Week in Review - January 15, 2021

Continuing_Ed


NASET

WEEK IN REVIEW

National Association of Special Education Teachers

January 15, 2021                 Vol 17 Issue #3



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

IEP Components

Examining Parental Experiences During the Individual Educational Program Meeting: A Review of the Literature


This issue of NASET’s IEP Components series was written by Jessica Ramos. The Individual with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (2004) mandates parents’ participation in planning the Individual Education Program (IEP). This review of the literature examines parents’ experiences during the IEP meeting and the capacity in which parents are included. Additionally, the literature analyzes the barriers and limitations parents encounter due to culturally and linguistically diversity (CLD). According to the research, CLD parents of are less likely to feel fully involved in the IEP process due to bureaucratic procedures, legal jargon and verbal and nonverbal barriers. Research suggests, empathy along with formalizing relationships are key components in delivering an effective partnership between parents and educators in creating a quality IEP for students with disabilities

Read More

 

 

Parental Birth Abnormalities and Offspring’s Autism Linked

In a study of medical registry records of nearly 400,000 parent-child pairs from Denmark, a Yale School of Public Health study found that parents who were themselves born very prematurely were nearly twice as likely to have children with autism spectrum disorder. The study, recently published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, provides solid evidence that autism spectrum disorder risk factors can span multiple generations — a new hypothesis that previously lacked much empirical evidence in humans. According to senior author Zeyan Liew, assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, these findings can help spark further research into the underlying mechanisms of autism risk transmission in families.  “It’s already well established that preterm birth and low birth weight of the child are risk factors for autism,” he said. “But this is the first study to show that parental preterm birth and low birth weight might carry some risk for their future offspring as well.” Read More

Focusing on Diversion Yields Positive Results for Children with Behavioral Issues

Of the 5,300 children enrolled in the Ohio Behavioral Health Juvenile Justice Initiative since 2006, 21% reported that someone close to them had been murdered in the past year. Nearly half of the boys and more than a quarter of the girls in the program have both a substance abuse and mental health disorder. But there's good news, too: From 2017 through 2019, 81% of the participants -- aged 10 through 17 -- successfully completed the state's juvenile diversion program, and data indicated that 79% of youth reduced their contact with police while in treatment. Those findings are from a new detailed evaluation of the Ohio Behavioral Health Juvenile Justice Initiative (BHJJ) by researchers at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University. Read More

Students with Special Needs Fill ‘Instrumental’ Role at Children’s Hospital While Learning Workplace Skills

Deep in the labyrinthine basement of the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio, El-Fayad-Ben Ibrahim worked one Thursday afternoon assembling sheets of paper into packets, one of only eight interns allowed in the hospital amid the pandemic. The Sam Houston High School senior works at the hospital as part of a transition-to-work program for students with intellectual and other disabilities called Project SEARCH, in which they learn skills they can use in almost any industry after completing their internships. The interns have always been key to hospital operations, whether they’re sorting items in the central supply office or folding towels in the linens department, but this year they have proved to be invaluable during the coronavirus pandemic, when no other volunteers are allowed in the hospital, said Katherine Cox, volunteer services manager for Children’s Hospital. Read More

Study: Clinical criteria for Autism Diagnosis Inadequate for Individuals with Genetic Conditions

A new research has discovered that people with certain genetic conditions are likely to have significant symptoms of autism, despite them not qualifying by formal diagnosis. Published in The American Journal of Psychiatry, the international study analyzed data from 547 people who had been diagnosed with one of four genetic conditions, also known as copy number variants (CNVs), associated with a high chance of autism - 22q11.2 deletion, 22q11.2 duplication, 16p11.2 deletion and 16p11.2 duplication. Researchers at Cardiff University say their findings show clinical services need to adapt so that people diagnosed with autism-linked genetic conditions are not denied access to vital support and interventions. Read More

