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The success rate among the graduates of  America’s Special Education Programs has been studied and criticized for decades. In 2005, Dr. Frank Rusch of Pennsylvania State University and this writer addressed the issue related to the inability of young special education high school graduates to achieve success in employment, post-secondary education, adequate housing and community acquiescence. According to the study, Rusch and Pizzuro wrote: “Young adults with disabilities typically leave publicly funded educational institutions without a job, without being enrolled in postsecondary education, and without the security of knowing their roles in society. Fewer than 30 percent of high school leavers obtain jobs after departing mandated education and fewer than 10 percent enroll in postsecondary education. The past 25 years has witnessed continued poverty among young adults with disabilities, despite legislative reauthorizations aimed at improving educational opportunities (The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004) and employment access (The Americans with Disabilities Act).”

Click here for more information!What:Highly interactive training that will include: Representatives from Montana's Office of Public Instruction, Special Educations Division, presenting to both agency and school personnel, detailing transition activities as required by law. Networking lunch (provided) Facilitated round table discussion with school personnel to more deeply explore how school should design and implement transition programs. Speakers:Dale Anderson was a special education teacher for many years in Billings Public Schools. After he retired, the Montana Office of Public Instruction asked him to participate in a variety of projects such as the Montana Behavioral Initiative. He has provided technical assistance in the areas of secondary transition, special education monitoring, and compliance to special education rules and procedures. Margaret Tryon has been a special education teacher for 17 years, special education director 15 years, and school psychologist 9 years. She also works part time for the Office of Public Instruction providing technical assistance and monitoring for compliance in special education. She has been involved with transition projects for many years. She is currently working part time at Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch, Office of Public Instruction, and Custer Public Schools.When:February 28, 20128:00 am - 3:00 pmWhere:MSU Billings CampusCollege of Ed Bldg Rm 122Contact:Debra Miller Phone: (406) 657-2027Email: dmiller@msubillings.edu

Being a special educator can be a very challenging task.  Teaching, paperwork, IEP meetings and overseeing paraprofessionals leaves special education teacher drained at the end of the day.  Its no wonder that 50% of special education teachers leave their jobs within 5 years. Parents can help their child with special needs succeed by helping their special teachers breath!

This post is part Seven of the Special Needs iPad & App Series. Almost from the day the iPad was launched there was an immediate buzz about the special needs apps that were available in the iPad app store. Apple quickly realized that the iPad was perfectly suited to enhancing the lives of individuals with special needs and created a special education section of the app store. Websites and blogs sprung up dedicated to reviewing apps for Assistive Communication, Social Skills, Life Skills,Scheduling and more. The need for the iPad is an obvious one for children with special needs. But what if you can’t afford one for your child, what do you do?

Click here to register for this event What: Linda James Myers, Ph.D. will present "The Challenges of Cultural Congruence: What Every Advocate Should Know" on Thursday, June 16, from 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. Dr. Myers is a professor at The Ohio State University, past president of the Association of Black Psychologists, and chair of the Board of Trustees for the National Association for the Education of African American Children with Learning Disabilities (AACLD). This webinar will focus on the importance of cultural congruence, one of the most challenging and often least discussed issues central to the success of Black families as they seek to provide a quality education for their children. As a member of a cultural group whose ethnic and racial heritage is congruent with and supported by that dominant in this society, Euro-western white, one may assume that this prevailing cultural worldview and the subsequent educational and other social institutions created by it are universally suitable and acceptable. The assumption is often made that the prevailing cultural worldview is universally adopted and held by all Americans, particularly those who have been in this country for generations and for whom English is believed to be their first language. This webinar will explore how these assumptions have hurt non-immigrant African Americans and their progeny, particularly in terms of education, their potential for educational achievement, and the current disproportionality we see in special education. Emphasis will be placed on how advocating for a culturally congruent educational experience on behalf of Black students and their families has the potential to transform the negative educational outcomes that have plagued this population for decades. This is the first in an Equity and Ethnicity in Special Education four-part series of webinars hosted by COPAA, a non-profit organization that works to protect special education rights and secure excellence in education on behalf of the 7.1 million children with disabilities in America. When: Thursday, June 16, 2011 - 12:00 pm Mountain If you would like to register for this event or any of the four-part series, please click here. COPAA non-member registration is $65.00 for one session or $195.00 for all four sessions. The full four-part series includes: Thursday, June 16, 2011 - 2:00 pm Eastern The Challenges of Cultural Congruence: What Every Advocate for Black Students Should Know Presenter: Linda James Myers, Ph.D. Tuesday, June 21, 2011 - 2:00 pm Eastern Addressing Legal Issues of Disability and Race Discrimination Presenters: Matthew Engel, Esq., Ron Lospennato Esq. Wednesday, June 29, 2011 - 2:00 pm Eastern Representing Parents Whose Dominant Language is Other Than English Presenter: Gabriela Ruiz, Esq., Southern Legal Counsel, Inc. Thursday, July 14, 2011 - 2:00 pm Eastern Disproportionality: What are we doing about it? Presenters: Sonja Kerr, Esq. Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia (PILCOP)

