Week in Review - April 5, 2013

WEEK IN REVIEW

NewNASETPublications and Articles of Interest in Special Education and Disabilities That Were Reported This Week

April 5, 2013 - Vol 9, Issue 14


 

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TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK

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Dear NASET News,

Welcome toNASET'sWEEK in REVIEWHere, we provide you with the latest publications fromNASETto 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 theWEEK in REVIEWatnews@naset.org.Have a great weekend.

Sincerely,


NASETNews Team

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Special Education Teacher Honor Society

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New This Week on NASET

NASET Special Educator e-Journal
April 2013

Table of Contents

 

*             Calls to Participate

*             Update from the U.S. Department of Education

*             Special Education Resources

*             Update From The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

*             Latest Employment Opportunities Posted on NASET

*             Upcoming Conferences and Events

*             Funding Forecast and Award Opportunities

*             Acknowledgements

 


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The Practical Teacher
April 2013

Winnowing the Internet: Websites for Teachers of Students with Moderate to Severe Disabilities


This issue ofNASET'sPractical Teacherdiscusses the sometimes-tedious task of locating online resource information pertinent to students diagnosed with moderate to severe disabilities.  Written by Phillip Patterson, Yeunjoo Lee, and Ute Kaden, the authors propose that teachers of such students value Web libraries or lists of relevant Web sites in order to avoid time consuming and frustrating Internet searches.  Based upon surveys of preservice and inservice teachers, a list of 50 Web sites relevant to teachers of students with moderate to severe disabilities is provided.

To read or download this issue - Click here (login required)

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See NASET's Latest Job Listings

Draft of Next Generation of Educator Preparation Accreditation Standards Released for Public Comment

As the new national accreditor for educator preparation, theCouncil for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation(CAEP) is seeking public comment on the draft of the next generation of accreditation standards and performance measures. All stakeholders in education and educator preparation are encouraged to review and comment on the draft standards, which are available for public comment through March 29. Please visithttp://caepnet.orgor follow @CAEPupdates on Twitter for the most up-to-date information.

NASET Sponsor - University of Florida

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR

I am a resource reading teacher in Arlington, TX.  As part of our district curriculum, 7th grade ELA students read a book called Tangerine by Edward Bloor.  I co-teach a 7th grade ELA class and have been very taken aback by the negative portrayal of special education services in the book.  I've requested that our English teachers give a bit of a disclaimer about some of the inaccuracies in the book, as well as set the record straight on how special services (really) work. In the book, special education and having an IEP are presented quite negatively.

Here's a brief description:

The main character is a visually impaired 7th grade student. (He is legally blind but wears glasses and special athletic goggles and does very well.) After moving to a new town, his mother makes the "mistake" of telling the school about his disability. His mother is asked to "fill out an IEP" for her son. The boy is a top soccer player, but when he tries to join the school team he is told he cannot play because he has an IEP.  Fortunately, the school is half swallowed up by a sinkhole, so he gets to transfer to another school. He begs his mother not to tell them about his vision problem so that he can play on the soccer team.  She agrees and he gets to play on the team.  Eventually though, the school requests that his records be sent from his old school. Luckily, his mother is allowed to transport his file and removes the IEP and no one finds out.

I felt like I needed to say something to my students to clear things up; I certainly didn't want my SPED students to feel that having an IEP was a negative thing.

The book addresses several themes that are interesting and appealing to middle school students and is required reading for many school districts. However, I am frankly very surprised to see no discussion or disclaimers about the negative and inaccurate portrayal of special education and IEPs in the book. (Some of it may be explained by the fact that the book was published in 1997.  Hopefully, things weren't that bad back then, but they certainly aren't like that now.)

I wanted to get the word out on this issue since it is such a popular book.

Katherine Doerge

 

Another Study Sees No Vaccine-Autism Link

Although some parents worry about the sheer number of vaccines babies typically receive, a new U.S. government study finds no evidence that more vaccinations increase the risk of autism. Looking at about 1,000 U.S. children with or without autism, researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found no connection between early childhood vaccinations and autism risk. Children with autism and those without had the same total exposure to vaccine antigens -- the substances in vaccines that trigger the immune system to develop infection-fighting antibodies. "This should give more reassurance to parents," said lead researcher Dr. Frank DeStefano, director of the CDC's Immunization Safety Office. To read more,click here

Did You Know That....

