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As we see the first early signs of spring, we know summer can't be far away. Start planning now for summertime activities to help middle and high school students continue their journey toward adulthood. This web conference will touch on ideas such as: Completing the Transition Workbook as a family activity Volunteering Summer jobs Exploring new assistive technology Establishing new connections in the community Continuing and documenting the Discovery process Testing out new leisure activities Learning about support needs...while having fun! The web conference will be held on Monday, March 15th, from 1:00 - 2:30 Mountain Time. 

As we see the first early signs of spring, we know summer can't be far away. Start planning now for summertime activities to help middle and high school students continue their journey toward adulthood. This web conference will touch on ideas such as: Completing the Transition Workbook as a family activity Volunteering Summer jobs Exploring new assistive technology Establishing new connections in the community Continuing and documenting the Discovery process Testing out new leisure activities Learning about support needs...while having fun! The web conference will be held on Monday, March 15th, from 1:00 - 2:30 Mountain Time. 

For complete information on the Call for Proposal requirements and submission process, click here: 2010 Call for Proposals This year's conference will highlight the elements of the first TASH National Agenda: Inclusive Education Community Living Employment Human Rights People of Color The 2010 conference will focus on innovative practices to promote inclusion and reduce the disparities experienced by individuals with significant disabilities in schools, community living, and employment. The conference will also address human rights concerns and issues often faced by people of color. All people have the right to lead dignified lives where personal choices are honored and cherished. Who Should Attend? Adult Service Providers  Advocates/Self-Advocates Early Interventionists Educators/Special Educators Family Support Professionals Legal/Public Policy Parents/Family Members Professors/Researchers

A new intensive program for very young children with autism has produced impressive results, leading to substantial gains in I.Q. and in listening skills after two years of therapy.

The program, called the Early Start Denver Model, or E.S.D.M., was part of a two-year study of 48 children as young as 18 months old. Half the children received the intensive therapy, while the rest received a community-based autism intervention, according to a report in the journal Pediatrics.

The Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act (H.R. 4247) was introduced by Congressman George Miller (D-CA), Chair of the House Education and Labor Committee and Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Vice Chair of the House Republican Conference and Co-Chair of the Congressional Down Syndrome Caucus. At the same time, Senator Chris Dodd has introduced a companion bill, S.2860, declaring, “The tragedies associated with the inappropriate use of seclusion and restraint are not only unacceptable, they are unconscionable.” The two bills are almost the same, with only two differences, noted below. The bipartisan House bill will be considered by the full Committee early next year (called “marking up.”)  If the Committee votes in favor of the bill, it will go to the full House for a vote.

Families dealing with the needs of autistic children are getting some help from the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. The department has approved the use of a new web based autism treatment platform that will provide services as part of Montana’s Children’s Autism Waiver.  The Autism Waiver is an early intervention program for young children with autism.  Under the state program, a certified behavior specialist develops a treatment strategy and the State then provides a direct support person with training and experience in providing behavioral support.

Here, you will find resources to help your preschooler get ready to learn to read. As your child’s first teacher, you can set him or her in the right direction for a lifetime of reading and learning.

As an increasing number of children are diagnosed with autism, researchers are looking to parent facilitated play therapy as a cheaper, more accessible alternative to traditional behavior therapy. There are not enough therapists to handle the influx of children with autism, so researchers are looking to early intervention models like the Play and Language for Autistic Youngsters, or the P.L.A.Y. Project, to fill the void. This play therapy approach relies on parents being trained by a professional to be their own therapy provider. Then, parents conduct 20 to 25 hours of play therapy weekly with their child who has autism.

Decide early in the process what type of program you want for your child. Camp should be fun, relaxing, and healthy. Camp should offer positive and rewarding experiences that foster independence and self-esteem. Some camps are for military children. Some camps are free. Some camps offer scholarships. Some camps are specifically for children with special needs.

Electronic Registration: Opens March 1, 2010 http://www.montana.edu/cs/mbi This Year's Hot Topics: Parent/Family/Community Involvement Montana Schools – Best Practices Strand Targeted/Intensive Interventions Academic Supports Early Childhood Classroom Management Safe Schools Nutrition And much more!

Come and get geared up for the new year with strategies to work with ALL students! Workshops will be held in areas of Indian Ed for All, differentiated instruction, DIBELS Administration and Scoring, behavior management, RTI, low incidence disabilities, early childhood, science, technology, legal issues, reading & literacy, social skills, and para-educator training. Register now and an email will be sent when workshops are posted.

