Week in Review - June 2, 2017


NASET

WEEK IN REVIEW

National Association of Special Education Teachers

June 2, 2017                                                Vol 13 Issue # 22



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 Severe Disabilities Series


Teaching Students with Intellectual Disabilities
This lecture focuses on teaching students with intellectual disabilities.  Topics covered include: definition of intellectual disabilities, adaptive behavior, IQ, prevalence, levels of intensities and support, degrees of intellectual disabilities, causes of intellectual disabilities, Down Syndrome, phenylketonuria (PKU), drugs and fetal alcohol syndrome, perinatal and postnatal causes of intellectual disabilities, characteristics of children with intellectual disabilities and classroom management strategies. Download Video Lecture

NASET's Inclusion Series


Teaching Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
This lecture focuses on teaching students with ADHD.  Topics covered include: definition of ADHD, types of ADHD, inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, diagnosis of ADHD, problems associated with ADHD, prevalence, treatment recommendations, medications, behavioral therapy, and educational interventions.
Go to this Video Lecture - Click here

NASET's Special Educator eJournal


June 2017
  • Lessons from Exceptional School Leaders. By Krista Garcia
  • Special Women, Special Leaders: Special Educators and the Challenge of Leadership. By Ibis Paneca
  • Lehigh University Section 504 Coordinators Institute - June 22-23, 2017
  • Special Education Legal Alert. By Perry A. Zirkel
  • Handbook For Early Childhood Administrators: Directing With A Mission. By Kellecia West
  • The Importance of Parent and Teacher Collaboration to Help Students with Disabilities Reach Their Maximum Potential. By Rebecca A. Timmer
  • Factors That Breakdown Communication Between Families of Children with Disabilities and Schools. By Christopher M. McIntyre
  • Latest Employment Opportunities Posted on NASET

Read More

Special Diets, Supplements for Autism Still a Question Mark

Parents of children with autism often try diet changes or supplements to ease symptoms of the disorder, but a new review concludes there's no solid evidence that any work. After analyzing 19 clinical trials, researchers found little proof that dietary tactics-from gluten-free foods to fish oil supplements-helped children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Some studies showed positive effects, while others found nothing, the researchers said. Overall, the trials were too small and short-term to draw conclusions one way or the other. "Even though we don't have clear evidence documenting safety and efficacy, many-if not most-families of children with ASDs try different diets and nutritional supplements at some point in time," said senior researcher Zachary Warren. Read More

Special Education Teacher Surprises Student with Graduation Cap and Gown, Brings Him to Tears

Jamias Howard never thought he was going to graduate high school. The 19-year-old senior at Griffin High School in Georgia had "some challenges" and wasn't able to come back to school for the last semester, which started in January, Kimberly Wimbish, a special education teacher at the school, told CBS News.  Wimbish couldn't go in details about Howard's history, but she said he was so close to finishing she volunteered to work with him outside of school in order for him to get the diploma he's always dreamed of. "I worked with him after I finished work," Wimbish said. "I met him out at a library, a park, Burger King - wherever he could. We'd have class out in the community." For the past five months, Wimbish has been working to develop a relationship with Howard, which, she admits, was difficult at first. "He has a tough exterior, but on the inside he's kind," Wimbish said. "If you can reach down and peel back those layers, that toughness, there's something there." Read More

Are All Those 'Fidget Spinners' Really Helping Kids?

Fidget spinners may be the latest must-have kids' toy, but claims that the gizmos help students pay attention aren't backed by science, experts say. Some retailers market the devices as a way to help kids with anxiety, autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) keep themselves calm and focused in the classroom. However, there have been no studies showing that fidget spinners benefit kids struggling to stay still, said Chicago psychiatrist Dr. Louis Kraus. "To the best of my knowledge, there's no science behind what they're advertising," said Kraus, chief of child and adolescent psychiatry for the Rush University Medical Center. Read More

