six weeks experienced a significantly higher remission rate (minimal depression and return to normal functioning). More than 68 percent of patients who received midday bright light achieved a normal level of mood, compared to 22.2 percent of patients who received the placebo light. Read More

Children with ADHD Likely to Have Touch-Processing Abnormalities

Children with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) are likely to also have trouble with touch (tactile) processing. A new study finds that children with ADHD fare worse on several tests of tactile functioning, including reaction time and detecting a weak stimulus on the skin (detection threshold). Two groups of children (ages 8 to 12) participated in a series of tests in which researchers administered tactile stimulation (low-frequency vibrations) to the skin of their fingers. One group of children had ADHD, and the other group was typically developing (control). The children reported when they felt the weakest amount of stimulation, which stimulus was stronger or faster, or the order in which they felt two stimuli applied to two fingers (temporal order judgment). Read More

Mom's Immune Response Could Trigger Social Deficits for Kids with Autism

The retrospective cohort study of 220 Australian children, conducted between 2011-2014, indicates that a "an immune-mediated subtype" of autism driven by the body's inflammatory and immunological systems may be pivotal, according to the University of Sydney's Professor Adam Guastella. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a set of neurodevelopmental disorders, characterized by impaired reciprocal interaction and communication skills, and restricted and repetitive behaviors and interests. It occurs in one in every 68 people around the world. Maternal immune activation (MIA) has been highlighted as a factor that might increase the risk of ASD; however, this new study is believed to be the first to examine whether MIA is linked to poorer outcomes in children with ASD. MIA is defined as an active immune response during pregnancy that can be triggered by an external event such as infection or autoimmune disorders. Read More

Farsighted Children Struggle with Attention, Study Finds

Farsighted preschoolers and kindergartners have a harder time paying attention and that could put them at risk of slipping behind in school, a new study suggests. An estimated 4 to 14 percent of preschoolers have moderate farsightedness, or hyperopia, but it often goes undetected in younger children. When moderate farsightedness is found, glasses aren't always recommended because there's disagreement about whether vision correction is appropriate for these children. But an increasing body of evidence is showing that moderately farsighted 4- and 5-year-olds are at risk of struggling with the building blocks of learning, said Marjean Taylor Kulp, professor of optometry at The Ohio State University. Read More

Cannabis Consumption Increases Violent Behavior in Young People in Psychiatric Care

A new study by researchers at the Institut en santé mentale de Montréal demonstrates that sustained used of cannabis is associated with an increase in violent behaviour in young people after discharge from a psychiatric hospital. The research by Dr. Alexandre Dumais (MD, PhD, FRCPC, psychiatrist at the Institut Philippe Pinel) and Dr. Stéphane Potvin (PhD, professor at the Université de Montréal), which studied 1,136 patients (from 18 to 40 years of age) with mental illnesses who had been seen five times during the year after discharge, took into account substance use and the onset of violent behavior. 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

Beyond Bullying: Study Shows Damaging Effects of Multiple Forms of Victimization on School Climate

School officials focused exclusively on bullying prevention efforts might want to consider the findings of a new study showing the highly damaging effects of multiple forms of victimization on school climate. The study, published in the Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma, measured the impact of polyvictimization -- exposure to multiple forms of victimization -- on school climate at the middle and high school levels. Results show that bullying, cyberbullying and harassment were significantly associated with decreases in perceptions of school safety, connection, and equity. Overall, 43.1 percent of students experienced at least one form of victimization during the 2015-2016 schoolyear. Just over 32 percent of students reported being bullied, 21 percent were victims of cyberbullying and 16.4 percent experienced harassment -- defined as "experiencing negative actions from one or more persons because of his or her skin, religion, where they are from (what country), sex, sexual identity or disability." Read More

Screen Children with Reading Difficulties for Hearing Problems

Children with reading difficulties should be more thoroughly screened for hearing problems, a new report by Coventry University academics has said. The study, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, found 25 per cent of its young participants who had reading difficulties showed mild or moderate hearing impairment, of which their parents and teachers were unaware. The researchers believe that if there was more awareness of youngsters' hearing problems -- as well as an understanding of what particular aspects of literacy they struggled with -- then the children might be able to receive more structured support that could help them improve their reading and writing skills. Read More

TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK

This week's question:
The Individals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEIA) has four specific Parts, A, B, C and D. One Part of IDEIA covers infants and toddlers, birth up to the age of 3 years of age (up to 36 months of age) andexplains Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSP). Is this Part A, B, C or D?
If you know the answer, email us at contactus@naset.org by October 23, 2017.  We will acknowledge your correct answer in the next edition of the Week in Review

Simulating a Brain-Cooling Treatment that Could One Day Ease Epilepsy

Using computer simulation techniques, scientists have gained new insights into the mechanism by which lowering the temperature of specific brain regions could potentially treat epileptic seizures. The results are published in PLOS Computational Biology. About 50 million people worldwide deal with sudden, recurring seizures that are the hallmark of epilepsy. Treatment with medication or surgery does not work for some patients, so scientists have been investigating a potential alternative called focal cooling, in which a device would be implanted in the brain to suppress the electrical signals -- discharges -- that characterize epileptic seizures. Read More

Better Genetic Decoding of Neurodevelopmental Disorders

A key question in biology is understanding how the brain works. Its basic working units, the neurons, transmit information in the form of electrical impulses and chemical signals. Alterations in the function of the neurons can lead to neurological and psychiatric disorders. Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are a group of frequent and often severe pediatric conditions that can manifest, for example, as intellectual disability, autism or early-onset psychiatric symptoms. The recent development of higher resolution genetic diagnostic tools has underlined the prevalence of genetic anomalies, such as copy number variations (for example, loss of a gene), in children with NDDs. Two HUDERF patients with neurodevelopmental disorders (here cognitive and behavioral symptoms) showed partial loss (deletion) of the DLG2 gene, which plays an important role in the development, plasticity, and stability of synapses (the zone where two neurons touch each other allowing them to exchange information). Read More

Newborns with Congenital Heart Disease Show Signs of Brain Impairment Even Before Cardiac Surgery

Survival rates have soared for infants born with congenital heart disease (CHD), the most common birth defect, thanks to innovative cardiac surgery that sometimes occurs within hours of birth. However, the neurodevelopmental picture for these infants has remained stubbornly unchanged with more than 50 percent experiencing neurodevelopmental disabilities. Using a novel imaging technique, Children's National Health System researchers demonstrate for the first time that the brains of these high-risk infants already show signs of functional impairment even before they undergo corrective open heart surgery. Looking at the newborns' entire brain topography, the team found intact global organization -- efficient and effective small world networks -- yet reduced functional connectivity between key brain regions. Read More

Study Pokes Holes in Fetal Alcohol Hypothesis

A new study published in the journal Brain Behavior and Immunity appears to challenge the theory that cells in the brain's immune system are the culprit behind the neurological damage that occurs in children exposed to alcohol while in the womb. "In order to develop treatments for this condition, we must first understand how alcohol affects the developing brain," said Ania Majewska, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) and lead author of the study. "While the hypothesis that dysfunctional immune cells play a role in fetal alcohol syndrome is logical and enticing, it appears that this idea may be a scientific dead end." Read More

Anxiety and Depression Caused by Childhood Bullying Decline Over Time

A new UCL-led study has provided the strongest evidence to date that exposure to bullying causes mental health issues such as anxiety years later. The study, published today in JAMA Psychiatry and funded by MQ: Transforming Mental Health and the Economic and Social Research Council, found that the detrimental effects of bullying decreased over time, which the authors say shows the potential for resilience in children exposed to bullying. "Previous studies have shown that bullied children are more likely to suffer mental health issues, but give little evidence of a causal link, as pre-existing vulnerabilities can make children both more likely to be bullied and experience worse mental health outcomes. We used a robust study design to identify causation," said the study's lead author, Dr Jean-Baptiste Pingault (UCL Psychology & Language Sciences). Read More

Doing Homework is Associated with Change in Students' Personality

Homework may have a positive influence on students' conscientiousness. As results of a study conducted by University of Tübingen researchers suggest, students who do more homework than their peers show positive changes in conscientiousness. Thus, schools may be doing more than contributing to students' learning, but they may also be effecting changes of their students' personality. The study results were published in the Journal of Research in Personality. Previous research finds that homework effort is consistently related to student achievement. Also, conscientiousness appears to be the most important personality trait for predicting homework effort. With this connection in mind, proponents of homework have argued that the effort which students invest in their homework may have positive effects on students by influencing their conscientiousness. In their study, the Tübingen scientists investigated whether this claim holds true. Read More

