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E-Z Web Accessibility! - Content Management Systems Date:  Tuesday, April 5, 2011 Time: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Mountain Time Read More and Register Introduction to Assistive Technology Date: Monday, April 11, 2011 Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Mountain Time Read More and Register The Internet and our Aging Population: Getting Seniors Online Date: Wednesday, April 13, 2011 Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Mountain Time Read More and Register Telling Our Stories: Mike Ervin Date: Wednesday, April 20, 2011 Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Mountain Time Read More and Register iPads and Communication Apps: An Interactive Exploration Date: Wednesday, April 27, 2011 Time: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM Mountain Time Read More and Register

Click here to register for this event What: Ensuring School Readiness will explore how and why smooth transitions among early learning environments are critical for school readiness and are the first step toward preparing students for success in college and career. Presenters will focus on what it takes to foster continuity as children move from early learning programs to preschool to kindergarten, and will discuss the specific roles of early learning programs, schools, and families in preparing young children to enter school ready for success. This webinar will highlight innovative practices, explore the range of supports and services offered to young children and their families, and emphasize how to help families understand how to remain involved in their child’s education as the child moves into the early school grades. Jacqueline Jones from the U.S. Department of Education will discuss the importance of successful early transitions to education reform. Sharon Ritchie from FirstSchool, a research-based preK–3rd grade initiative, will discuss “seamless education” and how to use data to improve practice. Judith Jerald from Save the Children will talk about developing early childhood programming with an eye toward facilitating transitions. And Whitcomb Hayslip will discuss how a Los Angeles-based transitional kindergarten initiative uses deliberate collaboration between teachers and families to prepare children for school success. When: April 14, 2011 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. Mountain Featured speakers include: Moderator: Tom Schultz, Project Director for Early Childhood Initiatives, Council of Chief State School Officers Jacqueline Jones, Senior Advisor to the Secretary for Early Learning, U.S. Department of Education Sharon Ritchie, Senior Scientist, FPG Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Judith Jerald, Early Childhood Advisor, Save the Children Whitcomb Hayslip, Early Childhood Education Consultant and Former Assistant Superintendent, Los Angeles Unified School District Click here to view the webinar archive for this event series

Leaders from the disability community joined U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and other senior officials from the White House and the Education Department Monday for a panel discussion celebrating the 39th anniversary of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

"Montana's suicide epidemic is a public health crisis,” said Matt Kuntz, executive director of the Montana chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.During 2010, at least 227 Montanans killed themselves. In 2011, the number was closer to 225. That’s about 22 people per 100,000 residents, nearly twice the national average.The victims are military veterans, American Indians, senior citizens and teenagers. Often, they are depressed and hundreds of miles from the nearest mental health professional. Even where they can get help, they tend to "cowboy up," afraid their illness will be seen as weakness.

While they seem like the least likely candidates, the elderly are killing themselves with greater regularity than any other age group in Montana. That’s also true across the country, eroding the myth that teens run the highest risk of suicide.

During this time of year, high school juniors and seniors are hard at work preparing for college entrance exams, writing the perfect admissions essay, touring colleges, and eagerly awaiting decision letters from their institutions of choice. While this can be an exciting, yet stressful time for all students, students with learning differences have another level of factors that they need to take into consideration when choosing the right college. It is important for these students to not only consider the skills necessary to set themselves up for success, but to also be aware of the supports available to them at the colleges where they are considering attending.

Welcome to the most complete website designed to help people with disabilities, seniors and their families to find a cell phone and service! CTIA-The Wireless Association® and the wireless industry created AccessWireless.org to be your “first stop” to learn about the ever-changing world of cell phones and wireless services, and discover those that meet your specific needs.

With rare exception, instructional aides, paraprofessionals, or educational assistants — whatever we want to call them — are typically not placed in a specific place because they have had specific training. That is, people are placed in rooms by rank or seniority, often with little training, and sometimes against their desires. But within the constraints of a formal school environment, what choice do they have?

"Recognize disability, promote opportunities. Our previous title-holder Alex Wiseman and she was a woman with autism and helped spread her message. It's cool being her successor. My message is more to the neuro-typical person on how they can incorporate disabilities as an opportunity and learn from one another." Her family are the ones who have shaped the path she takes as her older sister has mild to severe autism. Pope is a senior at Minnesota State University where she is studying special education. With her nomination to represent Montana, her studies will take a back seat for a year. "It's absolutely crazy the things I've learned and my friends have learned through being involved with my family. That's what I want to help promote in communities-- is that inclusion," Pope said.

A major organizational change this week at the federal level could give significantly more voice to those working on developmental disability issues. The shift announced Monday creates a new Administration for Community Living within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The new entity will join together three existing bodies — the Administration on Developmental Disabilities, the Office on Disability and the Administration on Aging — under one umbrella to serve seniors and those with disabilities.

