Week in Review - May 14, 2021

 


NASET

WEEK IN REVIEW

National Association of Special Education Teachers

May 14, 2021                 Vol 17 Issue #19


 


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,


Continuing_Ed


WHATS NEW AT NASET

Working with Paraprofessionals in Your Schools

Where is the Paraeducator Content in Introductory Special Education Textbooks?

Sarah N. Douglas, Ph.D.

Michigan State University

 

Denise J. Uitto, Ed.D. (retired faculty)

University of Akron Wayne College

 

Sophia D’Agostino, Ph.D.

Hope College

Abstract 

This issue of NASET’s Working with Paraprofessionals in Your Schools comes from the Fall 2020 edition of JAASEP and was written by Sarah N. Douglas, Ph.D., Denise J. Uitto, Ed.D. and Sophia D’Agostino, Ph.D. Paraeducators have become an important member of educational teams for students with disabilities. Although paraeducator supervision is mandated in federal law, numerous studies have noted challenges with paraeducator supervision. High quality teacher preparation, including use of materials that provide paraeducator focused content, is one way to ensure appropriate supervision and training of paraeducators. As a first step in analyzing teacher preparation materials for paraeducator content and alignment with research recommendations, a systematic review of introductory special education textbooks was conducted. Findings indicate limited content within most introductory special education textbooks regarding recommended team roles, professional standards, and paraeducator content. Limitations, future research directions, and implications for practice are discussed. 

 Read More


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

 

A Lost Year of Friendships and More for Kids with Disabilities

Eight-year-old Lyra Christensen loves to play the harmonica after a long day at school. She is one of more than 250,000 public school students with disabilities in Ohio -- that’s about 15 percent of the student population. Due to her intellectual disability, Lyra has an individualized education program or IEP at Akron Public Schools. When the pandemic struck last spring, some Ohio schools continued to offer in-person classes for students with disabilities. Akron did not, which meant that Lyra had to learn remotely. Her mother, Holly Christensen, says, it felt like the IEP went out the window. “It was impossible to try to teach her through a computer. How are you going to do occupational therapy with manipulatives, unless one of us sat there all day long, and we both work.” Read More

https://www.ideastream.org/news/a-lost-year-of-friendships-and-more-for-kids-with-disabilities

 

 

Eating Issues Common in People with Autism

While it's well established that autism and certain eating issues go hand in hand, does gender also play a role? Apparently it does, according to Swedish researchers who set out to better understand whether being male or female influenced eating issues in people who have autism. The study found that autistic traits predicted eating problems, but the link was more pronounced particularly among girls or women. These issues around eating might increase the risk of social isolation for females with autism, the researchers also found. "We didn't study the potential genetic difference between males and females, but we did look at this association between autism and eating problems. And we wanted to know if that was different between females and males," said study author Karl Lundin Remnelius, a PhD student at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm. Read More

https://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/news/20210504/eating-issues-common-in-people-with-autism

 

Children with Special Educational Needs Six Times More Likely to be Excluded in Parts of England

Figures from a freedom of information request show that while children with additional needs make up just 15% of all school pupils in the UK, in Liverpool they accounted for 45% of permanent exclusions in the last full academic year before the pandemic. That figure is replicated across the North West region, meaning some of the most vulnerable children are missing out on an education, social interaction and development. Kat, from Southport, said her daughter, who has been diagnosed with ADHD, missed out on four years of school after being excluded aged 10, leading to lasting trauma. She told LBC: "She’s being punished for things that she can’t help because they relate to her disability and it had a really negative effect on her. Read More

https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/children-special-educational-needs-six-times-more-likely-excluded-north-west/

 

Pain Keeps Women and Girls with Autism Home from Work, School

Women and girls with autism experience more frequent and more disabling pain than autistic men and boys do, according to new unpublished research. They are also more likely to miss work, school or other activities as a result. “Autistic individuals are experiencing a fair amount of pain, often on a daily basis, and it can have quite an impact on their lives,” says Michelle Failla, co-investigator and assistant professor of nursing at The Ohio State University in Columbus. “We need to make sure we’re addressing pain specifically for autistic females.” Failla and her collaborators presented the findings virtually at the 2021 International Society for Autism Research annual meeting this week. (Links to abstracts may work only for registered conference attendees.). Read More

https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/pain-keeps-autistic-women-and-girls-home-from-work-school/

