Week in Review - February 1, 2019

NASET

WEEK IN REVIEW

National Association of Special Education Teachers

February 1, 2019                     Vol 15 Issue #5

Continuing_Ed

Dear NASET News,


Welcome to NASET's WEEK 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,
 


NEW THIS WEEK ON NASET

NASET Special Educator e-Journal

TABLE OF CONTENTS February 2019 



Three Spectrums, Not One, May Define Autism

Three distinct categories of traits best characterize autism, according to a study of more than 6,000 children. Children with autism or other conditions fall on a spectrum of ability in each of these categories - problems with social interactions, communication difficulties and repetitive behaviors, the results suggest. And autistic children tend to be at one end of each spectrum. The new findings support the hypothesis that each of these autism traits is inherited independently. "We're seeing that autism truly is dimensional," says co-lead researcher Matthew Lerner, associate professor of psychology, psychiatry and pediatrics at Stony Brook University in New York. "You can have two people who present really quite differently but are still experiencing autism." Read More


 


Tactile Blocks Teach Blind Children to Code

A couple of years ago, as an 8-year-old trying to learn to code, a student named Theo was frustrated. Theo happens to be blind, and the standard tools designed to teach children to code rely heavily on visuals. But over the last year, he's been a beta tester for something new: a set of physical blocks designed specifically to teach coding to kids with visual impairments. He's moved on, and now codes in Python. Called Code Jumper, the kit uses differently shaped blocks or "pods" that can be attached in patterns; each pod is a line of code. (Each is also brightly colored, for students who are visually impaired but not fully blind.) When the pods are attached together, and buttons on the pods are adjusted, the series creates an audible output, like a song or joke. Read More


Talking Taboo Topics for Adults with Autism

People with autism often face what's called the services cliff -- support available to them as kids drops off once they turn 18. A conference in Huntsville is working to make sure teachers and parents are equipped to support adults with autism. That means being able to talk about sometimes "taboo" subjects like puberty, sexuality, relationships. "All of those things become even more complex and difficult to deal with," said Dr. Whitney Meade, the director of the Regional Autism Network Director. The first North Alabama Regional Autism Network conference tackles those subjects head-on. Meade is an assistant professor of education at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. She said the lack of support for autistic adults is partially a funding issue but also comes from the community's lack of knowledge. Read More


Oregon Students with Disabilities Sue State Education Department

Oregon deprives hundreds of children with disabilities a full education by not providing them with a full-day of school on a regular basis. That's the charge made in a class-action lawsuit filed by Disability Rights Oregon and other groups. The suit names Gov. Kate Brown in her official roles as governor and the state's Superintendent of Public Instruction as well as Colt Gill, the Director of the Oregon Department of Education and Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction. The suit was filed in federal court in Eugene. 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 


 


TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Congratulations to: Pamela Hall, Tammy Goodwin, Mahogany Woods, Darlene Desbrow, Olumide Akerele, Sheila Marie Trzcinka, Patsy Ray, Melody Owens, Karen Frantz-Fry, Laurine Kennedy, Teresa Pitts, Jennifer Womble-Ericson, and Cindi Maurice who all knew the answer to this week's trivia question:

Question: What is the name of the neurological disorder characterized by the inability to recognize faces?  

Answer: Prosopagnosia

This Week's Trivia Question:  

FILL IN THE BLANK:  Research suggests that the most common cause of  _______ for infants and preschoolers is an accidental fall. However, after age 5, and increasingly through adolescence, the primary cause is vehicular accidents.   

If you know the answer to this week's trivia questions, email it to us at contactus@naset.org by February 4, 2019. If you are correct, you will be acknowledged in next week's NASET's Week in Review 



Genetic Risk for ADHD Manifest in Brain Structure in Childhood

There is only scant scientific evidence available on whether the genetic risk for developing specific psychiatric disorders or cognitive traits is manifest in brain structure from childhood and, to date, studies have focused primarily on adult populations. The question remains unanswered. New evidence has now been provided by a study led by a researcher from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a center supported by "la Caixa," which analyzed data from a large pediatric sample. The study, which has been published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, analyzed data from a sample of 1,139 boys and girls aged 10 years drawn from the Dutch Generation R Study cohort. Using polygenic risk scores based on genetic data, the authors calculated each participants' genetic susceptibility to five psychiatric disorders and two cognitive traits. Read More


