Week in Review - July 1, 2022


 

NASET

WEEK IN REVIEW

National Association of Special Education Teachers

July 1, 2022                 Vol 18 Issue #26


Continuing_Ed


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

July 2022 - NASET's Special Educator e-Journal

Table of Contents

  • Special Education Legal Alert. By Perry A. Zirkel
  • Buzz from the Hub
  • The U.S. Department of Education Releases Proposed Changes to Title IX Regulations, Invites Public Comment
  • Secretary Cardona Lays Out Vision to Support and Elevate the Teaching Profession
  • Transition to Preschool
  • Providing Early Intervention Services in Natural Environments
  • Examining General Education and Special Education Teacher Preparedness for Co-Teaching Students with Disabilities
  • Acknowledgement

Read More


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


National Education Data: More Students with Disabilities Served Over Past Decade in Public Schools

The percentage of public school students with disabilities has increased over the past decade, with children, teens and young adults getting help through a wide variety of programs, new federal data finds. In a report called Condition of Education 2022, data from the U.S. Department of Education found that in the 2020-21 school year, 7.2 million students with disabilities were served under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA. The data point is based on preliminary enrollment data, the report says, but that’s about 15 percent of all 49.4 million public school students in 2020-21. Compare that to the 2009-10 school year, when 6.5 million public students were served by IDEA, about 13 percent, according to the report. Read More

 

Special Olympics Unified Sports Give Athletes a Stage. But is the Program Inclusive Enough?

Wherever Rosemary Parisi goes in Mount Olive, she meets people who know her daughter, Gabriella. GiGi, who has Down syndrome, was a year-round, general-education athlete at Mount Olive High School and Homecoming queen. She even appeared on a Times Square billboard, sponsored by the National Down Syndrome Society.  Sports have been key to GiGi's popularity, surprising even Rosemary, a special education teacher at MacKinnon Middle School in Wharton. GiGi was part of the Mount Olive field hockey, basketball and softball teams alongside her neurotypical peers. She also participates with Mount Olive's Special Olympics Unified track and field program, which blends students with intellectual disabilities and neurotypical partners. Unified clubs, teams and events often require lower time commitments than their general-education equivalents. But there are few limitations on what can be called Unified, or how inclusive those programs should be. Read More

A Smart Jumpsuit Tracks Infants' Motor Development

New wearable technology creates new possibilities for assessing the neurological development of young children. Early motor assessment is essential for supporting the early detection of neurodevelopmental problems and their therapeutic interventions. A Finnish research group at the BABA Center, Helsinki Children's Hospital, has developed a novel wearable for infants for the reliable assessment of motor abilities during early development. The smart jumpsuit MAIJU (Motor Assessment of Infants with a Jumpsuit) is a wearable medical device equipped with multiple movement sensors, which assist in assessing and predicting children's neurological development. Read More

AI Detects Autism Speech Patterns Across Different Languages

A new study led by Northwestern University researchers used machine learning—a branch of artificial intelligence—to identify speech patterns in children with autism that were consistent between English and Cantonese, suggesting that features of speech might be a useful tool for diagnosing the condition. Undertaken with collaborators in Hong Kong, the study yielded insights that could help scientists distinguish between genetic and environmental factors shaping the communication abilities of people with autism, potentially helping them learn more about the origin of the condition and develop new therapies. Children with autism often talk more slowly than typically developing children, and exhibit other differences in pitch, intonation and rhythm. Read More

 


 


Can Virtual Reality Help Children with Autism Navigate the Real World?

