| New This Week on NASET The Practical Teacher Series February 2013 Positive Communication Strategies for Collaborating with Parents of Students with Disabilities In order to impact students' lives in pervasive and sustainable ways, special education teachers must build strong partnerships with their students' parents and help them in supporting their children's needs. Since its inception in 1975, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (then known as the Education for All Handicapped Children Act) has had as a core and fundamental provision parental involvement. Helping parents and finding successful ways to collaborate with them must continue to be a priority for educators throughout a student's school experience. Special education teachers must establish positive communication in order to collaborate effectively with the parents of their students with disabilities. This is especially true in the development of IEPs. This article, written by Victoria W. Hulsey, Ed. D., identifies some of the barriers to effective collaboration between teachers and parents and suggests strategies for overcoming these barriers. To read or download this issue -Click here (login required)______________________________________________________ NASET's Austism Spectrum Disorder Series February 2013
Using Ecological Assessments to Set Meaningful Goals for ABA Interventions
When professionals develop ABA intervention programs for students with ASD and other disabilities, they use many different approaches when selecting goals. Some use criterion-referenced assessment tools to set intervention goals. Others use informal assessment procedures such as interviews with students, caregivers, and teachers, checklists, and informal observations to set goals for ABA interventions. What professionals do not typically use nearly enough are ecological assessments to set goals for ABA interventions. This issue of NASET's Autism Spectrum Disorder series will focus on using ecological assessments to set meaningful goals for ABA interventions. It was written by Deb Leach, Ed.D., BCBA, and reprinted with permission from Doug Goldberg at The Special Education Advisor www.specialeducationadvisor.com/using-ecological-assessments-to-set-meaningful-goals-for-aba-interventions/ To read or download this issue - Click here (login required) |
| Epilepsy Drug in Pregnancy Linked to Autism Risk in Study Women taking the epilepsy drug valproate (Depakote) while pregnant are at increased risk of having children with autism and other developmental problems, according to a small British study.Valproate is prescribed for epilepsy as well as certain psychiatric disorders and migraines. Other studies have shown its use during pregnancy is associated with birth defects and, more recently, lower IQ in school-age children. The American Academy of Neurology advises against valproate use during pregnancy, and some experts believe it should not be used by women of childbearing age.To read more,click here |
| Advocates Want School Using Shock Therapy Defunded A national coalition of disability advocacy groups is calling on the federal government to stop providing funds to a Massachusetts school that uses skin-shock therapy on students with disabilities. In a letter sent earlier this month to health and education officials in the Obama administration, 20 groups including The Arc, the Autism Society, TASH and the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law called for federal funds being sent to the Judge Rotenberg Center in Canton, Mass. to be halted. The request was made in light of a warning letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administrationsentto the school in December citing concerns over the devices used to administer electric shocks.To read more,click here |
| Did You Know That....Acquired Deafness refers to the loss of hearing that occurs or develops some time during the lifespan but is not present at birth. |
| Non-Drug ADHD Treatments Don't Pan Out in Study Many parents pursue costly and time-consuming treatments to help their children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Now, a new study finds little evidence that non-drug interventions reduce key symptoms of ADHD.A multinational team of experts identified no positive effects from psychological treatments including mind exercises (cognitive training), neurofeedback and behavioral training (positive reinforcement). And the researchers discovered only small benefits associated with dietary treatments: supplementation with omega-3 and omega-6 free fatty acids, and elimination of artificial food coloring. Still, parents shouldn't be discouraged, said study co-author Dr. Emily Simonoff.To read more,click here |
| Knocking Down Barriers to Inclusion By now you know thatinclusionis here to stay. The education of students with special needs is no longer the responsibility of just special education teachers. The inclusion of students with disabilities in the general education setting is now the norm rather than the exception. However, for many teachers (including special education teachers) there are certain barriers that may prevent successful inclusion in your class. Before I identify at least 3 barriers, let me define what inclusion is. Inclusion is the practice of bringing services and support to children with special needs into the general education classroom, as opposed to removing special needs students from learning experiences with their same age peers (Kilanowski-Press, Foote, & Rinaldo, 2010). Inclusion is basically a legal mandate from the reauthorization of IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), which upholds the provision of least restrictive environment (LRE). To make a long story short, if you hate inclusion learn to love it. Chances are that we will leave the classroom before the practice of inclusion will.To read more,click here |