Siblings Boost Daily-Living Skills for People with Autism

Having a sibling may help people with autism navigate their daily lives better, according to a new unpublished study. Researchers presented the findings virtually at the 2021 International Society for Autism Research annual meeting this week. (Links to abstracts may work only for registered conference attendees.) Many autistic people struggle with adaptive functioning, or the ability to communicate, socialize and perform daily tasks at an age-appropriate level. But regular social engagement with peers can help improve these skills, studies show. For autistic people, regular social interactions can also come by way of siblings, said Nicole Rosen, a graduate student in Catherine Lord’s lab at the University of California, Los Angeles, at a press conference at the meeting. Read More

https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/siblings-boost-autistic-peoples-daily-living-skills/

 

Violence Among Adolescents and Videogames

Videogames may negatively affect children and adolescents by promoting aggressive behaviors. These findings were presented during the American Psychiatric Association annual meeting held virtually from May 1 to 3, 2021. Medical charts from 3 children who presented at the emergency department at the Buffalo General Medical Center due to aggressive behavior involving a videogame were reviewed. A boy aged 11 years who was White and had previously been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactive disorder and oppositional defiant disorder was brought to the hospital after a confrontation with his brother. The 2 boys had an episode of physical aggression over a videogame in which the boy chased his brother with a knife. The patient had a history of physical abuse from his stepfather and was being bullied at school. Another 11-year-old White boy with attention deficit hyperactive disorder and oppositional defiant disorder was escorted to the hospital by the police for an emergency mental health evaluation. Read More

https://www.psychiatryadvisor.com/home/conference-highlights/apa-2021/videogames-may-negatively-affect-children-and-adolescents-by-promoting-aggressive-behaviors/

May 2021

People with Disabilities Faced Pandemic Triage Biases

When COVID-19 patients began filling up ICUs throughout the country in 2020, health care providers faced difficult decisions. Health care workers had to decide which patients were most likely to recover with care and which were not so resources could be prioritized. But a new paper from the University of Georgia suggests that unconscious biases in the health care system may have influenced how individuals with intellectual disabilities were categorized in emergency triage protocols. The state-level protocols, while crucial for prioritizing care during disasters, frequently allocated resources to able-bodied patients over ones with disabilities, the researchers found. Read More

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/05/210504112633.htm

 

People with Intellectual Disabilities are Helping Providers Improve the Vaccination Experience

When Natasha Black learned that she was eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine, she said she was excited—and hopeful that daily life might finally get back to normal. Black, a member of a self-advocacy group for people with intellectual disabilities, had spent the year away from family, friends, and work. Isolated in her group home in the Pennsylvania suburbs, she missed being able to take walks, chat with neighbors, play a game of pickup soccer. "I was staying at home every day—we couldn't do nothing," said Black, who knew she needed to be especially careful not to get coronavirus. "I was worried. I was bored. I had some hard times," she said. Read More

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-05-people-intellectual-disabilities-vaccination.html


TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK

This week's trivia question:

One of the most popular toy brands has a new product designed for children who are blind or have visual impairments. It has launched a line of toy blocks called Braille Bricks with studs on top that reflect individual letters and numbers in the braille alphabet. The bricks are available in seven countries including the U.S. and the nonprofit American Printing House for the Blind is shipping the bricks to school districts across the nation for free. What is the toy brand?

If you know the answer to this week's trivia questions, email it to us at contactus@naset.org by May 17, 2021. If you are correct, you will be acknowledged in next week's NASET's Week in Review


How to Get the Benefits of Interactive Notebooks in Digital Formats

In 2007, I taught at a public high school that was obsessed with interactive notebooks. They fully embraced the interactive-notebook movement and bought every ninth-grade student a thick spiral notebook for each core subject. The notebooks were delivered to classrooms in large boxes to be distributed to students each semester. The concept is simple: The left side is for creative thinking, and the right side is for objective material. The right side often involves cutting and pasting handouts that require critical thinking and interacting with the materials. A table of contents (TOC) on the first page aligns with a large, visible class version to keep students on track with their page numbering. They’re designed to teach organization, allow students to explore ideas creatively in their own manner, and encourage multiple learning approaches for the same content that engages in higher-level thinking. Read More

https://www.edutopia.org/article/how-get-benefits-interactive-notebooks-digital-formats

Study Examines Movement in Children with Autism

For more than a year, researchers at The University of Texas at El Paso's Stanley E. Fulton Gait Research & Movement Analysis Lab in the College of Health Sciences have been using real-time 3D animation to investigate motor impairments in children who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Their aim is to understand how children with autism can learn motor skills, so that they can receive effective therapies. The results of their study, titled "Children With Autism Exhibit More Individualized Responses to Live Animation Biofeedback Than Do Typically Developing Children," were recently published in the journal of Perceptual and Motor Skills. The paper's release coincides with National Autism Awareness Month in April. Read More

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/05/210503172850.htm

 

Special Education Teacher Shortage Worries Michigan Educators

A shortage of special education teachers in Michigan is growing worse during the pandemic.