Vijay Ravindran has always been fascinated with technology. At Amazon, he oversaw the team that built and started Amazon Prime. Later, he joined The Washington Post as chief digital officer, where he advised Donald E. Graham on the sale of the newspaper to his former boss, Jeff Bezos, in 2013. By late 2015, Ravindran was winding down his time at the renamed Graham Holdings Co. But his primary focus was his son, who was then 6 years old and undergoing therapy for autism. “Then an amazing thing happened,” Ravindran said. Ravindran was noodling around with a virtual reality headset when his son asked to try it out. After spending 30 minutes using the headset in Google Street View, the child went to his playroom and started acting out what he had done in virtual reality. Read More

 

Campaign Aims to Help Solve Workforce Shortage by Including People with Disabilities

Vermont disability organizations are working together to inform employers about a large group of in-state residents who could be valuable employees. The campaign, called Our Time Is Now, aims to help Vermonters with disabilities join the workforce.  Vermont’s workforce took a hit during the Covid-19 pandemic, losing 22,000 workers since 2019, according to Kyle Thweatt, a spokesperson for the Vermont Department of Labor. Leaders of the campaign say the Vermonters they work with are ready and able to help the state bounce back. Involved in the campaign are the Vermont Center for Independent Living, Vermont Developmental Disabilities Council, HireAbility Vermont, Vermont Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and Vermont Statewide Independent Living Council. Read More

ADHD and ASD: What the Eyes Could Reveal

It's often said that 'the eyes tell it all', but no matter what their outward expression, the eyes may also be able to signal neurodevelopmental disorders such as ASD and ADHD according to new research from Flinders University and the University of South Australia. In the first study of its kind, researchers found that recordings from the retina could identify distinct signals for both Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) providing a potential biomarker for each condition. Using the 'electroretinogram' (ERG) -- a diagnostic test that measures the electrical activity of the retina in response to a light stimulus -- researchers found that children with ADHD showed higher overall ERG energy, whereas children with ASD showed less ERG energy. Read More

 

Using Blended Learning to Explore Multifaceted Topics

Loyola Marymount University’s Shannon Tabaldo predicts that blended learning will naturally become “just everyday good teaching in K–12 classrooms.” Over the past seven years, I’ve had the opportunity to observe scores of K–12 blended learning classrooms and lead pre-service and in-service teacher training. This has given me a wealth of firsthand and practical instructional insight into the benefits of blended learning pedagogy. In this article, I share some of the major benefits of blended learning and explore how a blended learning model helps promote curricular alignment and instructional breadth. I define blended learning as the purposeful, coordinated, and synergistic employment of varied learning approaches (classroom, hybrid, and online), exercised through various learning modalities (small group, collaborative, independent, and online), to collectively expand, extend, and enrich the opportunities for learning. Read More

 



TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Congratulations to: Arnold Chua, Donna Mooney, Diane Campbell-Mitchell, Olivia Strozier, Katrina Snider, Karen Frantz-Fry, Becky Segenhagen, Patsy Ray, Lauro Esquilona, Cindi Maurice, Kristen Harvey, Tracey Christilles, Christine C. Powell, and Corinn Mildenberg who all knew the answer to last week's trivia question:

The prevalence of this disorder in the worldwide pediatric population has been stable over the past 30 years except in the United States, where cases have increased. According to a 2016 parent survey, approximately 6.1 million US children (9.4%) had received a diagnosis of this disorder. Worldwide, the disorder is the third most common mental health disorder, following depression and anxiety. Overall, girls (5.6%) are less likely to be diagnosed with this disorder than boys (12.9%). What is the disorder?

Answer: ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER (ADHD)

This week's trivia question: This inefficiency in the cognitive management systems of the brain affects a variety of neuropsychological processes such as planning, organization, strategizing, paying attention to and remembering details, and managing time and space. Although not a learning disability, different patterns of weakness in it are almost always seen in the learning profiles of individuals who have specific learning disabilities or ADHD. It is a process of higher brain activity that is involved in goal directed activities. and enables people to make decisions and direct attention to a range areas in order to be successful in in a more wholsitic goal. What is this set of mental skills (that include working memory, flexible thinking, and self-control) called?