Travis Moses is a blind student who can’t always do his homework because an online program the University of Montana uses is inaccessible to him.Moses, a senior in the social work program, is one of some 1,121 students registered with UM’s Disability Student Services. He estimates from 75 percent to 90 percent of his classes have an online component – and some UM courses are only online.“I’ve been told every year, ‘Oh, we’re working on it,’ ” Moses said Monday. “Well, you know, I’ve gotten to the point that I doubt it. I’m angry that something was put in place that was not verified.”Last May, the Alliance for Disability and Students at the University of Montana – ADSUM – filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education alleging students such as Moses who have disabilities face discrimination at UM. On Monday, the department’s Office for Civil Rights confirmed in an email the complaint about educational technologies is under investigation.

Click here to apply for MYLF!What:MYLF (pronounced “my life”) is a unique career and leadership training program for high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors with disabilities. By serving as delegates from their communities, youth with disabilities will cultivate leadership, citizenship, and social skills.Delegates gain access to vital resources related to assistive technology, community support, and self-advocacy. Successful men and women with disabilities serve as role models in helping youth realize their abilities and obligations to pursue meaningful employment and contribute to society. This educational and motivational forum involves an intense schedule. Throughout the training, small "working groups" explore personal leadership and career plans.When:July 16-20, 2012Where:Helena, MontanaContact:June Hermanson Phone: (406)442-2576 mylfjuneh@bresnan.net

On June 7th, 2011, Disability Rights Montana (DRM) http://www.disabilityrightsmt.org and its client were honored in Baltimore at the annual National Disability Rights Network and TASC conference as Advocates of the Year for the work of two of DRM's senior attorneys, Alexandra Volkerts (Missoula) and Andree Larose (Helena).

A yearlong student-teaching model being used on a limited basis at the University of South Dakota is showing how more classroom exposure helps to better prepare future teachers.This fall, using a $4 million grant from the St. Paul-based Bush Foundation, USD began piloting a full-year residency for teaching candidates. Ten senior education majors have spent the school year so far in classrooms at Lowell, Harvey Dunn and Anne Sullivan elementaries in Sioux Falls.

Last week at the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Conference, Senior Advisor on Early Learning Jacqueline Jones announced the Department of Education’s plan to create the first ever Office for Early Learning. The object of this new office will be to correct the isolation in which federal early learning programs and funds have functioned and provide the strong coordinated collaboration necessary to dramatically improve early learning services.

What:The hearing will focus on the importance of accessible technology and how this issue is impacting K-12 and higher education. Witnesses include:Panel I with Eve Hill,  Senior Counselor to the Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division, Department of Justice. Panel II with Mark Riccobono, Executive Director, Jernigan Institute, National Federation of the Blind, Dr. John B. Quick, Superintendent, Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation in Columbus, IndianaMark Turner, Director, Center for Accessible Media, Accessible Technology Initiative, California State University We hope to see you there. If you are unable to attend, the hearing will be broadcasted live online at www.help.senate.gov.Real time captioning and sign language interpreters will be provided at the hearing.When:February 7, 201212:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Mountain Time Where:Dirksen Senate Building Room G-50Washington, D.C.Contact:Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions428 Senate Dirksen Office BuildingWashington, DC 20510Phone: 202-224-5375

The U.S. Department of Education will host the third annual Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention Summit Monday-Tuesday, Aug. 6-7, 2012, at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C. The summit will focus on ensuring that anti-bullying efforts are coordinated and based on the best available research. Panels will highlight the connection between bullying and suicide, and ways to help students who bully others. Keynote speakers will include U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and the First Lady of Maryland Katie O’Malley. In addition, there will be a special discussion between White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett and Cynthia Germanotta, mother of musician Lady Gaga. Additional details on the summit, along with the agenda, will be forthcoming.

A 17-year-old senior at Paris Gibson Alternative High School, Jordan Monroe leaves this week for the Jobs for American Graduates National Student Leadership Academy in Washington, D.C. He was one of only four students from the Jobs for Montana Graduates statewide program selected to attend.

“Treating children at home whenever possible,” said Patrick Gardner, an attorney with Young Minds Advocacy Project, “is more humane, less costly, and more effective than institutionalization.” Under the agreement the state will establish a new program and approach for delivering mental health services called Wraparound with Intensive Services or “WISe.” The program will help prevent adverse outcomes for youth with serious mental illness such as hospitalization, long-­term institutionalization in psychiatric facilities, and placements in the foster care and juvenile justice systems. These are all experiences Smith has known personally and doesn’t want repeated for other kids. “This case,” says Smith, “was about doing something to make a difference so kids with illnesses like mine won’t have to go through the things I did.” Leecia Welch, Senior Attorney at the National Center for Youth Law, agrees. “Approval of this settlement has set the stage for increasing access to appropriate mental health services for Washington’s most vulnerable youth. Better access to care means better outcomes for kids like Phillip.”

For the "Dare To Dream" special ed program, that Monroe Twp High School attends every year, we normaly perform have fun activities set up every year. But this year was different. This year was my firs year going, so the Monroe team put me to work into creating a spectacular video. Featuring the High School's seniors sitting down for this interview and showing how life is living as a child with a disablitly. This video is so moving and incredible. Please Share this video to everyone you know, because it's one thing to know about disabled children, whats it like to hear from one. We need this to be seen by everyone to not only teach others what it's like for us, but to show people and especially kids like us that it's okay to be us.