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A school for the blind and visually impaired in Washington State uses distance learning to accommodate offsite teachers and students.

The four-day on-campus experience, Movin' On in Montana, will include a several seminars, a campus tour, campus experiences, and community activities. Seminars may include topics such as self-advocacy skills, career/college interest exploration, disability accommodations, student resources, basic communication/soft skills, and a class lecture. Campus experiences and community activities will be unique to each summer location (e.g., UM’s planetarium, Missoula’s Big Dipper, or Kim Williams Trail hike). Students will also get first-hand experience living in a dorm room and with on-campus dining.  

This academy gives the paraeducator knowledge and skills specific to the use of instructional strategies and methods. The academy bases teaching upon the belief that paraeducators must be constantly involved in the dynamic process of analyzing the teaching environment and individual student needs for the particular level of support, degree of adaptation/accommodation or modification, and instructional method that would best facilitate learning. The academy is designed to provide these skills for use by paraeducators supporting students in inclusive classrooms, resource rooms, or in self-contained settings. Paraeducators that attend this training will learn strategies to use with reading, math, and writing instruction. These strategies can be used in whole group, small group or individual instruction.

Click here to download the full flyer with registration information (PDF) What: This academy is intended to give the paraeducator knowledge and skills specific to the use of instructional strategies and methods. The academy bases teaching upon the belief that paraeducators must be constantly involved in the dynamic process of analyzing the teaching environment and individual student needs for the partic-ular level of support; degree of adaptation/accommodation or modification, and instructional method that would best facilitate learning. The academy is designed to provide these skills for use by paraeducators supporting students in inclusive classrooms, resource rooms, or in self-contained settings. When: October 20, 2011 8:00am - 5:30pm Where: Marias River Electric Coop Shelby, MT

What:Research provides strong evidence that organizations with a high degree of trust among employees are far more likely to make and sustain the kinds of changes that help them reach their goals and outcomes – than those organizations where there is little or no trust among staff. This session will describe both empirical and conceptual research related to trust types. We will explore the various types of trust as they relate to social and organizational life. In addition, we will make connections between trust, trust types, relationship, communication and increased effectiveness in mediation and ADR outcomes.  About Dr. Cathy Fromme: Dr. Fromme began her journey as an educator 32 years ago, as a first grade teacher in California. She is currently the Principal of TrustWorks. Prior to establishing TrustWorks she held district, regional ESD and state department positions in Washington. While at the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction she developed Washington’s statewide Special Education Mediation System, chaired the statewide Commission on Student Learning Accommodations and Alternate Assessment committees.Cathy was also the Diversity Manager for the Washington Department of Natural Resources where she facilitated, positive/inclusive working relationships and diversity in the workplace for 1,300 DNR employees. She has consulted, written and presented extensively in the areas of trust, change management and work force diversity in schools and organizations. She received her B.S. from UCLA, M.S. from San Jose State University, and doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy from the University of Washington. Though, her proudest achievements in life are her two grown sons. The youngest is an EMT in the US Air Force and the oldest is the owner/operator of a courier business in San Francisco.Meeting Details: To participate in this webinar you must call in and log in from your computer. Conference Number(s):  1-888-447-7153 Participant Code: 473502 To join the meeting, please click on the link below and enter as guest: http://tadnet.adobeconnect.com/cadre/When:March 14, 201212:00 pm - 1:15 pm MTContact:Marshall Peter, Director CADRE (541) 686-5060 (v) (541) 686-5063 (f) mpeter@directionservice.org www.directionservice.org/cadre

I think it odd that I am actually seriously celebrating and thinking about the 20th anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities act. As a man who has spent well over half of his life in a wheelchair with a permanent spinal cord injury I can say that my feelings about this landmark law have generally been negative. For instance, the law famously began as a civil rights act enforced by alleged victims filing lawsuits to force compliance in individual cases. I wonder if racial desegregation in education would have happened at all if Governor George Wallace had confronted a civil complaint instead of the National Guard on the steps of the University of Alabama back in 1963. The ADA was sadly bereft of enforcement teeth when it was passed 20 years ago. There have been phased upgrades that have produced some improvements in certain kinds of workplace accommodations and in particular, the IDEA law has bolstered equality for disabled students since its passage in 2004. In general, though, the ADA’s quiet, seemingly ad hoc effort to achieve a justice and equality that I found absolutely clear and imperative in my life has been frustrating. 

A U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (CA, OR, WA, AZ, MT, ID, NV, AK, HI, GU, MP) three-judge panel has ruled that the parents of two children with autism stated a valid claim for damages under§ 504 of the Rehabilitation Act against the Hawaii Department of Education (HDE) for denying their children meaningful access to the benefit of a public education. The panel concluded that the parents’ allegations that HDE failed to provide the children with reasonable accommodations for their disabilities through autism-specific special education services, and failed to design the children’s Individualized Education Programs (IEP) to meet their needs as adequately as the needs of non-disabled students were met, were sufficient to raise a question of material fact as to whether HDE was deliberately indifferent in violation of § 504.

What: As a part of the Mayo Clinic’s outreach to rural communities, we are fortunate to have Dr. Tanya Brown come to Missoula to share information about non– verbal learning disabilities. The purpose of these sessions is to understand the history, identify core features and review case illustrations of non-verbal learning disabilities for parents, educators and medical staff. Monday’s lecture will focus on core features and strategies to support students in home and school . Tuesday’s lecture will provide more of the medical background behind diagnosis, review case illustrations and relevant treatment recommendations and accommodations.

The Office of Public Instruction has posted links to current Section 504 guidance on our Website.  This guidance is from the Center for Technical Assistance for Excellence in Special Education (TAESE)  and the Office of Civil Rights. The links are available on the Special Education Webpage (http://opi.mt.gov/Programs/SpecialEd/Index.html) under "RELATED LINKS" and include: Guidelines for Educators and Administrators for Implementing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973-Subpart D A Parent and Educator Guide To Section 504 Accommodations for Identified Children With Disabilities Section 504 Procedural Requirements for School Districts; and Section 504 A Possible Service Option for Students with Disabilities Section 504 requirements are separate from special education.  This guidance is provided as a courtesy.

AT Network Training: AT Consideration for School-Aged Children   January 20, 2011: 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.    Click here to join webinar: http://tinyurl.com/atforum7   AT Consideration for School-Aged Children -  Where Do I Start...What Can I Do?   Learn about the laws, requirements and best practices for considering assistive technology for students with disabilities. Training presented by staff from Parents Helping Parents (PHP).   AT Network Brown Bag: Parent's Perspective on AAC Apps   January 26, 2011 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.   Click here to join webinar:  http://tinyurl.com/parentaac     Augmentative and Alternative Communcation apps are abound for use with Apple devices and other smart phones. From a parent's perspective, Shane Nurnberg of the Autism Epicenter will discuss some of these apps, their pros & cons, limitations, etc.   Please email your RSVP, accommodation requests, and questions to: LaCandice@cfilc.org. Thank you for your participation with the AT Network!