If you know the answer to this week's trivia questions, email it to us at contactus@naset.org by July 5, 2022. If you are correct, you will be acknowledged in next week's NASET's Week in Review


Training Virtually Can Reduce Psychosocial Stress and Anxiety

Previous research has described how virtual training produces acute cognitive and neural benefits. Building on those results, a new study suggests that a similar virtual training can also reduce psychosocial stress and anxiety. Researchers from Tohoku University's Smart-Aging Research Center (IDAC) published their findings in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health on May 23, 2022.Physical exercise benefits our overall well-being. But for some -- such as neurological patients, people suffering from cardiovascular disease, and hospitalized patients -- physical exercise is not feasible, or even too dangerous. However, similar effects may be brought about using Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR). Despite initially designed for entertainment, IVR has attracted interest from the academic community because of its potential use for clinical purposes, since it allows the user to experience a virtual world through a virtual body. Read More

 

Connecting With the Very Young Gifted Child

Educators have long been working on how to develop a more equitable curriculum that caters to all learners. Many times, however, teachers don’t consider gifted students when they plan and implement differentiated learning strategies. The late Barbara Clark—former professor emerita of California State University, Los Angeles, past president of the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children, and author of Growing Up Gifted: Developing the Potential of Children at School and at Home—defined gifted as the inborn biological superior development of various brain functions in the areas of cognition, creativity, academics, leadership, or the arts. But Clark also made clear that the “growth of intelligence depends on the interaction between biological inheritance and environmental opportunities.” In this claim, Clark urged us to consider the strong, rich, and timely connection between nature and nurture. Read More

Canadian Girl with Autism in World-First Test on How Brain Stimulation Could Stop Severe Self-Harm

A nine-year-old Canadian girl with autism spectrum disorder has “amazed” her doctors and scientists after they were able to send electrical signals to her brain that stopped her from inflicting severe harm on herself. Ellie Tomljanovic who lives in Barrie, Ont., is patient number one in a world-first study to see if deep brain stimulation (DBS) can stop children who repeatedly try to hurt themselves. Doctors estimate that up to 50% of children with ASD self-harm, including by hitting themselves, biting and punching others. Ellie’s violent outbursts were devastatingly severe. Read More

 



Lehigh University Special Education Law Symposium

Lehigh University’s virtual Special Education Law Symposium returns from June 19-24. Sessions recorded for later viewing. Twenty-eight experienced special education attorneys from across the country will present eight new “hot topics” from the very latest case law: dyslexia legal update, stay put permutations, liability for abuse of students with disabilities, navigating compensatory services and compensatory education, settlement strategies, and more with a focus upon COVID-19 implications. Legally Basic and Legally Experienced tracks. The Section 504 Coordinators Institute is an overlapping, but separable two-day (June 23-24) component intended for school district Section 504 coordinators and others interested in this increasingly important anti-discrimination statute. Dr. Perry Zirkel (PA) and Jose Martin (TX) will respectively offer (a) an in-depth comparison of Section 504 and the IDEA and (b) legal nuances for IDEA-eligible students who also present unique Section 504 factors. Kathleen Sullivan (CO) and Judith Nedell (CT) offer a full day of practical solutions to basic and thorny 504 challenges. Week-long and per day symposium options available. Balance of school and parent viewpoints. For more information, see go.lehigh.edu/spedlaw, or call (610) 758-5557. Read More


Researcher Examines Outdated Funding Formulas in Special Education

On the campaign trail in 2020, President Joe Biden promised to fully fund the federal government’s $38 billion obligation to pay for special education for students with disabilities. In its first two years of office, the Biden-Harris administration took steps toward fulfilling this promise by increasing education federal funding by 15.6%. While increasing federal funding for special education may seem like a positive direction, a research team led by University of Vermont professor Tammy Kolbe suggests that federal support for special education is not going where it’s most needed. A new working paper published by the Annenberg Center at Brown University — coauthored by UVM’s Kolbe (CESS), Elizabeth Dhuey from the University of Toronto Scarborough, and Sara Menlove Doutre from WestEd — found that the formula used to distribute federal dollars to states for special education programs creates large and concerning disparities. Read More

