Week in Review - February 23, 2018

NASET

WEEK IN REVIEW

National Association of Special Education Teachers

February 23, 2018                     Vol 14 Issue #8

Continuing_Ed
Dear NASET News,

Welcome to NASET'sWEEK in REVIEW.  Here, we provide you with the latest publications fromNASET 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 Early Intervention Series
Part 10- Effective Practices in Early Intervention

A critical part of improving developmental and educational results for children with disabilities is using effective practices in early intervention, wherever services are being provided-an agency setting, the home, and across the child's natural environment.

An impressive knowledge base of experience has been built on the delivery of early intervention services. CPIR is pleased to launch you into that knowledge base with these "starter" connections to the experts.
  • Organizations with Serious Expertise
  • Let the Children Play (to Learn)
  • Addressing Behavior Challenges in Young Children
  • Assistive Technology for the Little Ones
NASET's Autism Spectrum Disorder Series
Functional Behavioral Assessment and Behavior Intervention Plans | A Resource Collection
This issue of NASET's Autism Spectrum Disorder series was put together by the Center for Parent Information and Resources. Are you looking for training materials, videos, Powerpoint slideshows, or webinars on how to conduct a functional behavioral assessment (FBA) of a student with disabilities or how to use the results of the FBA to write a behavior intervention plan (BIP) for the student? You can connect with many such resources here! The collection of materials listed in this document has been reviewed and recommended by a working team of Parent Center staff from different regions of the country, coordinated by NE-PACT, the Region 1 Parent Technical Assistance Center, in collaboration with NH Parent Information Center. Read More
Children Affected by Prenatal Drinking More Numerous than Previously Estimated
Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine found a significant number of children across four regions in the United States were determined to have fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). The new findings may represent more accurate prevalence estimates of FASD among the general population than prior research. The study is published online in the Journal of the American Medical Association. More than 6,000 first-graders in the Pacific Southwest, Midwest, Rocky Mountain and Southeast regions of the U.S. were evaluated. Researchers found that one to 5 percent of the children were determined to have FASD. Read More

Four Ways to Support Students with ADHD
The chances are that you will teach someone with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) at some point in your teaching career. Therefore, it is important to know what ADHD is and how best we can support learners with this diagnosis in the classroom. ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder - and like ASC (Autistic Spectrum Condition), it is a spectrum condition. It requires a medical diagnosis, with most cases being diagnosed between the ages of 6 and 12 years old. According to the NHS website, "Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a group of behavioral symptoms that include inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness." It is important to recognize that ADHD is a lifelong disability, one which can influence the future emotional wellbeing and success of young people if the appropriate support is not offered. It regularly occurs alongside other conditions, such as specific learning difficulties (eg, dyslexia) or ASC. So if you have a young person in your class with this diagnosis, what can you do to support them? Read More
Brief Questionnaire Aids Autism Diagnosis
A two-minute questionnaire for parents can provide meaningful insights that help pediatricians and other primary care providers detect autism in toddlers. Early detection of the disorder at this neurodevelopmental stage is critical for enhancing outcomes. Researchers at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School say the Psychological Development Questionnaire (PDQ-1), developed at Rutgers, has an 88 percent likelihood of correctly identifying which of the youngsters that screened positive because of the questionnaire had autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Lead investigator Walter Zahorodny, an associate professor of pediatrics believes the findings provide preliminary evidence in support of the PDQ-1. The study appears in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. Read More
Childhood ADHD Increases Risk of Substance Use in Early Adulthood
A new study, published in January in The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry confirms what many doctors and researchers have long suspected - children diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at higher risk for substance use in adolescence and early adulthood. Despite the fact that many experts suspected that children with ADHD might be at higher risk for substance use later on, the literature has been inconsistent. Brooke Molina, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and her team, took advantage of the large prospective sample of children from the Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD (MTA). "The big point with this particular population is that now we understand, for sure, that their risk starts to show up at a pretty young age," Molina said. "So rather than sitting around and waiting for them to become severely involved with drugs or alcohol, the crucial thing to do is to start monitoring them at a young age and stay involved."Read More
Autism Genetics Study Calls Attention to Motor Skills, General Cognitive Impairment
A new study of the genetic factors involved in the causation of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) draws fresh attention to the impact these illnesses have on motor skills, and more broadly on cognitive function. "Diminished motor skills appear to be an almost universal property of children with autism," says Professor Michael Wigler, one of three researchers including Ivan Iossifov from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) and the New York Genome Center, and Andreas Buja, a statistician from The University of Pennsylvania, who led the team. Wigler adds that careful inference from the data suggests to him that the genetic factors causing ASD broadly diminish the brain's cognitive functions. 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

TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Congratulations to: Laurine Kennedy, Patsy Ray, Yvonne Harris, Olumide Akerele, Alexandra Pirard, Laura Malena, Teresa Pitts, Melody Owens, Cindi Maurice, and Denise Keeling, who all knew the answer to last week's trivia question.

