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It can all feel overwhelming. If you’re a parent, teacher, service provider, or play another role in the life of a child or adult with a disability—and especially if you’re a person with a disability—it seems there’s too much on our plates! Inclusion, education, assistive technology, behavior, employment, supports, modifications, mobility, communication, and living accommodations are some of the issues we probably face every day. With so much to deal with, we may try to simply maintain the status quo—doing more is just too much. We may try to do it all, and experience little or no success. Finally, some of our best, most well-intentioned efforts may not have much impact on a person’s life.

A first of its kind park offering rides, playgrounds and other amusement activities designed specifically for those with special needs is set to open this week in San Antonio, Texas. The $32 million facility called Morgan’s Wonderland is fully-accessible. One ride, for example, is an off-road adventure where park goers sit in vehicles designed to accommodate wheelchairs while traveling through the twists and turns of rocky terrain.

TRENTON - Not everyone gets a state senator to write their excuse for missing school. But Sen. Jeff Van Drew, D-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic, was happy to accommodate Samantha Ravelli, of Ocean City, and her sister, Roseann, on Thursday when the two missed school to attend a Senate session during which Van Drew's bill to form a statewide Reading Disabilities Task Force was unanimously approved.

When: Three Saturdays in March: March 13, 20 and 27 from 10:30-11:30 am MST Where: Steve Begleiter Photography 223 W. Front St. next to the Children’s Museum Who: Teacher - Michelle Weber, certified art teacher and paraprofessional at Lolo School Please preregister by calling 549-2984  by Thursday, March 11 and indicate any accommodations access requirements.

When Kristi Cardwell was found to have dyslexia back in the early 1970s, her parents told the second-grader to let her teachers know so they could make accommodations for the extra help she might need.

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!

The regulations apply to the activities of more than 80,000 units of state and local government and more than seven million places of public accommodation, including stores, restaurants, shopping malls, libraries, museums, sporting arenas, movie theaters, doctors’ and dentists’ offices, hotels, jails and prisons, polling places, and emergency preparedness shelters.

To reserve your Webinar seat, Click Here What: This presentation will discuss a program at Rush University Medical Center that can improve the hospital experience for those with I/DD. It includes a pre-hospital tour program, a telephone hot line for special needs accommodations, procedure specific information booklets, an addendum to the nursing admission form, and enhanced staff education. Attendees will be able to identify hospital services that may improve the hospital experience and outcomes for adults with I/DD. This presentation is appropriate for anyone who cares about those with I/DD and their well being. Please complete this health survey before the Webinar begins: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/QYW6WHP When: Monday, July 25, 2011 at 7:00 PM - 7:30 PM Mountain

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

Click here to register for this webinar What: The Representational Portfolio was originally developed as a marketing tool for job developers to represent job seekers to employers. Portfolios are also used by youth to introduce themselves at their IEP meetings and to develop self-advocacy skills. During this webinar, you will learn how Portfolios can be an important piece of the health care transition for young adults. Through a Portfolio's concise text and photos, individuals with disabilities can describe the impact of their disability; list current medications and side effects they are experiencing; discuss seizures (what type, how often, etc.); introduce and explain medical equipment; share information about helpful accommodations and supports; and articulate what they want and need from their medical provider. Younger children can use Portfolios to learn to describe their own health care needs at an early age. Presenters will also share links to health care transition resources such as toolkits, web sites, and iPad apps that attendees may wish to explore. When: Tuesday, September 20. 2011 1:00pm - 2:30pm Mountain

From experts in the field of adaptive technology for people who are blind and visually impaired, the reviews of Kindle DX are mixed. They hope improvements are made to accommodate different levels of vision impairments.

So, you have a kid with autism and you know iPads can be awesome for kids with autism but your family budget isn't accommodating expensive right now, no matter how much of a difference an iPad could make for your child's ability to learn and play.

I’ve always believed that as a parent I am the best advocate for my children. If I don’t do it, who will? I also believe in giving back and paying forward so I joined the Bozeman Area Special Education PTA to help advocate for families who are still in need. Please join me in helping to raise awareness regarding disability issues in the community at the Legislative Candidate Forum on Disabilities on August 27. The forum will be held at Eagle Mount at 6901 Goldenstein, at 6:30 p.m., with a reception to follow. Childcare, accommodations, and transportation will be provided. This event is sponsored by The Arc Montana, Disability Rights Montana, Bozeman Area SEPTA, NAMI Bozeman, and PLUK and hosted by Eagle Mount Bozeman. For more information and transportation, please contact Mary at 406-461-2384.

This week, we celebrate the 24th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). On July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed the ADA into law. This landmark legislation was the nation’s first comprehensive civil rights law addressing the needs of people with disabilities. It prohibited discrimination in employment, public services, public accommodations, and telecommunications.

A small engine shop owner in Hamilton, has devised a number of inventions to accommodate his own disability. It may give ideas to others looking for practical ideas on ways to make living with a disability easier.

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.