|  NASET MEMBER'S BENEFIT - Board Certification in Special Education Available to NASET MembersThrough 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. For more information on Board Certification in Special Education,click here |
| First-Ever Guidelines Issued for Treating Type 2 Diabetes in Kids For the first time ever, the American Academy of Pediatrics has issued guidelines for the management of type 2 diabetes in children and teenagers aged 10 to 18.Until recently, pediatricians have mostly had to deal with type 1 diabetes, which has a different cause and usually a different management than type 2 diabetes. But, today, due largely to the rise in childhood obesity, as many as one in three children diagnosed with diabetes has type 2." Pediatricians and pediatric endocrinologists are used to dealing with type 1 diabetes. Most have had no formal training in the care of children with type 2," said one of the authors of the new guidelines, Dr. Janet Silverstein, division chief of pediatric endocrinology at the University of Florida, in Gainesville. To read more,click here |
| Federal Cuts to Special Education Funding in South Carolina Could Affect 2013-2014 School YearLast October the U.S. Department of Education withheld $36 million for special needs students as a punishment to the state for not spending enough on this student population in the 2009-2010 school year. South Carolina DOE spokesman Jay Ragley said to replace this loss, the state has provided one-time state funds for the 2012-2013 school year. Next school year's funding for special education, however, may be in question. Ragley added: "If the federal IDEA funds are cut again next year, it will affect the amount of school resources overall for serving students with disabilities. If a student's IEP [Individualized Education Plan] requires transportation accommodations, and federal funds are reduced, the school district may have to find another source of funds for transportation expenses."To read more,click here |
| SPECIAL EDUCATION LAW SYMPOSIUM AT LEHIGH UNIVERSITY, JUNE 23-28, 2013Designed for a national audience, this intensive one-week, well-balanced program is available on both a non-credit and graduate-credit basis and provides a thorough analysis of the leading issues under the IDEA and Section 504. Among the 19 symposium sessions are the following "hot topics": RTI; discipline, including a mock manifestation determination hearing; child find; transitional services; tuition reimbursement and other remedies; disability-related bullying; and autism. Special features include: - Parallel tracks for basic and advanced practitioners, starting with a keynote dinner presentation by Dr. Melody Musgrove, Director, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), U.S. Department of Education and ending with a post-luncheon crystal-ball culminating presentationled by national consultant and trainer Julie Weatherly, Esq., recipient of the 2012 National CASE Award for Outstanding Service.
- Balance of district, parent, and neutral perspectives with a specialized set of topics and presenters for the advanced track.
- Knowledgeable national faculty including attorneys Laura Anthony (Ohio), Emerson Dickman (New Jersey), Andrew Faust (Pennsylvania), Joshua Kershenbaum (Pennsylvania), Michele Kule-Korgood (New York), Deborah Mattison (Alabama), Marsha Moses (Connecticut), Michael Stafford (Delaware), Julie Weatherly (Alabama), Mark Weber (Illinois), and Dr. Perry Zirkel (Pennsylvania).
- The symposium will take place on the beautiful campus of Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., located just 60 miles north of Philadelphia and 70 miles south of New York City, with access from Lehigh Valley (ABE), Newark, and Philadelphia International airports.
- CLE and ACT 48 credits available.
- Non-credit: $995 full week; or $295 per day. Lehigh University Graduate Credit (3): $1,695
Special Education Law Symposium ~ June 23-28, 2013 ~ Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA ~ coe.lehigh.edu/law |
| Deep Brain Stimulation May Improve Autism Symptoms In a first, doctors say electrodes implanted in the brain of a 13-year-old with severe autism alleviated the boy's behaviors and allowed him to speak for the first time. The approach has only been tested on one person, but the German research team that treated the boy said the resultsreportedthis month in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience could lead to a better understanding of what's going on in the brains of those with autism. Prior to receiving the experimental treatment, the boy who is now 14 and is diagnosed with autism and intellectual disability, engaged in serious, life-threatening self-injurious behaviors, researchers said.To read more,click here |
| Did You Know That....Accountability refers to federal, state, and school district policies holding students, faculty, administrators and district personnel responsible for instructional outcomes. |
| Dan Marino Foundation WalkAbout Autism Event draws 20,000 to Sun Life Stadium Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland was impressed with the crowd that amassed at Sun Life Stadium on Saturday morning, but it had nothing to do with football. More than 20,000 people showed up to support the Dan Marino Foundation's WalkAbout Autism event, the largest crowd in the event's three-year history. Ireland and Marino both have children afflicted with autism, and their WalkAbout event has now raised more than $1.4 million in three years forMarino's foundation, which benefits autism organizations in Broward and Dade counties. "It's grown into something much larger than we ever expected," Ireland said Saturday morning. "We're trying to affect this community and bring awareness and raise money for the organizations that have really helped us."To read more,click here |
| TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEKGuess the answer to this week's trivia question and we'll recognize you in next week's Week in Review.