QUESTION:
According to new Centers for Disease Control (CDC) research, between the years 2003 to 2015, the number of privately insured U.S. women aged 15 to 44 who filled a prescription to treat this disorder increased by over 300% (344%). What is the disorder?
ANSWER:  ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER (ADHD)
This week's question:  In 1961, this President of the United States established the President's Panel on Mental Retardation. By evaluating the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities and developing strategies for public policy reform, the panel expanded the role of the federal government regarding issues surrounding individuals with mental retardation (Note--Today, we use the term "intellectual disabilities"). Who was the President?
If you know the answer, email us at contactus@naset.org by February 27, 2018.  We will acknowledge your correct answer in the next edition of the Week in Review
New Fuel Standards Will Decrease Childhood Asthma Cases
Marine shipping fuels will get a whole lot cleaner in 2020 when a regulation by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) requires fuels to contain 80-86 percent less sulphur. This is the most significant improvement in global fuel standards for the shipping industry in 100 years, intended to achieve significant health benefits on a global scale. Now, a new study in Nature Communications quantifies these health benefits and finds cleaner shipping fuels will result in a 3.6 percent reduction of childhood asthma globally. The study was led by University of Delaware's James Corbett, and included an international team of researchers from the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI), Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in New York and Energy and Environmental Research Associates. Read More
Male Susceptibility to Autism Linked to Male Hormones in Early-Stage Brain Development
Exposure to androgens (male hormones) during brain development alters genes related to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to a new study published in Biological Psychiatry. Using male human cells, researchers at the University of Strasbourg, France, identified key genes that are regulated by testosterone and that contribute to the risk for autism, generating important insight into how male hormones might contribute to the increased male susceptibility to ASD. The findings provide a clue as to why ASD affects boys about four times as much as girls. Male fetuses produce androgens during critical stages of brain development when cells divide and develop into neurons. The researchers showed that androgens increase the spread of cells and prevent them from death, which could predispose boys to ASD by contributing to the excessive brain growth that occurs in people with ASD during the first years of life. Read More
Apgar Scores in Neonates Predict Risk of Cerebral Palsy and Epilepsy
An infant's scores on the so-called Apgar scale can predict the risk of a later diagnosis of cerebral palsy or epilepsy. The risk rises with decreasing Apgar score, but even slightly lowered scores can be linked to a higher risk of these diagnoses, according to an extensive observational study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden published in the journal The BMJ. "However, it's important to remember that even if the relative risks are high, the absolute risks of CP and epilepsy are still small," says researcher Martina Persson, paediatrician and associate professor at Karolinska Institutet's Department of Medicine in Solna. "This means that most babies with very low Apgar scores do not develop CP or epilepsy." Read More
Lupin Launches ADHD Treatment Tablets in US Market
Drug firm Lupin on Thursday announced the launch of its Clonidine Hydrochloride extended-release tablets used in treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in the US market. The launch of the company's tablets, which are in the strength of 0.1 mg, is after receiving approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), Lupin said in a statement. The company's product is a generic version of Concordia International Corp's Kapvay tablets, it added. The tablets are "indicated for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as monotherapy or as adjunctive therapy to stimulant medications," Lupin said. Read More
Vermont Studies: Better Special Education for Less Money
Vermont students needing special education could be better served for less money, according to two studies commissioned by the Legislature. Lawmakers will use the studies to craft new approaches to delivering and funding special education services. The studies were conducted by the University of Vermont and by the District Management Group, a Massachusetts-based consultancy specializing in improving public education. The UVM study, which focused on funding, found that while Vermont is similar to other New England states in the number of students identified as needing special educational help, the state spends more per special ed student than any other state in the nation. Read More
Lessons from the School Store: How this Special Education Teacher Sets up Students for an Independent Future