Researchers Develop New Modified Toy Car Designs for Children with Disabilities

Researchers at Oregon State University have developed two new modified toy car designs for children with disabilities in an effort to encourage them to further explore, play, and engage in physical and social activities. The new cars were developed under the umbrella of the "Go Baby Go" program at OSU, which provides modified, ride-on toy cars to young children with disabilities so they can move around independently. Independent movement has been linked to a wide range of developmental benefits in young children. The sit-to-stand car is a modified version of the original Go Baby Go car, but encourages the child to stand up in order to activate the switch that makes the car move. The goal is to encourage the physical skills of pulling up to stand, bear weight and balance, while also fostering more interaction with peers. Read More

Board Certification in Special Education Available to NASET Members

AASEP Logo
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

Being Overweight in Childhood May Heighten Lifetime Risk of Depression

New research presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity suggests that being overweight, especially from a young age, may substantially increase the lifetime risk of major depression. The study by Deborah Gibson-Smith from VU University Medical Center in the Netherlands and colleagues found that being overweight at age 8 or 13 was associated with more than triple the risk of developing major depression at some point in their lives, whilst carrying excess weight over a lifetime (both as a child and as an adult) quadrupled the chance of developing depression compared to only being overweight as an adult. More than one in three children in the USA are overweight and nearly one in five children aged between 2 and 19 years are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A similar picture emerges in England where one in three 10- and 11-year-olds in their last primary school year are now overweight or obese, according to the National Child Measurement Programme. Read More

IVF Babies Do Not Have Lower Cognitive Skills than Naturally Conceived Children

Researchers analyzed data of hundreds of UK children who had been born through IVF or ICSI (when the man has a low sperm count), testing the same groups of children every few years up to the age of 11. They found a positive association between artificial conception and cognitive development when a child was between the ages of three and five. The study published in the journal, Human Reproduction, also shows that parents who undergo such treatments are generally older, more educated and have a higher socio-economic status than parents who had naturally conceived children. Artificially conceived babies are more likely to be part of a multiple birth or have low birth weight, however, this study finds their family backgrounds 'override' the possible negative effects to health that could lessen cognitive ability. The findings are significant given previous studies show a mixed picture, with some research suggesting assisted reproductive treatments can harm a child's cognitive abilities. Read More

TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK

This week's question:
According to the latest research in the field of preschool education, children in what program who miss 10% or more of the school year have fewer gains in academics than their peers who attend preschool more regularly. What is the name of the program?
If you know the answer, email us at contactus@naset.org by June 5, 2017.  We will acknowledge your correct answer in the next edition of the Week in Review
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Oxytocin Administered to the Nose Increases Emotion Perception in Autism

A recent study has demonstrated that intranasal oxytocin can influence how individuals with autism perceive emotion in others. This is an important first step for a potential pharmacological treatment of autism. Autism is characterized by difficulties in social functioning. Individuals with autism are generally less sensitive to social information, which can influence their interactions with others as they may overlook social cues. Research has shown that the neuropeptide oxytocin, known to be involved in childbirth and mother-child bonding, also has the potential to improve social information processing in youth with autism. In a recent study published in the journal Translational Psychiatry, 17 adult men with autism were given a low dose of intranasal oxytocin, a higher dose of intranasal oxytocin, or a placebo over three separate visits. A novel nasal spray device developed by OptiNose AS, which is designed to improve nose-to-brain molecule delivery, was used to deliver the treatment. After each spray administration, the participants were asked about the emotional intensity of a series of facial images. Read More

SPECIAL EDUCATION LAW SYMPOSIUM (JUNE 18-JUNE 23, 2017)

Lehigh University's intensive one-week institute provides a practical analysis of legislation, regulations, and court decisions relating to the education of students with disabilities. The symposium is designed for special education coordinators and teachers, principals, psychologists, parent advocates, charter school personnel, attorneys (on both sides), hearing officers, state education agency personnel, and other individuals interested in a thorough exploration of the special education legal landscape.

The Symposium is offered with the options of graduate or continuing education credit for week-long participants. Shorter, including daily, registrations are also available. For full information, go to http://go.lehigh.edu/spedlaw.
For any questions, email or call Shannon Weber or Donna Johnson at specialedlaw@lehigh.edu or (610) 758-5557.