That shortage is prompting the state to loosen restrictions just to fill gaps, but those directly affected by the problem say the state needs to act before the problem gets out of hand. “It was a 40 percent increase in retirement from last year’s numbers,” said Kate Dupuis, a special education elementary teacher at Carrollton Public Schools. Dupuis said the statewide teacher shortage is bad and getting worse. She’s also a mother to a daughter with special needs. “So this is a significant effect to me as a mother to be losing these teachers because then it affects me as a mother because then I only have these years to make sure she gets the skills,” Dupuis said. Dupuis attributed shortages to teacher’s burnout, unflexible standardized evaluations, the high cost of education needed to go into the field, and of course the pandemic. Read More

https://abc17news.com/news/national-world/2021/05/03/special-education-teacher-shortage-worries-michigan-educators/

May 2021

5 Reasons Why Up-to-Date Assessment Data is Critical for IEPs, Especially this Year

Many school districts throughout the country are having tough conversations about the need for student assessments this spring, given all that has happened over the last year. Reasons for not testing abound, including competing priorities, such as the need to focus on improving hybrid learning models, and putting the whole child and emotional needs ahead of testing. Some administrators also think data gathered this year will be unreliable, given the different testing conditions. In fact, some states have already canceled formal assessments, so there will be no updated data for this school year. This is very unfortunate, especially in the area of special education. Not testing students this year will significantly impact the foundation of special education instruction, that is, individualized education programs (IEPs). Read More

https://districtadministration.com/5-reasons-why-up-to-date-assessment-data-is-critical-for-ieps-especially-this-year/

 

Mental Health, Other Conditions Up for Teens with Autism

Adolescents with autism are more likely to have physical difficulties and additional mental health or other conditions compared with general population controls, according to research published in the April 30 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Patrick S. Powell, Ph.D., from the CDC in Atlanta, and colleagues analyzed preliminary data from a follow-up survey of parents and guardians of adolescents aged 12 to 16 years to examine use of health care services as these children transition to adolescence. Outcomes were compared between autism and control groups. Read More

https://consumer.healthday.com/mental-health-other-conditions-up-for-teens-with-autism-2652822368.html

 

Multi-Drug Resistant Infection About to Evolve within Patients with Cystic Fibrosis

Scientists have been able to track how a multi-drug resistant organism is able to evolve and spread widely among cystic fibrosis patients -- showing that it can evolve rapidly within an individual during chronic infection. The researchers say their findings highlight the need to treat patients with Mycobacterium abscessus infection immediately, counter to current medical practice. Around one in 2,500 children in the UK is born with cystic fibrosis, a hereditary condition that causes the lungs to become clogged up with thick, sticky mucus. The condition tends to decrease life expectancy among patients. Read More

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/04/210429142629.htm

 

Treatment Found to Improve Cognitive Function in Patients with Fragile X Syndrome

An experimental treatment produced improvements in cognitive function and language in patients with fragile X syndrome, according to study results published on April 29 in Nature Medicine. Fragile X syndrome (known as FXS for short) is the most common known genetic cause of autism and the most common cause of inherited intellectual disability. "These results offer hope for patients with fragile X syndrome and their families," said Elizabeth Berry-Kravis, MD, PhD, a pediatric neurologist at Rush University Medical Center and principal investigator of the study. "The majority of clinical outcome measures were in favor of the drug. These measures included performance-based assessments, biomarkers, and parent and physician-rated scales, which in combination, suggest a meaningful impact on the global FXS disease process." Read More

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/04/210429142643.htm



JOB POSTINGS

Special Education Teacher- Albemarle County Public Schools is committed to providing all students the opportunity to learn from talented, diverse teachers who represent the many cultures and experiences of our community. We seek to hire educators who demonstrate the ability to work with culturally diverse students, and who see themselves as lifelong learners – always willing to learn new things to best meet the ever-changing needs of our students. To learn more- Click here

* [2021-2022] Special Education Teacher (Learning Specialist) - Reporting to the Academic Dean, the Special Education Teacher 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

* ELA Special Education Teacher(Learning Specialist) - Reporting to the Academic Dean, the ELA Special Education Teacher 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

* Middle School Special Education Teacher - Reporting to the Academic Dean, the Middle School Special Education Teacher 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 se

asoned educator who is passionate about ensuring all students succeed and thrive in school. To learn more - Click here

* [2021-2022] Math Special Education Teacher - Reporting to the Academic Dean, the Math Special Education Teacher 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

* [2021-2022] High School Math Learning Specialist - Reporting to the Academic Dean, the High School Math 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

* [2021-2022] Elementary ICT Teacher - Reporting to the Academic Dean, the Elementary ICT Teacher will be responsible for providing tailored support to students with special education needs, primarily through integrated co-teaching. 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