Study Examined COVID-19 Policies' Effects on People with Disabilities

The gym closures, social distancing mandates and other COVID-19 mitigation policies in the U.S. negatively affected the mental health and well-being of some people with disabilities by significantly curtailing their ability to remain active, researchers found. In a survey of more than 950 people with diverse types of disabilities, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign identified four groups of people – heavily impacted, resilient, adapted and radically changed – who were differently affected by the pandemic. They observed that people in the heavily impacted group, who experienced the greatest disruptions during the pandemic – about 39% of those surveyed, many of them veterans and women – reported significantly worse mental health. Read More

 

75% of Teens Aren't Getting Recommended Daily Exercise

Three out of every four teens aren't getting enough exercise, and this lack is even more pronounced among female students. But new research from the University of Georgia suggests improving a school's climate can increase physical activity among adolescents. School environments play a critical role in helping children develop healthy behaviors, like creating healthy eating habits, said lead study author Janani R. Thapa. And the same goes for physical activity. "The length of recess, physical facilities and social environments at schools have been found to affect physical activity among students," said Thapa, an associate professor of health policy and management at UGA's College of Public Health. Read More

New Law to Help Students with Disabilities Register to Vote

New Hampshire students with disabilities will get help registering to vote under a new law that will take effect in August. The new law requires school officials, parents, and students with disabilities who are 17 or older to discuss voter registration as part of their special education planning for life after graduation. The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Mark Paige, said he introduced the legislation after hearing from parents who wanted to be sure that their children graduate ready to be full civic participants in their communities. “Just having that conversation about registering delivers an empowering message to the student,” said Paige, D-Exeter. “It says: we need you involved; your voice and vote matter, and when you use them, you can have an impact.” Read More



JOB POSTINGS

* Middle School Teacher: Grades 6-8 - Students are broken into small groups for math, reading, and written language. The team-teaching model requires good communication and professional collaboration skills to provide the best educational experience for our students. To learn more- Click here

* Special Education Teacher K-12 - To develop students' interest, abilities, talents and skills for education and understanding by implementing district approved curriculum; documenting teaching and student progress/activities/outcomes; developing lesson plans; modeling the necessary skills to performing assigned tasks; providing a safe and optimal learning environment; and providing feedback to students, parents and administration regarding student progress, expectations, goals, etc. To learn more- Click here

* High School Math Teacher - Gateway Academy is the first 6th-12th Grade Private Day School in the State of Arizona, specializing in a pure population of Exceptional students. We are seeking a unique Teacher to add to our team of Warriors. To learn more- Click here

* Special Education Teacher for Private New York Schools Program - Under general direction, is responsible for conducting educational classes for special education pre-school and school age students or Early Intervention, Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) or Day Care programs in accordance with the needs of the students and in accordance with the regulations and requirements of the applicable governmental and other regulatory agencies. Acts as team leader of each student’s team. The Teacher is a management and supervisory position. To learn more- Click here

* Special Education Teacher - Watertown, NY - Responsible for the supervision of all other staff in the classroom. Ensures that the appropriate staff/child ratio for the classroom is maintained at all times. Support the contribution of parent involvement and to assist in the implementation of this in all aspects of the educational program. Provide homebound services as requested by supervisor as schedule permits. To learn more- Click here

* [2022-2023] Middle School Learning Specialist - Reporting to the Academic Dean, the Learning Specialist will be responsible for providing tailored support to students with special education needs, through integrated co-teaching, in small group settings, or a combination of both. This is an exciting opportunity for a seasoned educator who is passionate about ensuring all students succeed and thrive in school. To learn more- Click here

* [2022-2023] High School Learning Specialist - Reporting to the Academic Dean, the High School Learning Specialist will be responsible for building meaningful relationships with students, implementing a Common Core-aligned curriculum, and working with their grade team to analyze data to drive instruction. This is an exciting opportunity for an educator who is passionate about improving student outcomes by leading excellent instruction and building a positive school culture. To learn more- Click here