Fridays are a big day for the middle school students in Wendi Sussman's class at STRIVE Prep - Federal in Denver. That's when they operate the school store - an endeavor they start planning as soon as the school year starts. For Sussman, a special education teacher, the store is a chance for students to practice all kinds of life skills, from making change to talking with customers. Sussman, who was a finalist for the 2018 Colorado Teacher of the Year award, talked to Chalkbeat about how her students decide what to sell at the store, what fueled her interest in special education, and why there's no stigma when lessons are repeated in her classroom. This interview has been condensed and lightly edited. Read More
Delaware Lawmakers Want Answers on Special Education Growth
Lawmakers tasked with crafting the state budget are seeking more detail about why the number of Delaware's special education students is growing so quickly. The state's special education student population has grown by 22 percent over the last five years to about 21,550 students - nearly four times the growth rate of the overall student population. Meeting the needs of those students is now one of the leading cost drivers for the Delaware Department of Education, an agency whose budget makes up more than a third of the state's total general fund spending. Yet state education officials on Thursday were unable to provide lawmakers with clear answers about the root causes of that growth or whether it will ever tail off. "We don't have reasons," Education Secretary Susan Bunting said. "We have stats on the various factors." Read More
Increased Risk for ADHD in Offspring of Parents with Type 1 Diabetes
Results from a population-based Swedish study published in Diabetes Care found that a parental history of type 1 diabetes was associated with a 29% increased risk for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in offspring.  Jianguang Ji, MD, PhD, associate professor at the Center for Primary Health Care Research at Lund University in Lund, Sweden, and colleagues identified individuals with type 1 diabetes from the nationwide Swedish National Hospital Discharge Register and Swedish Outpatient Register in Sweden and linked them with the Swedish Multi-Generation Register to identify their offspring. They then used Cox regression to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) of ADHD in offspring of patients with type 1 diabetes compared with the general population. Read More
Sensory-Friendly Theater Promotes Inclusion, Acceptance
When Kristie Clemmons heard Sacred Heart of Jesus High School was going to do a sensory-friendly production of "Charlotte's Web" with St. Mary's Catholic School, she had to get her son's special education class involved. "It was so important to me that they get to go to that I decided that if they could get the field trip approved, I would pay for the tickets," Clemmons said. The sensory-friendly show was the same as the others but with modifications. The lighting in the auditorium wasn't completely dark, there was a longer intermission and there were no judgments if someone made a noise or got out of their seat. Not everyone can sit still in the dark and be silent long enough to watch a play or movie or ballet, Director of Music and Theater at Sacred Heart Carrie Prewitt said. A sensory-friendly show gives those people the opportunity to enjoy without being judged or disturbing others. "It's so refreshing for someone to do something like this to specifically say 'hey, we want these kids to be able to enjoy it,'" Clemmons said. Read More
New Discovery Offers Hope of Protecting Premature Babies from Blindness
Now there is hope of a new way to protect extremely premature babies from impaired vision or blindness resulting from the eye disease retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). A study at Sahlgrenska Academy, Sweden, published in JAMA Ophthalmology points to a clear link between ROP and low levels of the fatty acid arachidonic acid, measured in children's blood. "Seeing such a strong connection between arachidonic acid levels and ROP is something that is entirely new. However we looked at the data, it's always low levels of arachidonic acid that is most clearly associated with the disease," says Chatarina Löfqvist, an associate professor in experimental ophthalmology and the first author of the article. Read More
free IEP
Study: Many Parents of Children with Disabilities Don't Make Care Plans
Fewer than half of parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities make long-term plans about who will take over their child's care if the parent or other relative providing care dies or becomes incapacitated, a new study suggests. More than 380 parents - primarily mothers - of individuals with disabilities participated in a web-based national survey about planning for their children's care. The parents who responded to the survey ranged in age from 40 to 83, and their offspring with disabilities were ages 3 to 68. Parents in the study were asked whether they had completed 11 items related to planning for their child's long-term needs, such as identifying a successor to the current family caregiver, researching residential programs or establishing a special-needs trust.. Read More
LATEST JOB LISTINGS POSTED ON NASET