Why Students Should Write in All Subjects

For Kyle Pahigian, a 10th-grade math teacher at University Park Campus School in Massachusetts, a lesson on congruent triangles doesn’t start with calculators and protractors. Instead, she hands her students a treasure map and asks them to write detailed directions—using landmarks as a guide—to the buried treasure. “I won’t tell the kids right away, ‘Today we’re going to learn about triangle congruence theorems,’” said Pahigian. “I want them to instead view it as them experimenting with something and doing something that they feel like they’re really good at.” Students often feel intimidated by math, and transforming the activity into a writing exercise eases some of the anxiety of introducing difficult concepts, she said. Read More

 

 

 

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

5 Ways to Take Some of the Distance Out of Distance Learning

Teachers understand the importance of physically being in the student space of the classroom. It’s essential for engaging students who are off track, for making specific points, and for energizing already on-task learners. But how can we connect with students when we’re separated by either a computer screen or the physical barriers we currently need to keep everyone safe in the classroom? The following are five ideas we’ve tried this year with middle school and college students—they should also work with the high school students in between. Read More

People with Disabilities Have Money to Spend But are Often Overlooked

A recent article in eMarketer highlighted the importance of marketing to people with disabilities. Rarely adequately represented across advertising campaigns, people with disabilities appreciate inclusion and often spend with the brands that authentically engage them. A study by the American Institutes for Research (AIR) in 2018, according to eMarketer reporter Victoria Petrock, found that the 20 million U.S. working adults (ages 16 to 64) with disabilities had a total disposable income of $490 billion, and their discretionary income averaged about $17,000 per person. Advertisers that want to reach the disability community must be authentic, inclusive and prepared to listen to people with disabilities in order to create the most compelling, effective and thoughtful campaigns. Read More

Lawmaker's Bill to Enable More Special Ed Teachers Signed into Law in Michigan
A lawmaker’s bill that was recently signed into law by Governor Gretchen Whitmer aims to help address a growing shortage of special education teachers in Michigan. Senate Bill 657 was sponsored by Republican State Senator Lana Theis of Brighton Township. A press release says it allows prospective educators in the process of obtaining state certification to teach special education to do so under an interim basis. They are required to complete a training program equivalent to at least 32 college credit hours.  Theis chairs the Senate Education and Career Readiness Committee and commented that nothing is more important than the education of children, especially those with special needs. She said unfortunately, Michigan is experiencing a severe shortage in special education teachers and they need to be doing more to get qualified educators in classrooms and quickly – adding she appreciates that the governor signed her bill. Read More

4 Tips to Help Children with ADHD Learn Virtually
Well, the kids are finally back to school, which is to say the roll out of bed and sit down at the table in front of their computer. As the pandemic continues to spread, most schools are starting the new year online and easing into a hybrid schedule. For children with ADHD, learning both online and in-person can be a challenge. In class, children who have ADHD have to sit still, pay attention to teachers, and finish their work on schedule. Sometimes there are distractions such as noise and other students.  Switching to online learning addresses some of these challenges, however, that has its own set of problems. Children with ADHD may require special assistance to keep track of their online classes and work. Here are some tips to set your child up for success in a virtual classroom. Read More

Parents Share Struggles Children with Autism have During Distance Learning

Parents of children with autism are opening up about their struggles during the coronavirus pandemic. Tobi Rates is the mother of 16-year-old Jake, a high school student in Portland. Rates said her son has autism and is non-verbal. Rates told KATU her son is not getting much out of distance learning and hasn't since the start of the pandemic. "My son checks out really quickly on the video. He'll wave a little bit. He is happy to see his teacher on video, he is happy to see the other students, but that's about it," Rates said. Jake's mom said unless her son's instructors are with him in person, it doesn't help much. Then, teaching school becomes her responsibility. Read More

 

 

TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Congratulations to: Cindi Maurice, Patsy Ray, Karen Frantz-Fry, Betty Rowe, Laurie D'Amico, Diane Campbell-Mitchell, Olumide Akerele, and Wendy Stein who all knew the answer to last week's trivia question:

At specific times, and for certain violations of the student code of conduct, IDEA’s discipline procedures require school systems to conduct what is known as a “manifestation determination review.” The purpose of this review is to determine whether or not the child’s behavior that led to the disciplinary infraction is linked to his or her disability. Under the federal law, IDEA, a manifestation determination must occur within how many days of any decision to change the child’s placement because of a violation of a code of student conduct?