* Special Education Teacher and Paraprofessional Positions – District Wide - The purpose of these positions is to help each student learn subject matter and skills that will contribute to his/her development as a mature, capable, and responsible adult. Provide a positive, healthy, and safe environment in which the student can achieve his/her maximum potential. To learn more- Click here

* Chief of Adult Services, Aspire Living & Learning - Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief of Adult Services will serve on the eight-person Executive team that provides leadership across the entire organization. In this capacity, the CAS will play an integral role in informing, creating, and executing the strategic direction of Aspire. The CAS will directly manage five staff members, four of whom oversee program operations in an Aspire state (CT, MA, MD, NH) and one of whom oversees facilities. To learn more- Click here

* Special Education Teacher (Sign on Bonus) - The Special Education Teacher works closely with all members of the dedicated, inter-disciplinary therapeutic team supporting the students and classroom. Teachers also collaborate with parents and guardians to ensure the greatest wrap around services, school -to-home communications, and understanding of the student. Collaboration with our partnering school districts is also essential. To learn more- Click here

* Physical Education Teacher (Sign on Bonus) - The Physical Education Teacher works closely with all members of the dedicated, inter-disciplinary therapeutic team supporting the students and classroom. This teacher also collaborates with parents and guardians to ensure the greatest wrap around services, school -to-home communications, and understanding of the student. Collaboration with our partnering school districts is also essential. To learn more- Click here

* Teacher's Aide I (Sign on Bonus) - The purpose of this position is to provide support and performs duties as assigned under the direct supervision of the classroom teacher(s) and by the general direction of the Principal or Assistant Principal. To learn more- Click here

*Special Education Teacher - The Special Education Teacher will teach at one of our Network campuses. The Special Education Teacher will be responsible for planning lessons and curricula, administering assessments, collecting and analyzing data, and relentlessly supporting students to achieve academic excellence. To learn more- Click here

* Special Ed Intellectual Disabilities Teacher, ES, MS, HS - Provides and is accountable for the planning, assessment, instruction, communication, human relations, safety, and management of a classroom or assigned instructional setting. Supports FCPS mission to "inspire, enable, and empower students to meet high academic standards, lead ethical lives, and demonstrate responsible citizenship." To learn more- Click here

* Special Ed Learning Disabilities Teacher, ES, MS, HS - Provides and is accountable for the planning, assessment, instruction, communication, human relations, safety, and management of a classroom or assigned instructional setting. Supports FCPS mission to "inspire, enable, and empower students to meet high academic standards, lead ethical lives, and demonstrate responsible citizenship." To learn more- Click here

* Special Ed Multiple Disabilities Teacher, ES, MS, HS - Provides and is accountable for the planning, assessment, instruction, communication, human relations, safety, and management of a classroom or assigned instructional setting. Supports FCPS mission to "inspire, enable, and empower students to meet high academic standards, lead ethical lives, and demonstrate responsible citizenship." To learn more- Click here

* Special Education Teacher - Autism - Responsible for planning, implementing, and evaluating instructional activities for special education students. Create a flexible class environment favorable to learning and personal growth; establish effective rapport with students; motivate students to develop skills, attitudes, and knowledge in accordance with each student’s ability; and establish good relationships with parents and other staff members. To learn more- Click here

* Educational Specialist - Environmental Charter Schools is seeking a talented and dynamic Educational Specialist with a Moderate/Severe credential who is passionate about ensuring educational equity for students with exceptionalities. This position provides the opportunity to partner with special education and general education teachers across three campuses in order to prepare low-income students of color with exceptionalities for college success. To learn more- Click here

* Special Education Teacher - We are recruiting for three Special Education Teachers to serve Quest Academy Day Treatment Center in Longview, WA for the 2022-2023 school year. These positions are full time, 192 day contracts. To learn more- Click here

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


FOOD FOR THOUGHT

There is immense power when a group of people with similar interests gets together to work toward the same goals. Idowu Koyenikan

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