New Insights into Leading Cause of Miscarriage, Birth Defects Discovered

Two recent Northwestern University studies shed new light on the mystery of the leading cause of birth defects and miscarriage, laying the foundation for further research in an understudied but crucially important field of genetic study. The studies look at what happens during the process that produces egg cells (oocytes), which later become embryos when they are fertilized. Ten to 25 percent of human embryos contain the wrong number of chromosomes because the egg cell has not divided properly, which is a problem unique to egg cells. These mistakes are the leading cause of miscarriages and birth defects such as Down syndrome, and the incidence of these errors rises dramatically as women age. Understanding why egg cells are more prone to this division error is critical, given that women are increasingly choosing to start families at later ages. Read More

A New Model of Treatment for Youth with Anxiety

A stepped care model of treatment for youth with anxiety can be effectively delivered using at least 14% less therapist time than traditional treatment service, reports a study published in the October 2017 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP). In today's stretched economy, finding cheaper and more efficient ways to spend our public health dollars is critical. Mental health professionals can now treat young people with anxiety disorders effectively. But professional treatment comes at a cost. Standard, scientifically proven treatments for youth with anxiety usually require 15 to 20 hours of input from a mental health professional. Finding ways to reduce this time but still maintain good outcomes is the next research frontier. Read More

Honor Society for Special Education Teachers

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Earlier School Start Times May Increase Risk of Adolescent Depression and Anxiety

Teenagers who start high school before 8:30 a.m. are at higher risk of depression and anxiety, even if they're doing everything else right to get a good night's sleep, a recent study out of Rochester, N.Y., suggests. Led by University of Rochester Medical Center clinical assistant professor in Psychiatry Jack Peltz, Ph.D., the study, recently published in Sleep Health, not only reinforces the theorized link between sleep and adolescent mental health, but is among the first to demonstrate that school start times may have a critical impact on adolescent sleep and daily functioning. The findings provide additional evidence in the national debate over how school start times impact adolescent health. Read More
jobs

LATEST JOB LISTINGS POSTED ON NASET


* Private Teacher - Flexible start date between now and Spring/Summer of 2018! Family based in Lincoln Park, IL seeks a Private Teacher to co-develop, manage, and implement the education plan/home school program for an elite student athlete who is entering high school next year. To learn more -  Click here

* Special Education - Bard High School Early College - Bard High School Early College (BHSEC) Queens, a ten-minute subway ride from central Manhattan, is founded on a partnership between Bard College and the New York City Department of Education. We invite applications for a full-time special education faculty position in mathematics and/or science beginning immediately. BHSEC, a national model in the field of public school reform, enables talented and highly motivated students to move in four years from the ninth grade through the first two years of college, earning an associate of arts (A.A.) degree from Bard College as well as a New York State Regents high school diploma. To learn more -  Click here

* Developmental Therapist - Provide developmental instruction to children birth to three years old with developmental delays or disabilities in the home, child care center, hospital or any other environment that is natural to the child.  Provide coaching to caregivers to help them implement strategies to increase the child's learning opportunities and participation in daily life. Evaluate developmental levels of children, participate in IFSP and IEP meetings. To learn more -  Click here

* Early Childhood Special Educator- Sterling/Magnum Medical seeks an Early Childhood Special Educator to work at Naples, Italy and Lakenheath, UK - 2 positions available. The program provides services to children of American military families stationed overseas who are at risk for, or diagnosed with, developmental delays. To learn more -  Click here

* ESE Preschool Teacher - We have an opening in our Preschool for an ESE Preschool Teacher to provide high quality, comprehensive and developmentally-appropriate instruction and child care to meet the individual needs of children and their families. Ideal candidates will have some experience teaching preschool students with disabilities, possess exceptional interpersonal and communication skills and have a passion for teaching young children. To learn more - Click here

* Lead ED Special Education Teacher - The Lead Special Education Teacher for Cornerstone is an integral member of the academics team whose focus is to guide students in their social-emotional and academic development. To learn more -Click here

* Assistant Professor of Education- The Moravian College Education Department invites applications for a tenure-track position in educational psychology with a focus on special education, inclusive education, and/or disability studies in education, beginning the Fall Term 2018. Members of the Moravian College Education Department view and carry out their work in the context of the College's liberal arts ethos. 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

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

Food For Thought..........
Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough
Og Mandino

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