Answer: TEN (10) DAYS

This Week's Trivia Question: John Dalton, a chemist, physicist, and meteorologist was best known for introducing the atomic theory into chemistry. He was also the first scientist to address a type of visual impairment yet to be discussed in the literature. In 1794, what visual impairment did John Dalton describe after realizing he had this specific visual impairment? (Note: His research on this field is sometimes referred to as “Daltonism”)

If you know the answer to this week's trivia questions, email it to us at contactus@naset.org by January 18, 2021. If you are correct, you will be acknowledged in next week's NASET's Week in Review


Neuronal Circuits for Fine Motor Skills

Writing, driving a screw or throwing darts are only some of the activities that demand a high level of skill. How the brain masters such exquisite movements has now been described in the journal "Nature" by a team of researchers at the University of Basel and the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research. A map of brainstem circuits reveals which neurons control the fine motor skills of the arm and hand. Picking up a pen and writing our name or reaching for a fork to eat spaghetti with tomato sauce are things we take for granted. However, holding a pen properly or bringing spaghetti to the mouth without making a mess requires precise arm movements and a high level of skill. Read More

Advocates for Intellectual, Developmental Disabilities See the Need for Quicker Vaccines

As the general population around the country waits to be vaccinated, people in with loved ones who have intellectual and developmental disabilities are wanting the vaccine to arrive quicker. A recent study on the effects of coronavirus show the risk of death for someone with down syndrome at 40-years-old is equivalent to an 80-year-old in the general population. Madisyn Collette is a Topeka seven-year-old with CHARGE syndrome. The disorder affects multiple parts of her body, from her general growth to her brain. “One thing about kids with CHARGE syndrome is that they learn how to overcome a lot of obstacles,” said Madisyn’s mother, Lisa Collette. “So she’s very much a problem solver, and that’s really true of people with CHARGE syndrome. They have to learn how to compensate and they have to learn how to overcome challenges.” Read More

Ice Cream and Coffee Shop Gives Jobs to People with Disabilities

A new ice cream and coffee shop in Sarasota is giving jobs to people with disabilities. Rise Coffee Company and Nye’s Ice Cream Sandwiches is serving up more than gourmet coffee and homemade ice cream, they’re dishing out inclusion. By partnering with two non-profits, The Haven and Easter Seals, Rise and Nye's has about 30 employees with developmental and intellectual disabilities. "It's really fun. I'm making a lot of new friends and learning a lot of new skills and I like looking at all the cute guys," said Julia Deverdzic, an employee. The shop, opening just a week ago, has brought necessary jobs to a struggling population. Read More

Tennessee Unveils $100 Million Plan to Help its Youngest Students Read Better

Tennessee plans to invest $100 million of one-time federal funds in phonics-based reading programs in a sweeping attack on low student literacy rates that have bedeviled the state for decades. Calling it an “exciting moment,” Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn on Monday unveiled Reading 360, an array of programs to train teachers on reading instruction, provide more resources and mentoring networks to school districts, and support families to help their students read better. The goal is to reverse this year’s anticipated learning loss due to the coronavirus pandemic and then catapult third-grade reading proficiency rates from 37% to 62% by 2025 under a new campaign known as “25 by 25.” Read More

