Week in Review - July 31, 2020

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Continuing_Ed

 


NASET

WEEK IN REVIEW

National Association of Special Education Teachers

July 31, 2020                    Vol 16 Issue #31



Dear NASET Members and Guests,


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,


WHATS NEW AT NASET

Special Educator e-Journal

Table of Contents


Univ-Cinn

 

The Coronavirus Seems to Spare Most Kids from Illness, but Its Effect on Their Mental Health is Deepening

Pandemics can be indiscriminate, with viruses making no distinctions among the victims they attack and those they spare. If you’re human, you’ll do. COVID-19 has been different, particularly when it comes to age. The disease has shown a special animus for older people, with those 65-plus considered at especially high risk for hospitalization and death, and those 18 and below catching a semblance of an epidemiological break. Though a small share of adolescents have suffered severe cases, most who contract the disease in that age cohort are likelier to experience milder symptoms or none at all. But if COVID-19 is sparing most kids’ bodies, it’s not being so kind to their minds. Nobody is immune to the stress that comes with a pandemic and related quarantining. Children, however, may be at particular risk. Living in a universe that is already out of their control, they can become especially shaken when the verities they count on to give the world order–the rituals in their lives, the very day-to-dayness of living–get blown to bits. Read More

 

 

New EEOC Accommodation Guidelines: What Individuals with Disabilities Need To Know

For years, people with disabilities have been denied work from home (WFH) accommodations, with skeptical employers citing that WFH would decrease productivity, increase security risks, and cause undue hardship on an organization – the threshold that defines an accommodation as “unreasonable.” But now, because the COVID-19 pandemic pushed the American workforce out of offices and into their homes, many American employers are finally realizing that WFH arrangements aren’t that disruptive after all. A multitude of employees have shown that they can still perform well while working remotely, and frequently that work can be quantified by sales or tasks completed. Read More

Celebrating How the Americans with Disabilities Act Changed Life

Thirty years ago on July 26, President George H. W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act. It was one of the most significant breakthroughs in history for persons with disabilities since President John F. Kennedy publicly admitted that his sister was born with intellectual disabilities creating a presidential committee bearing the same name. Disabilities were never embraced. They were hidden. When President Franklin D. Roosevelt left office in 1945, many of the general public suspected he used a wheelchair, but it was hidden most of the time from their view. Certainly, then and even now celebrities with disabilities like Steven Hawking or Helen Keller’s virtues were extolled by all of us. They were however intellectually gifted. During most of the 20th century, many Americans with intellectual and developmental disabilities (more than 200,000) were relegated to live in large institutions. There are thousands of stories of abuse, mandatory sterilization, segregation and the routine use of cattle prods referred to as aversion therapy. Read More

COVID-19 Concerns Push More Teachers to Consider Early Retirement, Leave Education Sector

Many teachers in New Mexico are opting for early retirement or leaving the education sector completely due to COVID-19 concerns. "It was a really, really hard decision to leave. I really did not want to go," said Benita Trujillo, a former Rio Rancho special education assistant. Trujillo resigned from her special education assistant job to start working evening hours in retail. "Having to stay home with my kids and homeschool them, you know, the three days out of the week. I have a senior, and I have an incoming freshman this year, so I need to," she said. Read More

Provisions on Children with Disabilities Challenged

Disability Rights Texas, the federally designated protection and advocacy system to protect the rights of people with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities and IDEA acts, is calling on Cameron County to remove a paragraph from the order closing schools because of COVID-19 that prohibits students with disabilities from in-school instruction during the entire 2020-2021 school year. The ADA and IDEA, or Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, mandate that students with disabilities are to be educated with students without disabilities to the maximum extent possible and receive equal access to public education. “We request that paragraph 5 be removed from the Emergency Order of July 14, 2020, and decisions about the education of all students with disabilities be made in accordance with Section 504, Title 2 of the ADA, and the IDEA. Read More

 

 

NASET ADVOCACY - Board Certification for Advocacy in Special Education (BCASE)

Families of Kids with Special Needs Worried Full Distance Learning Will Put Them Behind

The new school year will look and feel a lot different for Clark County School District students. Anxiety, concern, and lack of direction has parents worried, especially parents of students with special needs. "Antoinette Alderman spent much of her Wednesday afternoon making calls to figure out what will happen this school year to her two grandchildren who have special needs. Her big concern is keeping their education on track without the resources they would normally have in the classroom. Read More

 

 

1 in 3 American Indian, Black, and Latino Children Fall into Digital Divide, Study Says

The decision by a rising number of school districts to start a new year with remote-only learning during the pandemic could disadvantage millions of students, and children of color in particular, according to a new analysis. Overall, 16.9 million children under the age of 18 lack high-speed home internet, the study from four groups says. And children in one in three Black, Latino, and American Indian/Alaska Native households lack such internet access, making children in those homes "more likely than their White peers to be disconnected from online learning," the analysis states. Read More

Report: One of the Biggest Obstacles to Remote Learning? Finding a Quiet Place to Work