* Special Education - Elementary & High School - Provide direct and indirect instructional and related services to students age 5-12 with a range of disabilities including but not limited to physical, cognitive, communication, social or emotional, adaptive, and learning disabilities. You coordinate the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) process. To learn more - Click here

* Learning Specialist - Reporting to the Regional Director of Online Programs, the Learning Specialist is responsible for providing personalized academic support services to online Dual Enrollment students and other individuals in the Bay Area, CA who need these supports and resources. To learn more - Click here

* Education Specialist (Special Education Teacher) - We are looking for talented and committed educators to serve as Special Education Teachers & Case Managers, working primarily with students with Individualized Education Plans in inclusive settings, resource programs, & highly specialized Special Education programs. We are a thriving nonprofit network of 16 free, public charter schools open to all students. To learn more - Click here

* [2021-2022] Elementary Reading Interventionist - This position will serve as a school resource for staff and parents with regards to special education services and regulations. The Intervention Specialist will work closely with the Student Support Team (SST) to assist in observing, documenting, and referring students with suspected special education impairments. The candidate should be able to monitor students; continuous progress through data collection and observation and provide information/support and training to teachers and parents around their child's needs. To learn more - Click here

* [2021-2022] ENL Teacher - Reporting to the Academic Dean, the ENL Teacher will be responsible for designing and leading ELL instruction, and collaborating with school staff to provide English language support. This is an exciting opportunity for a dynamic educator who is passionate about improving student outcomes for all students, and eager to apply their vision for rigorous, whole-child education in a growing, collaborative school community. To learn more - Click here

* Special Education Teacher (All Specializations) - We are looking for highly motivated and skilled Special Education Teachers to join our team at District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). We are primarily hiring for several Inclusion/Resource classrooms as well as Communication and Education Supports (Autism) classrooms. We seek individuals who are passionate about transforming the DC school system and making a signi?cant di?erence in the lives of our students with special educational needs. To learn more - Click here

* [2021-2022] ELA Special Education Teacher - Reporting to the Academic Dean, the ELA Special Education Teacher 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

* SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER - (Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary) - (Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary) To create a safe atmosphere conducive for learning and implements instruction in ways that allows all students to learn. Plans and provides for appropriate learning experiences for students. To learn more - Click here

* Lower Elementary SPED Teacher - Reporting to the Academic Dean, the Lower Elementary SPED Teacher will be responsible for providing tailored support to students with special education needs, primarily through integrated co-teaching. 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

* Elementary ICT Teacher - Reporting to the Academic Dean, the Elementary ICT Teacher will be responsible for providing tailored support to students with special education needs, primarily through integrated co-teaching. 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

* [2021-2022] Math Special Education Teacher - 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

* [2021-22] Middle School Special Education Teacher - Reporting to the Academic Dean, the Middle School Special Education Teacher 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

* [2021-2022] Special Education Teacher (Learning Specialist) - From our schools to our playing fields, DREAM is committed to building a team where each individual can bring their full identity and experience to work because representation matters—it enriches our team culture, enhances our ability to innovate, and strengthens our impact in and out of the classroom. DREAM engages staff that represent and appreciate the diversity of our majority Black and Hispanic student body, while working to ensure that our practices are equitable, welcoming, and productive. To learn more - Click here

* Director, Special Services - Serves under the immediate direction of the Senior Executive Director, Student Services and must possess specialized in-depth knowledge and experience in leadership in the program and fiscal administration of special education programs with primary responsibilities that encompass compliance and program quality assurance, fiscal management, personnel matters, and more. To learn more - Click here

* Exceptional Children's Teachers - Winston Salem/Forsyth County Schools are looking for a variety of experienced and certified EC Teachers at the elementary, middle and high school levels. We offer a variety of benefits including: health, dental, and life insurance. In addition, employees are enrolled in the state retirement plan, accrue paid time off, etc. To learn more - Click here

* High School Learning Specialist 20-21 and 21-22 - Opportunity Charter School (OCS) teachers are trained in cutting-edge, research-based methodology of evaluating students’ academic strengths and challenges. To maximize each child’s personal development, an individualized education plan is created that is tailored to his or her unique needs. Students receive differentiated instruction in every curricular area with the goal of expanding their higher cognitive thinking. To learn more - Click here

* Special Needs Tutors - is seeking dynamic, state credentialed special needs teachers to tutor on our virtual platform teaching learners all over the world. This is a perfect second job to earn extra money from the safety of your own home. There is no minimum hourly requirement; all you need is a computer, reliable internet, a quiet space and willingness to teach. 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. 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

Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity.

W. Clement Stone

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