In the U.S., there are approximately 490,420 children with vision difficulty (the term "vision difficulty" refers only to children who have serious difficulty seeing even when wearing glasses and those who are blind.)

Frequent Moves Take Toll on Poor Children's Behavior, Study Suggests

Poor children who move three or more times before they're 5 years old are at increased risk for behavioral problems, a new study contends. Researchers examined data from about 2,800 children born in 20 large U.S. cities between 1998 and 2000. By age 5, fewer than one-quarter of the children had never moved, 48 percent had moved once or twice, and 29 percent had moved three or more times. Among the children who moved three or more times, 44 percent were poor. These children had more attention problems, anxiety or depression, and aggressiveness and hyperactivity at age 5 than those who had moved fewer times or never moved. To read more,click here

FDA Approves New Multiple Sclerosis Drug

A new drug called Tecfidera has been approved to treat adults with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday. The approval is based on the results of two clinical trials showing that patients who took Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) capsules had fewer MS relapses than those who took an inactive placebo. One of the trials also showed that a worsening of MS-related disability occurred less often in patients who took the drug than in those who took the placebo. "Tecfidera will be a welcome addition to the growing list of agents that alter the course of multiple sclerosis," said one expert, Dr. Fred Lublin, director of the Corinne Goldsmith Dickinson Center for Multiple Sclerosis at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. To read more,click here

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NASET MEMBER'S BENEFIT -

Board Certification in Special Education Available to NASET Members

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.

 

For more information on Board Certification in Special Education,click here

Rubella in Pregnancy Rare in U.S., But Can Be Devastating for Baby

Although rare in the United States, three babies with birth defects caused by rubella (or "German measles") were reported in 2012 and doctors need to be on the lookout for such cases, a new government report indicates. Birth defects caused by what doctors call "congenital rubella syndrome" can include cataracts, hearing problems and heart abnormalities. The syndrome occurs when a pregnant woman is infected with rubella and passes it to her fetus. More than 90 percent of people in the United States have been vaccinated against rubella or have natural immunity, which means that congenital rubella syndrome is extremely rare in the nation. To read more,click here

NASET Sponsor - Arkansas State University

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GEEO Travel Programs for Educators

Global Exploration for Educators Organization (GEEO) is a non-profit organization that runs summer professional development travel programs designed for teachers.

GEEO is offering 23 different travel programs for the summer of 2013: India/Nepal, Italy, Portugal/Spain, Amalfi Coast, Eastern Europe, Budapest to Istanbul, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Comfort Thailand, Thailand/Laos, Cambodia, China, Comfort China, Russia/Mongolia/China, Turkey 15 day, Turkey 8-Day, Kenya/Tanzania, South Africa / Mozambique / Zimbabwe / Botswana, Morocco, Peru, Ecuador, The Galapagos Islands and Costa Rica. The registration deadline is June 1st, but space is limited and many programs will be full well before the deadline.

Educators have the option to earn graduate school credit and professional development credit while seeing the world. The trips are 8 to 24 days in length and are designed and discounted to be interesting and affordable for teachers. GEEO provides teachers educational materials and the structure to help them bring their experiences into the classroom. The trips are open to all nationalities of K-12 and university educators and administrators, as well as retired educators. Educators are also permitted to bring along a non-educator guest.

Detailed information about each trip, including itineraries, costs, travel dates, and more can be found atwww.geeo.org. GEEO can be reached 7 days a week, toll free at 1-877-600-0105 between 9AM-9PM EST

Genes and Early Wheezing Tied to Childhood Asthma Risk

Certain genetic factors and wheezing early in life are associated with a greatly increased risk of asthma in children, a new study says. Researchers examined data from nearly 500 children and found that about 90 percent of those who had two copies of a common genetic variation and who also experienced wheezing when they had a cold early in life developed asthma by age 6. These children, all from families with a history of asthma or allergies, were nearly four times more likely to develop asthma than those who did not have the genetic variation and did not wheeze, according the study in the March 28 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. To read more,click here

NASET Sponsor - Penn State Online

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Vitamin D Important During Pregnancy, Study Suggests

Low levels of vitamin D during pregnancy are associated with an increased risk of complications in mothers-to-be and low birth weight in their newborns, a new study finds. The research shows an association but doesn't prove that insufficient vitamin D causes complications. Still, taking vitamin D supplements may help reduce these risks, the researchers noted. Researchers examined data from 31 studies published between 1980 and 2012. The studies had between 95 and 1,100 participants. The analysis revealed that pregnant women with low levels of vitamin D were more likely to develop gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) and preeclampsia (high blood pressure and protein in the urine). They were also more likely to have a low birth weight baby. To read more,click here

