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As the parent of a school-age child with learning disabilities (LD), you know that basic patterns of thought such as controlling impulses, flexibility, planning, and organizing must steadily develop and improve as a child advances in school. If they don’t, children fail in small ways and larger ones. Each assignment not completed — or completed but not turned in — each lost notebook and late, hurried project, takes a toll on a child’s self-esteem (and a parent’s patience). Performance anxiety becomes more and more exhausting. The stress of feeling overwhelmed leads some children to misbehave, others to withdraw. Some children decide it’s less scary not to try than it is to try and fail.These brain-based habits of thought are crucial to all learning. They are called executive skills.

Being able to focus, hold, and work with information in mind, filter distractions, and switch gears is like having an air traffic control system at a busy airport to manage the arrivals and departures of dozens of planes on multiple runways. In the brain, this air traffic control mechanism is called executive functioning, a group of skills that helps us to focus on multiple streams of information at the same time, and revise plans as necessary.

What’s one thing that makes for a parent’s unhappy day? Getting a phone call or email from school, informing you that your child -- who may spend lots of time doing homework – hasn’t turned anything in for six weeks. This wake-up call may be your first indication that your child is having trouble in school. The information is doubly disconcerting when you find, buried in your child’s heavy backpack, lots of completed homework that was never turned in.

Click here to Register Online What: This year, the New Community Opportunities Project at ILRU is offering three webinars on the role of the CIL in facilitating and advancing successful youth transition. In the first event, "Youth Taking Charge of Their Own Transition: The Role of CILs," our presenter will provide participants with strategies on how CILs can use existing services they provide for all populations to support youth in transition.  Upon completion of this webinar, participants will have knowledge and resources which will enable them to: Describe tools and strategies for self-assessment of student's needs, interests, and preferences. Assist the student with developing an Independent Living Plan that enables the youth to describe and take charge of their transition process. Through peer mentoring, support students to gain the independent living and advocacy skills necessary for them to achieve their goals. Identify other resources available to youth and young adults that can support them in achieving their goals.  When: April 20, 2011 1:00-2:30pm Mountain Target Audience: Executive directors and staff of centers for independent living involved in the youth transition process. Registration Fee: $75.00 per site. Fee does not apply per participant; registrants are encouraged to gather as many individuals as desired to participate in this webinar. ALL CILs are encouraged to participate in this important training.

Click here to Register Online What: This year, the New Community Opportunities Project at ILRU is offering three webinars on the role of the CIL in facilitating and advancing successful youth transition. In the first event, "Youth Taking Charge of Their Own Transition: The Role of CILs," our presenter will provide participants with strategies on how CILs can use existing services they provide for all populations to support youth in transition.  Upon completion of this webinar, participants will have knowledge and resources which will enable them to: Describe tools and strategies for self-assessment of student's needs, interests, and preferences. Assist the student with developing an Independent Living Plan that enables the youth to describe and take charge of their transition process. Through peer mentoring, support students to gain the independent living and advocacy skills necessary for them to achieve their goals. Identify other resources available to youth and young adults that can support them in achieving their goals.  Target Audience: Executive directors and staff of centers for independent living involved in the youth transition process. Registration Fee: $75.00 per site. Fee does not apply per participant; registrants are encouraged to gather as many individuals as desired to participate in this webinar. ALL CILs are encouraged to participate in this important training.

What: Guardian Spirit teaches vocational, social, and life skills to people with autism through simulated, virtual training to help them succeed in life.  Please join us for this inaugural and fundraising event. When:Saturday, April 21, 2012Where:Mercedes Benz Dealership on King Avenue West. Billings, MTContact:Marcus Morris, Executive Director Phone: (406) 698-1679 Email: JLKRJL@aol.com