With school plans for the fall focused less on reopening and more on resuming remote learning, the mixed experience with online instruction from the spring offers many lessons for how district leaders can better prepare for this next go around. For Ryan Baker, an associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania and director of the Penn Center of Learning Analytics, there is one thing in particular he’d like school leaders to keep in mind: providing better tech support for students and families. “I was definitely the IT coordinator for my house,” says the father of three children ages 1, 9 and 11. “I definitely didn’t count on much tech support from my school district.” Read More

How Parents of Autism Can Deal With Stress and Online School During Coronavirus

As the working mother of a child with autism, I know all too well the incredible strain the coronavirus pandemic has caused for my son with autism. Like most children with autism, he responds best to routine, structure, and familiarity. Once schools began providing services online, and we were asked to quarantine, the difficulty of adapting to change has been noteworthy. Universally, those with autism may be experiencing emotional distress, frequent meltdowns, and social isolation during the coronavirus. Even though the debate continues as to whether or not children should return to school, it’s clear that educating our children may have to be done online for longer than we hoped. Read More

 

There’s No Win in This: Special Education and Going Back to School

As parents across Central Florida face uncertainty and tough decisions heading into the next school year, some parents of students with special needs say the decisions carry extra weight. Many special needs students receive one-on-one assistance from paraprofessionals in class, and online education is simply not feasible for those with certain conditions. Four parents of special needs kids from four different Central Florida counties spoke with Channel 9 investigative reporter Karla Ray about the stress of the upcoming school year. “I’m stuck in the only option I have,” Soren Richardson, of Orange County, said. Her son, 5-year-old Luke, has Down Syndrome. “It’s hard on everybody to figure out what’s best,” Kim Penny of Volusia County said. Her daughter, Zoe, has a rare condition called Sanfilippo Syndrome, which impacts her body and her brain. Read More

High School Athletes Require Longer Recovery Following Concussions

High school athletes sustaining a concussion require careful attention when determining return-to-sport (RTS) readiness. The purpose of this study was to determine epidemiological and RTS data of a large cohort of high school athletes who sustained one or more concussions. Young athletes are typically sidelined for at least one month after suffering a concussion, according to a Henry Ford Hospital study that provides new perspective on concussions and brain injuries. The study's results were published ahead of the Michigan High School Athletic Association's recent announcement that the fall high school sports season will begin as traditionally scheduled, with football practices starting on Aug. 10. Read More

 

Apple, Creatives, and Disability Rights Activists Reflect on 30 Years of the Americans with Disabilities Act

Since its founding, Apple has been a pioneer in democratizing powerful technology through products and services designed for everyone. From VoiceOver and Text to Speech to Voice Control, Switch Control, and even Siri, every product and service in the Apple ecosystem is designed with accessibility built in.  “Accessible technology should be very clear,” says Dean Hudson, accessibility technical evangelist at Apple, who is part of the original team behind VoiceOver, the screen reader that enables people who are blind and low vision to navigate iPhone and Mac. “There really should not be any layer between the things I can do on my iPhone and the things someone who doesn’t have a disability can do.” Read More

Univ-Cinn


TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Congratulations to: Danelle Fugate, Wendy Stein, Julia Apodaca, Olumide Akerele, Wanda Routier, Karen Frantz-Fry, Katie Marek, Amanda Johnson, Angela Fernandez, Cynthia Fortlage, Patsy Ray, Janise Harbet, Shelma Brackett, Kelsie Duran, Helma Wardenaar, Sheryl Jones, Vanessa Chratian, Mary Ellen Denmon, Teresa Wendelburg, Pat Sheehy, Tracey Christilles Cindi Maurice, Jan Simmons, and Angela Durso who all knew the answer to last week's trivia question:

This inherited disorder causes severe damage to the lungs, digestive system and other organs in the body. It affects the cells that produce mucus, sweat and digestive juices. These secreted fluids are normally thin and slippery. But in people with this disorder, a defective gene causes the secretions to become sticky and thick. Instead of acting as lubricants, the secretions plug up tubes, ducts and passageways, especially in the lungs and pancreas. More than 30,000 people are living with it (more than 70,000 worldwide). What is the disorder?

Answer: CYSTIC FIBROSIS

This Week's Trivia Question:

FILL IN THE BLANK: According to the definition set forth by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Down syndrome is a condition in which a person has an extra chromosome. Chromosomes are small “packages” of genes in the body. They determine how a baby’s body forms during pregnancy and how the baby’s body functions as it grows in the womb and after birth. Typically, a baby is born with 46 chromosomes. Babies with Down syndrome have an extra copy of one of these chromosomes, chromosome number (#) ___. A medical term for having an extra copy of a chromosome is ‘trisomy.’ Down syndrome is also referred to as Trisomy (#) ___. This extra copy changes how the baby’s body and brain develop, which can cause both mental and physical challenges for the baby. Fill in the Blank with the Correct Number (#).