Too Much TV May Make Kids Antisocial, Study Suggests

Five-year-olds who watch television for three or more hours a day are a bit more likely to fight, steal and have other antisocial behaviors by the age of 7, a new study suggests. The researchers also found that time spent playing computer or electronic games had no effect on children's behavior, according to the report published online March 25 in the Archives of Disease in Childhood. For the study, the investigators analyzed data gathered from about 11,000 children in the United Kingdom who were born between 2000 and 2002. When the children were ages 5 and 7, their mothers filled out a questionnaire designed to assess how well-adjusted the children were, and also provided information about the amount of time their children spent at age 5 watching TV and playing computer or electronic games. To read more,click here

Did You Know That....

In the U.S., there are approximately 42,000 children with a severe vision impairment (unable to see words and letters in ordinary newsprint.

FDA Approves 1st in New Class of Type 2 Diabetes Drugs

The first in a new class of type 2 diabetes drugs was approved Friday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Invokana (canaglifozin) tablets are to be taken, in tandem with a healthy diet and exercise, to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes. Invokana belongs to a class of drugs called sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors. It works by blocking the reabsorption of glucose (sugar) by the kidney and increasing glucose excretions in urine, the FDA said in a news release. "We continue to advance innovation with the approval of new drug classes that provide additional treatment options for chronic conditions that impact public health," Dr. Mary Parks, director of the division of metabolism and endocrinology products in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in the news release. To read more,click here

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TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Guess the answer to this week's trivia question and we'll recognize you in next week's Week in Review.
Congratulations to:  Olumide Akerele, Jessica Scholtz, Lois Nembhard, PJ Williams, Pamela R. Downing-Hosten, Ope-Oluwa Olubela, Prahbhjot Malhi, Andrew Bailey, Mike Namian, and Marilyn Haile
who all knew the answer to last week's trivia question:

Suppose you were reading an educational evaluation and it stated that Billy had a z-score of - 2.0 in Spelling. This means that Billy scored twostandard deviationsbelow the mean in Spelling when compared to the norms for his age group.

 

THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION:
According to recent research in the field,mothers of children with this IDEIA disability were much more likely than other moms to say their child had talked about or attempted suicide: 14 percent did, versus 0.5 percent of mothers whose kids were not classified with this IDEIA disability. What is this IDEIA disability?

If you know the answer, send an email tocontactus@naset.org
All answers must be submitted no later than Monday, April 8, 2013 at 12:00 p.m.

Teen Moms More Likely to Have Been Neglected, Abused

Girls who are sexually abused or neglected during adolescence are more likely to become teen moms, regardless of their race, family income or if they come from a one- or two-parent home, according to a new study. Childbirth rates of teenagers who were the victims of abuse or neglect were more than 20 percent, which is five times higher than the national rate of roughly 4 percent, the researchers say. "Teen victims of sexual abuse may have distinct approaches to sex and sexual activity that can be attributed to traumatic sexualization," said lead study author Jennie Noll, director of research in behavioral medicine and clinical psychology at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, in a center news release. To read more,click here

Advocates Call For Police Training In Meeting With Feds

Days after a grand jurydeterminedthat no crime was committed in the death of a 26-year-old with Down syndrome who was restrained by law enforcement, the U.S. Department of Justice is keeping a watchful eye on the situation. Representatives from four disability advocacy groups met Tuesday with Justice Department officials in Washington to discuss the incident, which occurred in January. Robert Ethan Saylor went to see the movie "Zero Dark Thirty" at a Frederick, Md. theater and wanted to watch it again after the showing was over. When Saylor refused to leave, three off-duty sheriff's deputies who were working security restrained him and he died within minutes. To read more,click here

NASET Sponsor - University of Florida

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In First, State Bans Abortions Related To Disabilities

A new law in North Dakota will make the state the first in the nation to prohibit abortion as a result of genetic abnormalities like Down syndrome that are detected prenatally. The bill, signed this week by North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple, is one of three new pieces of legislation making the state's rules on abortion the most restrictive in the country. "A physician may not intentionally perform or attempt to perform an abortion with knowledge that the pregnant woman is seeking the abortion solely... because the unborn child has been diagnosed with either a genetic abnormality or a potential for a genetic abnormality," the law states. To read more,click here