There is no question that the incidence and prevalence of autism are on the rise. Starting in the early 1990s and continuing to today, there has been a steady rise in the number of children diagnosed with autism. Prior to 1990 the estimates of autism prevalence were about 3 per 10,000. The most recent estimates from the CDC and elsewhere now have the number at about 100 per 10,000, or 1%. The burning question is – why are the rates increasing steadily? There are those, particularly in the anti-vaccine community, who conclude that the increase in prevalence is a real biological effect – an epidemic – and is evidence for an environmental cause (which they believe is vaccines, even though the scientific evidence does not support this position). However, the evidence strongly suggests that the rising prevalence of autism is largely an artifact of broadening the diagnosis and increased surveillance.

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.

Increasingly, neuroscientists, psychologists and educators believe that bullying and other kinds of violence can indeed be reduced by encouraging empathy at an early age. Over the past decade, research in empathy — the ability to put ourselves in another person's shoes — has suggested that it is key, if not the key, to all human social interaction and morality.

In accordance with the requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA),  the state must report annually to the public on the performance of each local educational agency located in the state on the targets in the State's Performance Plan. Because baseline data and/or performance targets have not been established for all of the performance indicators, the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), has informed states that they are only required to report district performance for students with disabilities on indicators 1-5 and 8-12 this year. These performance indicators address the following: Graduation, Dropout, Assessment, Suspension/Expulsion, Least Restrictive Environment (ages 6-21), Parent Involvement, Disproportionality As A Result Of Inappropriate Identification, Child Find Timelines, and Early Childhood Transition (transition from Part C to Part B). The district's performance data is 2008-2009 data that was submitted by the district to the OPI as a part of its child count, exiting, student discipline collections and/or collected during a compliance monitoring record review. Performance data for performance indicator #8, Parent Involvement, is based on parent survey data. The Parent Involvement Survey was distributed to districts that were compliance monitored in school year 2008-2009. Districts were asked to provide a copy of the survey to all parents of IDEA-eligible students receiving special education and related services through an Individualized Education Program (IEP). The District Public Reports can be found on the OPI Web site at:  http://data.opi.mt.gov/SPEDReporting/ .

This is the 29th Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 2007. Section 664(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as reauthorized in 2004, requires that the Department of Education report annually on the progress made toward the provision of a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to all children with disabilities and the provision of early intervention services to infants and toddlers with disabilities.

Click here to register for this webinar What: The first webinar in our new series from OSEP and the National Parent Technical Assistance Center will feature the Doing What Works website, a valuable resource for Parent Centers as well as individual families.  The website provides information about specific programs that have a strong evidence base so parents can participate as informed consumers in the educational decision making process for their child.   The Doing What Works website (http://dww.ed.gov) provides engaging materials on a wide range of topics, including Response to Intervention, Early Childhood Literacy, Reducing Behavior Problems in Elementary Schools, and Preventing High School Dropouts.  Created by the U.S. Department of Education, this resource offers families and educators at all levels concrete strategies, examples, and tools to help use and engage in research-based practices.  Aimed at individuals with varying levels of understanding about a topic, the Doing What Works resources can arm educators and families with valuable resources as they work to improve the education of their children.  This webinar will introduce the website, provide an overview of the different types of resources, and invite questions and offer support for implementation. When: Thursday, February 24, 2011 1:00pm - 2:00pm Mountain

What: In order to help keep you more informed, the White House is hosting monthly calls to update you on various disability issues as well as to introduce you to persons who work on disability issues in the federal government. This call is off the record and not for press purposes. Guests will be: Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights - Department of Education, Russlynn Ali Director of Federal Contract Compliance Programs -Department of Labor, Patricia Shiu When: Thursday, May 26, 2011 1:00pm Mountain Conference call information: Dial in: (800) 230-1085 Title: White House Disability Call (use instead of code) Date of Call: 05/26/2011 Start Time: 1:00 PM Mountain (I encourage you to call in five minutes early due to the large volume of callers) For live captioning, at the start of the call, please login by clicking on the following link: http://www.fedrcc.us//Enter.aspx?EventID=1745291&CustomerID=321. Please only use this feature if you are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

Click here to download the full flyer (PDF) What: Wraparound Overview: Why High Fidelity Wraparound and Why Now? Who: State Agencies, Providers, Family Organizations, Interested Stakeholders Where:      Helena, MT DPHHS/Sanders Bldg.  Auditorium, Lower Level When: August 10, 2011 10am - 2pm Mountain To register or if you have questions: Contact Nancy Whitbeck-Nicholson at NWhitbeck-Nicholson@mt.gov or (406)444-4545 and provide your name, agency, email and phone number. Register early; space is limited. No cost for the training. For questions about the PRTF Waiver: Contact Laura Taffs at ltaffs@mt.gov or (406)444-1460.