White Math Teachers Treat Students Differently in Predominantly Black Schools

White math teachers in predominantly black middle schools are more likely to respond negatively to students' behavioral or academic issues -- and this may have long-term negative consequences for student performance, according to a Rutgers-led study that highlights the need to recruit more black teachers. The study, published this month in Harvard Educational Review, observed video data collected from 2009-2011 of 25 mathematics classrooms in middle schools that were either predominantly white or black. White teachers in predominantly black schools were more likely than white teachers in predominantly white schools, or black teachers in predominantly black schools, to respond in negative ways to student behavior, emotions and ability. For example, their response to behavioral issues was more likely to include multiple, intense back-and-forth exchanges more apt to escalate problems than solve them. Read More


White Math Teachers Treat Students Differently in Predominantly Black Schools

White math teachers in predominantly black middle schools are more likely to respond negatively to students' behavioral or academic issues -- and this may have long-term negative consequences for student performance, according to a Rutgers-led study that highlights the need to recruit more black teachers. The study, published this month in Harvard Educational Review, observed video data collected from 2009-2011 of 25 mathematics classrooms in middle schools that were either predominantly white or black. White teachers in predominantly black schools were more likely than white teachers in predominantly white schools, or black teachers in predominantly black schools, to respond in negative ways to student behavior, emotions and ability. For example, their response to behavioral issues was more likely to include multiple, intense back-and-forth exchanges more apt to escalate problems than solve them. Read More



Kids Prefer Friends Who Talk Like They Do

Children tend to prefer to be friends with other children who speak with the same local accent as they have, even if they grow up in a diverse community and are regularly exposed to a variety of accents, according to research published by the American Psychological Association. "It's common knowledge that adults unconsciously discriminate against others based on the way they speak, but we wanted to understand when, how and why these biases develop," said lead author Melissa Paquette-Smith, PhD, of the University of California, Los Angeles. The findings were published in the journal Developmental Psychology. Read More


See It, Learn It: Make Homework Come Alive for Visual Learners

The hours after school are a reprieve for kids with attention deficit disorder. After spending the day feeling stifled, misunderstood, and frustrated in the classroom, "after school" offers a chance to relax and just be themselves. But a significant portion of the learning that went into your child's brain during the day can be lost if it isn't reinforced at home in a visual format that kids with ADHD can easily grasp. In general, children with ADHD are right-brained learners. They prefer to learn visually - by watching or doing a task in an activity-based, hands-on format, not by listening to lectures, practicing drills, or memorizing. There are many ways to implement visual learning outside the classroom. Here are my best tips for doing it at home. Read More


Meet the Blind YouTubers Making the Internet More Accessible

To be blind on the internet, at its worst, is to be told that you are a liar. "Every time I say I'm visually impaired," says Casey Greer, "someone will try to shut me down, saying 'Well then how did you type this comment?!' It feels silly that in 2019, I always have to explain that blind people use and love the internet just as much as anybody else." The antidote? YouTube's thriving community of blind creators, which includes Greer. These creators have become voices for a poorly understood and often overlooked group of people, who, apparently unbeknownst to many sighted people, share digital space with them every single day. If you are sighted, visual impairment YouTube answers questions you likely never thought to ask: How do blind people keep houseplants? Read More


Childhood Lead Exposure Linked to Poor Adult Mental Health

Lead exposure in childhood appears to have long-lasting negative effects on mental health and personality in adulthood, according to a study of people who grew up in the era of leaded gasoline. Previous studies have identified a link between lead and intelligence, but this study looked at changes in personality and mental health as a result of exposure to the heavy metal. The findings, which will appear Jan. 23 in JAMA Psychiatry, reveal that the higher a person's blood lead levels at age 11, the more likely they are to show signs of mental illness and difficult personality traits by age 38. The link between mental health and lead exposure is modest, according to study coauthor Aaron Reuben, a graduate student in clinical psychology at Duke University. But "it's potentially important because this is a modifiable risk factor that at one point in time everyone was exposed to, and now, certain people in certain cities and countries are still exposed to," he said. Read More