Congress Rewrites IDEA Funding Rule

A small change tucked inside a government spending bill this month may have big implications for special education. Lawmakers included language clarifying the penalties that states may face if they fail to adequately fund education programs for students with disabilities. The issue has become significant in recent years as states struggled financially in the recession and some sought to cut education spending. Under federal law, special education funding must be maintained or increased from one year to the next. If states fail to meet what's known as "maintenance of effort" without obtaining a waiver from the U.S. Department of Education, they can lose out on future federal dollars. To read more,click here

Special Education Teacher Honor Society

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CDC Study Pegs Autism Prevalence at One Child in 50

A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates thatone in 50 school-aged children has an autism spectrum disorder. That's a significant increase from 2008, when the CDC estimated that1 in 88 children had the disorder. The data for this report came from a study by the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, which surveyed more than 95,000 parents with children under 17 years old. In aninterviewwith the Associated Press, health officials said that this is not an indication that autism is occurring more often. Rather, the results suggest that doctors are diagnosing autism, especially milder cases, more frequently. To read more,click here

Did You Know That....

In the U.S., there are approximately 59,341 children who are legally blind

New Psychiatric Diagnostic Guidelines Lead to Fear of Over-Diagnosis

Toddler tantrums could be identified as mental illness and normal grief classified as a depressive disorder under the psychiatric profession's new diagnostic bible. A group of leading Australian psychiatrists are so worried about the latest version of the American Psychiatric Association's manual - the DSM5 - they are calling for it to be boycotted. The previous version is currently widely used in Australia, with the latest edition available from May. Top Australian child psychiatrist Professor Jon Jureidini said he is worried the DSM5 will lead to over-diagnosis of mental conditions and over-medication. To read more,click here

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NASET MEMBER'S BENEFIT -

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As a member ofNASETyou qualify for a special group discount* on your auto, home, and renter's insurance through Group Savings Plus® from Liberty Mutual. This unique program allows you to purchase high-quality auto, home and renters insurance at low group rates.

 

See for yourself how much money you could save with Liberty Mutual compared to your current insurance provider. For a free, no-obligation quote, call 800-524-9400 or visit

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*Group discounts, other discounts, and credits are available where state laws and regulations allow, and may vary by state.  Certain discounts apply to specific coverage only.  To the extent permitted by law, applicants are individually underwritten; not all applicants may qualify.  Coverage provided and underwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and its affiliates, 175 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA.

Special-Education Programs Steel Themselves as Cuts Loom

Aurora Ford, a fifth-grader with Down syndrome, needs regular speech classes and occupational therapy, services that are guaranteed under theIndividuals With Disabilities Education Act. But looming federal financing cuts could affect Aurora and her peers, because they might mean bigger classes and fewer teachers next year.  "If you take away staff, it's a given that the quality of education will decrease," said Stacy Ford, Aurora's mother and a special-education advocate in Leander. "It doesn't take a Ph.D. to figure that out." To read more,click here

jobsNASET's Latest Job Listings

* Master Educator - District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) is  looking for highly motivated and skilled talent to join our team at the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). We seek individuals who are passionate about transforming the DC school system and making a significant difference in the lives of public school students, parents, principals, teachers, and central office employees.  To learn more - Click here

 

* Director, Academic Programs - We are seeking a Director, Academic Programs to join our team. This full-time position is based in Centerville, Utah. To learn more - Click here

 

* Special Education Teacher - We are looking for highly motivated and skilled talent to join our team at the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). We seek individuals who are passionate about transforming and improving educational outcomes for our students. To learn more -Click here

 

* Head Teacher, First and Second Grade - The Eliot-Pearson Children's School is a laboratory demonstration school for the Department of Child Development at Tufts University. The school enrolls approximately 85 children ages 3-8. To learn more - Click here

 

* Special Education Teacher - Shows an unwavering commitment to improving the knowledge, skills, and lives of students with disabilities. Mastery is looking for teachers who are committed to outrageously high expectations and high support for students. To learn more - Click here

 

* Special Education Case Manager- Ensures that the students on their caseload achieve academic success, across all subjects, as measured by achievement on Individualized Education Plan (IEP) goals, student grades, and the PSSA.  To learn more - Click here

 

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

It's hard to beat a person who never gives up.
Babe Ruth

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