The Special Education Division is pleased to announce that Tim Harris, our State Director of Special Education, is the recipient of the Glenn I. Latham award.  Please join in our congratulations to Tim for this well deserved recognition. Tim Harris, State Director of Special Education in Montana recently received the Glenn I. Latham award from the Center for Technical Assistance for Excellence in Special Education (TAESE) at the Center for Persons with Disabilities at Utah State University. Before his passing in 2001, Dr. Glenn Latham was internationally known for his research and technical assistance in the areas of behavior management and parenting.  Dr. Latham was highly respected throughout the country.   Each year, the award is presented to an individual working at the state level that has the following attributes: Has made contributions to improving services for children with disabilities at the local, state, and regional levels. Shows ongoing compassion and dedication in the area of special education. Has demonstrated leadership-leading with heart and mind. Promotes results for children with disabilities. Keeps the main thing the main thing for children with disabilities. Possesses similar characteristics and philosophy of special education as Dr. Latham.

Registration is now open for this premiere regional conference on special education and the law. Please join us! Benefits: Learn from special education law experts from around the country Build professional relationships and network with colleagues Stay current on recent legal decisions and interpretations of special education law and litigation Expand your knowledge on emerging legal issues and trends When: September 26 - Optional Mini-Courses September 27 and 28 - Institute Keynote Speaker Spotlight: Jonathan Mooney "Re-Drawing the Lines - Neurodiversity: A Compass to a Changing World" Mr. Mooney is a writer and activist with dyslexia who learned to read when he was 12-years-old. He has since earned an honors degree in English Literature at Brown University and has written and published two thought-provoking books. The Institute will feature four keynote presentations at General Sessions and offers sixteen workshops on current topics such as Discipline Under the IDEA, Untangling Manifest Determinations, and Avoiding the Pitfalls in the IEP Process. Pre-institute Mini-Courses will provide an in-depth view of special education law applicable in public schools. We are pleased to announce that the 2011 Institute will be held in downtown Portland at the Portland Hilton and Executive Towers. The hotel has offered an excellent, discounted guest room rate. More information is available on the website. Register Now for the 28th Annual Pacific Northwest Institute on Special Education and the Law, September 26-28, 2011, at the Portland Hilton and Executive Tower, in Portland, Oregon. Complete details available at www.uwschoollaw.org

A Note from Vicki S. Dohrmann: Our planning committee has been working hard at planning the annual Special Education Conference. We are pleased to announce our 2012 conference faculty and full-day course schedule.  We are bringing specialists from all over the U.S. to present current research and evidence-based interventions.  The conference is scheduled for March 7-9, 2012 (Wednesday-Friday) at the Shoreline Conference Center. We are asking local businesses interested in supporting special education to donate directly to schools to support staff development for special education teachers, therapists and support personnel.   If you have an intern or parent that may be interested in volunteering at the conference, please ask them to contact me at vickid@seanet.com; we currently have volunteer positions available for all courses.  If you have an active parent-teacher organization at your school, please share this information with them.  We appreciate your support in helping us "get the word out" about the annual conference. Sincerely, Vicki S. Dohrmann, MA, CCC-SLP Planning Committee Chairperson-Rehab Seminars When: March 7-9, 2011 Where: Shoreline Conference Center Greater Seattle, Washington Area