Childhood Lead Exposure Linked to Poor Adult Mental Health

Lead exposure in childhood appears to have long-lasting negative effects on mental health and personality in adulthood, according to a study of people who grew up in the era of leaded gasoline. Previous studies have identified a link between lead and intelligence, but this study looked at changes in personality and mental health as a result of exposure to the heavy metal. The findings, which will appear Jan. 23 in JAMA Psychiatry, reveal that the higher a person's blood lead levels at age 11, the more likely they are to show signs of mental illness and difficult personality traits by age 38. The link between mental health and lead exposure is modest, according to study coauthor Aaron Reuben, a graduate student in clinical psychology at Duke University. But "it's potentially important because this is a modifiable risk factor that at one point in time everyone was exposed to, and now, certain people in certain cities and countries are still exposed to," he said. Read More



Research: Students with ADHD Benefit Most from One-to-One Support for Self-Regulation

In a new paper, U.K. researchers contend that one-on-one interventions focused explicitly on self-regulation best help students with attention deficit disorder to stay more focused and control impulses in school. Their findings, published in the October issue of the journal Review of Education, showed that the biggest improvements in academic outcomes and ADHD symptoms reduction occur when children engage in one-on-one therapy sessions focused on self-regulation. Investigators analyzed 28 randomized control trials with more than 1,800 children involving eight types of non-drug interventions used to support children with ADHD in schools. They investigated the different components of the interventions to determine which method was most effective on a range of different ADHD symptoms and academic outcomes. Read More


Teens Keep Active Despite Asthma or Eczema, Study Finds

A fresh look by the University of Bristol at how teenagers are affected by their asthma, eczema or obesity has some reassuring findings published in BMJ Open today (Jan. 21). Researchers supported by the NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre found that both girls and boys at the ages of 12, 14 and 16 did not experience different levels of active or sedentary time if they had asthma or eczema compared to their peers. Teenagers who were obese however, were less active and also had increased periods of inactivity. Using data from 6473 teenagers wearing accelerometers at the three age points, clinical reports of asthma or eczema together with weight and height measurements, this study is the first of its kind using data over time to assess the impact of the conditions on activity levels. All the information was taken from Bristol's Children of the 90s study that recruited 14,500 pregnant women in the early 1990s. Read More


Concussions Linked to Epilepsy Development

Researchers at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC have identified a cellular response in mice to mild traumatic brain injuries that may lead to seizures. Traumatic brain injury is a leading cause of epilepsy, which is characterized as the repeated occurrence of seizures. No treatments currently interrupt the process that the brain undergoes after injury that can eventually lead to the chronic condition of epilepsy. The study, published today in JNeurosci, suggests that the development of epilepsy triggered by mild traumatic brain injury may be related to an atypical response from brain cells known as astrocytes, which change to form scars after a severe brain injury. This process is important to protect uninjured brain areas but comes at a price, because these scars have been associated with epilepsy. Read More


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School District Offers Elective Braille Course to Equip Students with Visual Impairments to Compete in Workforce

Visually impaired students face challenges in an already challenging teen world, whether or not they are fully blind. "Oftentimes, they have a hard time reading other people's facial expressions," Longview ISD Visual Impairment Instructor Angie Mayeaux said this week, after school trustees approved the district's first elective Braille course at their meeting Monday. "They have a hard time locating their friends." The Braille course, which is expected to welcome five Longview High School students this coming fall, obviously won't help visually impaired students find their friends at lunch. But the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired curriculum should help them compete within the sighted workforce once it's time to take that step, Mayeaux said. Read More



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* Special Education Teacher - Chicago, IL - The Invo-Progressus Team has incredible opportunities for Special Education Teachers...or, as we like to call them, Superheroes. If you use your super powers to help ensure that children have access to the best education possible in the least restrictive environment, we would love for you to join the Invo-Progressus team! To learn more - Click here

* Special Education Teacher **New Hiring Incentives* - **Ask about our $4,000 Sign-on/Retention Payment; $2,000 Relocation Assistance** 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. This enables children and their families to identify, understand and cope with their individual needs and develop the skills necessary to succeed in less restrictive settings. To learn more - Click here

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* Special Education Teacher  - The Arc Kohler School, Mountainside NJ is a leading collaborative private special education school serving student's preschool age through high school. We meet the unique needs of children with developmental disabilities. The Arc Kohler School is seeking a Special Education Teacher to work full-time with their unique population. Full-time, 8:30 am to 3:00 pm - To learn more- Click here

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Food For Thought..........

Optimism is a strategy for making a better future. Because unless you believe that the future can be better, you are unlikely to step up and take responsibility for making it so.
                                                                Noam Chomsky

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