* Director of Special Education - The Director of Special Education is responsible for leadership, administration, and supervision of all services and programs associated with the provision of special education in Council Bluffs Schools and for all instructional services provided in community-based programs for which the school district is responsible.  To learn more - Click here

* Special Education Teacher - Jewish Child & Family Services (JCFS) provides vital, individualized, results-driven, therapeutic and supportive services for thousands of children, adults and families of all backgrounds each year. JCFS is currently seeking a Special Education Teacher to work with individuals and small groups of children (K - 12) with emotional and behavior disorders in a therapeutic special education classroom. The Therapeutic Day School is located in West Rogers Park, Chicago, IL. To Learn More - Click here

* Special Education Teacher - Year Round Facility School - Provide an optimal classroom environment and learning experience, Establishes and maintains strong classroom management, complete all academic and diagnostic assessments, participate with family and/or guardian and team in the development of IEP and facilitate and monitor activities in accordance with each child's IEP goals. To learn more - Click here

*Certified Special Education Teacher - Susan E. Wagner Day School with 5 locations throughout the Bronx. Administer appropriate educational testing to gather data for the development of IEP. Develop appropriate individualized. Provide therapeutic intervention in the classroom to maintain a therapeutic educational environment.Document academic and behavioral evaluations of students. To learn more - Click here

* Educational Director - Do you enjoy leading a collaborative team, utilizing your leadership and behavioral skills while positively affecting children with significant disabilities? Then consider joining Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health!Being an Educational Director at Devereux has its Advantages. To learn more - Click here

* Special Education Teacher - At Mastery, all means all. Nearly one quarter of our students have individualized education plans (IEPs) to help ensure they get the educational opportunities they need. As a Secondary Special Education Teacher you will work with a team of teachers, case managers, school leaders, and central office support staff to help push the boundaries of what's possible for your students academically, emotionally, and physically while also developing your craft. To learn more - Click here

* Executive Director of Special Education - Under the direction of the Chief Academic Officer, the Executive Director of Special Education provides vision, leadership, oversight and evaluation for the Department of Special Education. A completed application includes all application materials and three supervisory references. This position is posted until filled, with an initial screening date of February 11, 2018. To learn more - Click here

* Special Education Teacher (secondary) - Linwood Center is currently hiring for Special Education teachers for Grades 9-12. The teacher will guide the educational process and provide specialized instruction at the secondary school level for students with autism and related disabilities in classrooms of four to seven students. S/he will use various techniques to promote learning, including individualized instruction, problem-solving assignments, and small-group work. To learn more - Click here

* High School Special Education Teacher - Tutor individual and small groups of students, reinforcing language and reading concepts. Schedule and conduct IEP meetings, coordinating schedules with parents, general education teacher(s), administrator, and all appropriate special education staff. Communicate with parents regarding individual student progress and conduct. Maintain progress records and record progress toward IEP goals. To learn more - Click here

* Instructional Specialist - The STEPP Program's mission is to provide students with learning disabilities who aspire to achieve a college education and who demonstrate the potential for postsecondary success with access and comprehensive support throughout the university experience. By partnering with these students, their families, and a variety of educational communities, the STEPP Program fosters a network of opportunities and resources to empower and support students from admission to graduation from East Carolina University. To learn more - Click here

* EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - Criterion Child Enrichment is conducting a search for an Executive Director. Founded in 1985 as a not-for-profit organization, Criterion has served families for over 30 years and is a leading provider of early childhood education and early intervention services. Each year the agency serves over 7000 families through a program network that extends throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. To learn more - Click here
* Program Director ~ Annandale Campus - Applications are being accepted for this key leadership position within PHILLIPS Programs. The PHILLIPS School ~ Annandale Program Director, reporting to the President & CEO, will be responsible for all aspects of operation of a 200 pupil campus for students with emotional & behavior problems, learning disabilities and other school challenges. The Program Director also oversees a staff of 150. To learn more - Click here

* Special Education Teacher - Various - $50,000/school year (185 days), summers off with year round pay and year round appreciation. Special Education Teachers needed in Arizona (Phoenix and surrounding cities). Needs are in the self-contained and resource settings serving students with emotional disabilities (ED), Autism (A), Severe/Profound (S/P), and Intellectual Disabilities (ID). STARS is the largest school contract agency in AZ. STARS is owned and operated by Occupational Therapists. You will be an employee and receive full benefits. To learn more - Click here

* Special Education Teacher - The Adolescent Care Unit (ACU) at Tséhootsooí Medical Center on the Navajo Nation seeks a Special Education Teacher to work with 8 to 10 teens aged 13-17 with mild emotional or behavior issues in a subacute 60-day inpatient program. ACU combines western therapy with Native American traditional cultural methods to foster health and Hozho or harmony, and is located in northeastern AZ. To learn more - Click here

If you are an Employer looking for excellent special education staff - Click here for more information
Food For Thought..........
Trust is the glue of life. It's the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It's the foundational principle that holds all relationships
Stephen Covey

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