Congratulations to: Adora Callas, Desiree Saladin, Angela Williamson, Andrea Katz-Plotkin, Sara Smith, Gwen Nolte, Marilyn Haile, Ope-Oluwa Olubela, Kerry Drossos, Vicki Mongin, Laurie Corcoran, Julie Clausing, Lois Nembhard, Olumide Akerele, J. Von Furst, Sue Brooks, Sara Sorensen Petersen, Andrew Bailey, Kris Schultz, Kathleen George, Francis Cruz, Craig Pate, and Rhonda Black who all knew the answer to last week's trivia question: When the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) comes out with its 5th edition in May 2013, one of the most significant changes will be the removing ofAsperger Syndrome as a separate disorder and "collapsing" it under autism spectrum disorder.
THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION: While South Carolina lawmakers talk about whether to put an armed school resource officer in every public school and whether to allow teachers to get concealed weapons permits and carry guns to school, Rep. Jerry Govan wants to start a different discussion about protecting school children.He's introduced a bill that would require every public school in the state to have what?
If you know the answer, send an email tocontactus@naset.org
All answers must be submitted no later than Monday, February 11, 2013 at 12:00 p.m. |
| New Mexico May Face Loss of Federal Special Education Funds A New Mexico newspaper is reporting that the statecould be docked up to $93 million in federal special education fundingbecause it made reductions to the program without U.S. Department of Education approval. The state is facing a penalty because it did not follow a rule known in federal funding circles as "maintenance of state financial support." Normally, states can only keep special education funding level or increase that funding from year to year. But in the depths of the recent recession, several states asked for permission to make temporary cuts because state revenues were falling off. The Education Department granted waivers in some cases, but those that did not get a waiver put their federal special education dollars at risk. (The department had considered allowing states to make cuts to special education funding without getting a waiver, butbacked off that planafter an outcry from disability advocacy groups.)To read more,click here |
| Commentary: Making Mental Health Part of the School Safety Solution As the country continues to respond to the school shootings in Newtown, Conn., there is an urgent need to broaden the public conversation from a focus on gun control and arming teachers to the equally important issue of untreated mental illness in young people. I have no intention of minimizing the loss of 20 innocent children and six educators, but I believe that this unspeakable tragedy offers an opportunity to turn national attention to the need for "mental-health literacy" and expanded mental-health services in schools. To read more,click here |
| NASET MEMBER'S BENEFIT - Board Certification in Special Education Available to NASET MembersThrough 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. For more information on Board Certification in Special Education,click here |
| How One Iowa Senator Secured Civil Rights For Americans Living With DisabilitiesLast month, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) announced he willnot seek re-election in 2014, bringing an almost 40 year career in Congress to a close. But as Harkin steps aside, his legacy - particularly his work to champion increased protections for Americans living with disabilities - remains. Twenty two years ago, President George H.W. Bush signed theAmericans with Disabilities Act(ADA) and theIndividuals with Disabilities Education Act(IDEA) into law. Either law would have been considered landmark civil rights legislation on its own merits - taken together, they represented nothing short of a legislative revolution for disabled and special needs Americans. And those bills were made possible by Harkin, who authored and shepherded them to overwhelming bipartisan approval.To read more,click here |
| OCR Order on Students with Disabilities and Athletics Could Affect Colleges Elementary and secondary schools must ensure that students with disabilities can participate in sports or provide comparable options for those students, the U.S. Education Department's Office for Civil Rights said via a"dear colleague" letterFriday. While OCR applies the directive in the context of elementary and postsecondary education, it also states that students in postsecondary education enjoy the same rights. While the letter's immediate effect in higher education is unclear, its effects will be felt at colleges and universities, said Scott Lissner, president of AHEAD: Association on Higher Education and Disability. To read more,click here |
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| Did You Know That....Acalculia refers to the inability to perform, understand or use simple problems and calculations of arithmetic. |
| Stacey Campfield, Tennessee GOP Lawmaker, Wants To Tie Welfare Benefits To Children's Grades Tennessee state Rep. Stacey Campfield (R) introduced a bill this week seeking to make welfare benefits contingent upon the grades of a would-be recipient's children. Campfield'slegislation, filed Thursday, would "require the reduction of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) payments for parents or caretakers of TANF recipients whose children fail to maintain satisfactory progress in school." TANF is more commonly referred to as welfare. Under Campfield's bill, welfare recipients would face a loss of benefits if their children showed poor academic performance. It's unclear how these factors would be tied to one another, or how the children's performance would be assessed.To read more,click here |
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