If you know the answer to this week's trivia questions, email it to us at contactus@naset.org by August 4, 2020. If you are correct, you will be acknowledged in next week's NASET's Week in Review


Internet Accessibility Is Next Frontier for the Americans with Disabilities Act

The Americans with Disabilities Act is 30-years old this month. Signed into law by President George H. W. Bush, it was the first comprehensive civil rights law for people with disabilities. “It protects from discrimination in areas of public life,” said Emily Shuman, Deputy Director of the Rocky Mountain ADA Center in Colorado Springs. The law has gone a long way to even the playing field for people with disabilities in areas of access to buildings and government programs, as well as, protecting against discrimination in the work place. There is one area of modern life that this law doesn’t address. “The ADA was passed in 1990, and that was a time when the internet didn’t really exist, at least not in the way that it does today. And the internet is the number one way that we’re connecting with each other, especially via social media. And so, we really need to see more regulation around accessibility in the digital space. The ADA didn’t really include any regulations for website accessibility, social media accessibility,” Shuman told CBS4’s Andrea Flores. Read More

Childhood Neurocognitive Markers May Help Predict Late-Onset ADHD

Childhood neurocognitive markers may be able to help identify siblings of people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who will develop late-onset ADHD, researchers found in a study published in The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. “There is an increased interest in ‘late?onset’ attention?deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), referring to the onset of clinically significant ADHD symptoms after the age of 12 years,” wrote Shahrzed Ilbegi, PhD, of Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, and colleagues. “This study aimed to examine whether unaffected siblings with late?onset ADHD could be differentiated from stable unaffected siblings by their neurocognitive functioning in childhood.” Read More

 

Parents of Students with Special Needs Concerned about Upcoming School Year

Emily Whitson knows the best way for her nine-year-old daughter with Down syndrome to learn is to go back to school, but the Williamson County mother is choosing to keep her home for the upcoming school year out of safety. For many parents in a similar tricky position, concerns are mounting on what online learning could mean for the well-being of their child with special needs.  "You need the in-person services and in-person instruction often but because of the medical issue, you're kind of stuck in a position of having to choose between health and education. I think it's an impossible situation for everyone and I think it's very hard to make these choices. Unfortunately, everyone is having to make sacrifices." Read More


JOB POSTINGS

* Special Education Teacher - Is sought who demonstrates a commitment to the success of all SLA students and specifically to raising the academic achievement of children in high-poverty communities and/ or children with special needs. Has a desire to grow professionally and seek out new opportunities to learn; and integrity and clarity in all communications and interactions. To learn more - Click here

* Special Education Teacher - Teacher needed for students ages 7-23 with intellectual disabilities. Students are in non-graded classes but do have goal work. Located in Columbia, TN (45 minutes south of Nashville), the school boasts small (4-to-1) student-to-teacher ratio class settings. Teachers enjoy extensive training opportunities, generous classroom supply budgets, benefits, and competitive non-public-school salaries. To Learn more - Click here

* Learning Specialist Teacher - The primary responsibility of the Bennett Day School Learning Specialist is to support the academic and developmental needs of the Bennett Day School community. We seek a Learning Specialist Teacher who will work in close partnership with students, faculty, and families to provide support and direction connected to academic and developmental growth of students in grades Senior Kindergarten through Seventh Grade. To learn more - Click here

* Chief Executive Officer - St. Coletta of Greater Washington is seeking an experienced Chief Executive Officer to lead and manage the organization while achieving educational and operational goals. This person will be responsible for strategically growing St. Coletta with an eye toward achieving success not only for the school, but for the children and adults that benefit from their services.To Learn more - Click here

* Asst Supt - Exceptional Children - The Assistant Superintendent for Special Education Services is a critical leadership role that directly affects the acceleration of improved student outcomes for GCS’s 10,534 students with special needs. This role directs, monitors and strengthens programs and ensures all services are implemented within federal, state, and local regulations. To learn more - Click here

* Education Specialist - We are always looking for compassionate, exceptional educators to join our SPED Team (grades K-5 or 6-8) ! You’ll work collaboratively with your colleagues to drive the achievement of all students in your grade level. You will be encouraged and supported to lead engaging, personalized, and rigorous lessons that integrate our four pillars: Heart, Smart, Think, and Act. To learn more - Click here

* High School Special Education Teacher - New Trier High School is a large, high-achieving school in the northern suburbs of Chicago with two campuses in Northfield and Winnetka, Illinois. The outstanding Special Education department is large and comprehensive. To learn more - Click here

* Special Education Teacher - We are looking for highly motivated and skilled Special Education teachers to join our team at District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). DCPS serves more than 51,000 students through the e?orts of approximately 4,000 educators in 117 schools. DCPS intends to have the highest-performing, best paid, most satis?ed, and most honored educator force in the nation and a distinctive central o?ce sta? whose work supports and drives instructional excellence and signifocant achievement gains for DCPS students. To learn more- Click here

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


FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The most successful people I know are also the most reliable.

Wayne Gerard Trotman

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