Suicide Rates Among People with Autism on Rise

According to a recent study, suicide rates among autism patients have reached `worryingly` high levels. The findings have been published in the journal Lancet Psychiatry. The researchers from Coventry and Newcastle universities say the issue remains poorly understood and that action is urgently needed to help those most at risk. Dr Sarah Cassidy from Coventry University cites a clinical study she led in 2014 - also published in the Lancet Psychiatry - in which 66% of adults newly diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome (AS) reported having contemplated suicide. In the same study - which remains the most recent clinical research into suicidality in autism - 35% of the 365 respondents newly diagnosed with AS said they had planned or attempted to end their own life, with 31% reporting that they suffered depression. Read More

Study Finds Minority Children Prescribed ADHD Medication More Likely to Discontinue Treatment

A study led by researchers from the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health published in the June 2017 edition of Pediatrics found higher rates of medication discontinuation and treatment disengagement among minority youth compared to whites diagnosed with and prescribed medication for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Led by Janet Cummings, PhD, associate professor of Health Policy and Management at Emory's Rollins School of Public Health, the study, "Racial and Ethnic differences in ADHD Treatment Quality among Medicaid-Enrolled Youth" examined Medicaid claims data from nine states. It found that rates of medication discontinuation and treatment dropout were high for all youth in the study, and even higher for minority children. Medicaid is the largest insurer of children in the United States.  More than three-fifths of children discontinued medication during the study. Compared to whites, Black and Hispanic children were 22.4 and 16.7 percentage points more likely to discontinue medication.  Among those who discontinued medication, the study also examined how often youth received any psychotherapy services, and rates at which they disengaged from treatment. Black and Hispanic children were 13.1 and 9.4 percentage points (respectively) more likely than whites to disengage from treatment.   Read More

My Recent Firsthand Lesson: Understanding Challenges of People With Disabilities

I've had lots of minor scrapes and bumps in my 73 years, but nothing of consequence in the way of health-related problems, and certainly nothing that needed surgery - excluding having tonsils taken out at the tender age of 5 and a few skin cancer excisions later in life. I was fortunate. Then it happened. Two hips decided to go south on me about the same time, and for the first time in my life I experienced what I'd only read about and seen from a distance: being disabled.
In November, my left hip was replaced and 4.5 months later I had the right hip done. The technical term is "arthroplasty." During that time, plus an additional month of recovery after the second procedure, my mobility was severely affected. Read More

New Nevada Law Changes Diploma Options for Students with Disabilities

The diploma Jack Rovetti will get from Reno High School next month was decided when he was still in elementary school. "I thought it was too early to know what his potential was going to be but when I realized he had to pass traditional proficiency exams there weren't other options," said Diana Rovetti, his mom. It why she and Jack, who has Down syndrome, were there when Gov. Brian Sandoval signed into law Assembly Bill 64 on Monday morning. The law, spearheaded by the Nevada Department of Education's Special Education Director Will Jensen, revamps the state's graduation options for students with disabilities. Read More

New Connecticut State Law Promises Better Diagnosis, Treatment of Dyslexia

When Cathie Smollon's son was in the third grade, she said, one of his teachers sat her down and told her he would never read at grade level. "I remember leaving there so utterly devastated," Smollen said. "I was wondering, 'Will he ever go to college?'" Not until that summer, after years of what Smollon calls misdiagnoses and subpar special education in Ridgefield, that private testing revealed her son, Tristan Taranto, has dyslexia. Two years later she moved him to a Westchester school, where she works as a math teacher, and hired a private tutor. Read More

Proposed Cuts to Medicaid Spending Could Short Special Education Millions in Funding

A close read of the proposed health care reform bill passed earlier this month in the U.S. House of Representatives, as well as the White House's new proposed budget, reveals a potentially unintended but never-the-less real consequence for its cuts to Medicaid - dramatic cuts to special education programs in schools. Schools in Illinois have access to Medicaid funds in order to bill for some federally-mandated special provisions for students with individual education plans. Vickie Glenn, Medicaid coordinator for Tri-County Special Education, painted a picture of what this looks like. She said if a student comes to school and their learning is affected by a speech problem, under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, schools are mandated to provide them with care that will help them overcome this struggle and learn at the same level as other students. Read More