What: This conference will provide information and hands-on training in the latest technology being used to enhance communication and social skills for individuals living with autism. This conference is for everyone who loves and works with children and adults with autism every day. This year we will highlight Communication and iOS devices - iPads, iPods and iPhones. Today’s technological advances offer highly interactive tools that can be used to help build communication skills. During our event you will learn how to choose applications appropriate for your needs, whether you are a parent, educator or practitioner. Through demonstration and actual hands-on training you will be introduced to a variety of applications that use interactive text, illustrations, painting, animation, voice recording, stories, songs and speech/language based activities that may be helpful in developing communication abilities of children and adults on the Autism spectrum. Practitioners can use these devices to help people with cognitive-behavioral needs through applications that target social skills and executive functioning like planning, organization, attention and memory.  We will also benefit from meeting and hearing from people of all ages who are navigating through life on the spectrum. Their stories will inspire, educate and bring us closer as a group as we take action to improve the lives of individuals with autism. This conference is for everyone who loves and works with children and adults with autism every day. Join us as we continue our work for Montana families living with autism. When: July 27 & 28, 2011 8:00am - 5:00pm (both days) Where: MSUB Main Campus - Library Room 148 Billings, MT Register: Call 406-896-5890 to register for this event; visit http://www.msubillings.edu/autism/ for more information.

When a child has a language delay, people tend to accept this fact at face value: Joseph is 6 but speaks like a 3-year-old. While understandably upsetting to many parents, no one expects Joseph to speak differently before he is able. There's a scramble to start services and a patient approach while allowing language to develop. The same attitude does not hold for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD is a developmental delay in a broad skill set called executive function. A huge body of research defines it as a medical disorder; neither parents nor children benefit when people suggest otherwise.

President Obama believes in the capacity of young people to move America forward. He is committed to providing young leaders from across the nation an opportunity to develop their leadership skills and fostering a continued commitment to public service through the White House Internship Program. This hands-on program is designed to mentor and cultivate today’s young leaders, strengthen their understanding of the Executive Office of the President and prepare them for future roles in public service. To learn more about the program, please visit whitehouse.gov/internships. How To Apply: Go to www.whitehouse.gov/internships  A completed application includes: Two essays  Three letters of recommendation Resume The deadline for the Summer 2011 White House Internship Program is January 9, 2011.

The Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) 2011 Webinar Series has added a new collection of live, interactive, online educational events. They cover a broad range of topics to help you enhance your knowledge of assistive technology and the skills needed to support the products and process.  ATIA has tapped into national leaders in their field to bring you this outstanding collection of webinars.  Upcoming webinars for JANUARY through JUNE - You can go to our website for complete session abstracts, learning outcomes, and speaker biographies: Don't miss our new "There's An App for That" Series with Dr. Therese Willkomm and Phyllis Watson who bring you in-depth discussions of the apps for selected functional areas.  Sign-up for all three at one time and receive a discount! AT11-WEB01:  Apps for the iPad, iTouch, & iPhone on Remembering, Prompting, Organizing, Assessing, and Increasing Productivity - REGISTER Thursday, January 13, 2011   1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Mountain Time Overview:  Productivity at home, school and work is affected by how well we are organized and can remember essential tasks that need to be performed.  This webinar will demonstrate apps that can help with executive functioning such as reminders and prompts to completing essential tasks.  In addition, the webinar will also review various apps related to organization, time management, and online assessment tools.  - Full abstract AT11-WEB04:  Apps for the iPad, iTouch, & iPhone on Alternative and Augmentative Communication - REGISTER Thursday, February 17, 2011   1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Mountain Time Overview:  There are over 30 different apps that can benefit individuals who experience various communication impairments.  This webinar will review 20 of the most successful apps for children and adults.  In addition, apps related to sign language will also be discussed. - Full abstract AT11-WEB08:  Apps for the iPad, iTouch, & iPhone on Reading, Writing and Arithmetic - REGISTER Wednesday, March 23, 2011   1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Mountain Time Overview:   This webinar will demonstrate apps that can assist in reading using text to speech, narration, and audio books; apps that use voice recognition or text expanders to increase writing ability and speed; flash card apps and math tutorial apps; and apps that will quiz you. - Full abstract