Children with Disabilities Regressing During Pandemic, But Help Available

The pandemic is upending education for children with disabilities. As COVID-19 has raged and schools have turned to remote learning, countless parents have seen their children regress. Many children with disabilities need the structure that school offers, and others need interventions that are difficult to provide remotely, such as hands-on instruction, occupational therapy, and aides who guide them through lessons and help them stay on task. For those children, remote learning can mean no learning — as too many parents have learned this year. Read More

 


JOB POSTINGS


* Special Education Teachers - All areas - We are looking for highly motivated and skilled talent to join our team at District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). We seek individuals who are passionate about transforming the DC school system and making a signi?cant di?erence in the lives of public school students, parents, principals, teachers, and central o?ce employees. To learn more - Click here

* Teacher - JHU is looking for an energetic, flexible, and motivated teacher needed to work full-time with a young adult with autism. Teachers work on a multi-disciplinary team with specialists in autism, special education, speech-language pathology, fitness, art, and behavior analysis to address communication, academic, daily living, vocational, and leisure skills in home, educational, and community settings in and around New York City, Connecticut, and via Zoom. To learn more - Click here

* Assistant Professor; Collaborative Special Ed - The University of North Alabama invites applications for the position of tenure-track, Assistant Professor in the Department of Teaching, Learning, & Leadership. Qualifications include: an earned doctorate in special education; a minimum of three years of successful public school experience with students who have either mild, moderate, or severe disabilities in grades K-6, 6-12, or K-12; demonstrated university teaching experience to teach undergraduate courses required for a dual K-6 certification in elementary and special education, along with online graduate courses; excellent verbal and writing skills; the ability to advise teacher education candidates; and the ability to work with P-12 students as well as P-12 schools and administrators. To learn more - Click here

* Educational Instructional Support Specialists - The Collaborative for Educational Services (CES) is seeking Educational Instructional Support Specialists to assist with onsite coordination of hybrid and/or remote teaching and learning. The Specialist will provide structure, onsite support and the connection to teachers as needed.  The Specialist's purpose is to make sure that students have what they need in order to actively, and successfully engage with their learning when done via remote instruction, or through a combination of in person and on-line (hybrid) programming. To learn more- Click here

* FT Special Education Teachers, (K-4, 5-8, 9-12) - PA Virtual has openings for Full Time Special Education Teachers at the Elementary, Middle and High School Levels. All teaching positions are remote and we require candidates to have a current, valid certification to teach in the state of Pennsylvania. The Teacher position is responsible for the planning, organization and implementation of an appropriate instructional program, in an elementary or secondary virtual learning environment. To learn more - Click here

* Special Education Teacher - A local school district in Charleston, SC has partnered with an industry leading healthcare job placement agency, to fill several vacant Special Education Teacher positions in Charleston, SC for the entire 2020-21 School Year. The Special Education Teacher is responsible for planning, coordinating and the provision of special education services to eligible students. This position assures adherence to timelines and federal and state requirements for special education services and the responsibility for monitoring compliance with Individualized Services Plans (ISP) and/or Individualized Education Plan (IEP). To learn more - Click here

* Special Education Teacher - Merakey is seeking a Special Education Teacher to join our Education Services within our Children's and Family division in our school in Chambersburg PA for the 2020-2021 school year. The Merakey Children's and Family Division focuses on a continuum of care throughout the lifespan. The core, fundamental principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) are incorporated into a specialized approach across all service offerings. To learn more - Click here

* Special Education (Autism) PreK-4  - General responsibilities indlude aiding each student consistent with his or her abilities and educational needs. Develop competence in the basic learning skills, progress on the basis of achievement, and to qualify for further education and/or employment. To learn more - Click here

* Virtual Special Education Teacher Positions - K12 believes in education for everyone. We provide families an online option for a high-quality, personalized education experience. Students can thrive, find their passion, and learn in an environment that encourages discovery at their own pace. In support of this, we are committed to creating and maintaining a culture of inclusion and diversity. To learn more - Click here

* Special Education Teacher - $60,000/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

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


FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty.

Winston Churchill

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