The 'Ideal' Teacher? It's All in Your Mind

Two Concordia researchers are turning to Reddit for a more accurate picture of public perceptions of teachers and teaching. Their initial conclusions? That our understanding of the "best" and "worst" is predicated on personal educational values -- and, possibly, our understanding of gender. "We tend to think in terms of good and bad teachers, but reality is less clear-cut," says Sandra Chang-Kredl, assistant professor in the Department of Education. "The teacher who is good for me can be bad for someone else; it depends on the student's values, needs and approaches to schooling." But, as she explains, "the representation of teachers matters. Public perceptions affect teachers at every level of education -- they reinforce policies and pay levels." Read More

Brain Images Reveal Roots of Kids' Increasing Cognitive Control

As children age into adolescence and on into young adulthood, they show dramatic improvements in their ability to control impulses, stay organized, and make decisions. Those "executive functions" of the brain are key factors in determining outcomes, including educational success, drug use, and psychiatric illness. Now, researchers reporting in Current Biology on May 25 have mapped the changes in the network organization of the brain that underlie those improvements in executive function. The study reveals that the maturing brain becomes increasingly segregated into distinct network modules for greater efficiency. Indeed, the new evidence shows that the degree to which executive function improves in a person with age depends on the degree to which that well-defined modular network structure emerges. Read More
jobs

LATEST JOB LISTINGS POSTED ON NASET


*Hebrew Learning Specialist Grades 1-5 - The ideal candidate will be a special educator who is fluent in Hebrew and will have expertise in teaching students with diverse learning needs to read Hebrew accurately and fluently, to improve their vocabulary acquisition, language comprehension and written expression in Hebrew. To learn more - Click here
*Early Childhood Special Educator - Home-based early intervention program providing services to developmentally delayed infants and toddlers of American military families stationed overseas. To learn more- Click here
* Special Education Teachers - The Invo-Progressus Team has incredible opportunities for Special Education Teachers. We are currently hiring full-time Special Education Teachers in Philadelphia, PA for the 2017-2018 school year. To learn more - Click here
*Certified Special Education Substitute Teacher - Substitute teachers are an integral part of education as they provide the classroom continuity needed for effective learning. Source4Teachers, recently named one of Forbes' America's Best Large Employers of 2017, has daily and long-term substitute opportunities each day at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit. To learn more - Click here
*SPECIAL EDUCATION INSTRUCTOR - We're searching for an innovative special education teacher to work with our wonderful young adults enrolled in the program. The selected candidate must have exceptional organizational skills, creativity, and passion. To learn more - Click here
*Educational Support/Special Education Teacher - Do you LOVE helping students learn and succeed according to their unique learning style? We share your passion and have an opening for a full time Educational Support/Special Education teacher at our bustling Upper School (grades 9-12) for the 2017-18 school year. To learn more -Click here
*Teacher of the Visually Impaired - Help Lighthouse Louisiana to build a better tomorrow for our students with vision impairment, while living in an exciting city with food, fun, and festivals galore. Lighthouse Louisiana is seeking a Certified Teacher of the Visually Impaired who is eager to use his/her skills and creativity to provide itinerant vision services and to develop youth programs for children with vision loss in the Greater New Orleans area. To learn more - Click here
*Special Education Teacher - District of Columbia International School (DCI) is a public charter middle and high school in DC. We aim to provide our students with a world-class education that empowers them to follow their passions and change the world. To learn more - Click here
* Classroom Teacher - Special Education - Come for a job, find a family. Where else but Benedictine? Be inspired to come to work every day knowing that you are making a difference in someone else's life. Our teams of professionals work together to improve the quality of life of adults and children with developmental disabilities by helping them achieve their greatest potential in all aspects of life; school, residential, and vocational. To learn more - Click here
*Arizona Special Education Teacher - STARS seeks Special Education Teachers for the 2017-2018 school year. and is able to offer you an unbeatable support system and resources. Stars places Special Education Teachers throughout the Phoenix, Tucson and the surrounding area public schools. To learn more - Click here
*Teaching in New York City - New York City public schools offer competitive starting salaries ranging from $54,000 to $81,694, based on prior teaching experience as well as your undergraduate and graduate education. 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..........

Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.

Melody Beattie

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