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Visit the NAMIWALK website for more information and to register for this event What: Each fall, a group of dedicated volunteers and staff hold the NAMIWalk to generate the resources and awareness that allow NAMI Montana to complete its critical mission of supporting, educating, and advocating for Montanans with severe mental illnesses and their families.  NAMI Montana will be holding its eighth annual NAMIWalk in Helena at Memorial Park on September 25th.  It's set to be our best walk ever.  We've got goals of having over 2,500 Walkers and raising $125,000. When: Sunday, September 25, 2011 Where: Memorial Park Helena, MT More Information: Please go to the Walk website to sign up to be a Team Captain, to be a Walker, or to donate.  Find out about how to start a team and the duties of a Team Captain here.   If you don't feel comfortable signing up online, please send us an email at info@namimt.org or give us a call at (406) 443-7871 and we'll send you a packet of information.

This morning, I read an article online at Education Week titled, "Where Are the Autism Teaching Competencies?" (1)  This commentary calls attention to the fact that only a few states have set forth autism competencies for teachers. What is most interesting is that a few states, both Virginia and California, have successfully this accomplished this task. Yet the majority of states haven't figured create or adapt currently existing autism teaching competencies.

Click here to download the full flyer with registration information (PDF)(Registration must be received by 10-7-2011) What: The Montana Speech - Language - Hearing Association is an organization of professionally trained and Montana licensed Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists working in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, neonatal care units, schools and private practices across Montana. The MSHA 2011 Fall Convention is an opportunity to participate in sessions, lead by professional Speech Pathologists and Audiologists. Speakers include: Jane Kitson (Speech Pathologist) Paula Kitzenberg (Speech Pathologist) Valarie Zimmer (Speech Pathologist) Audrey Pierce-Seeley (Speech Pathologist) Tabitha Parent Buck, Au.D. (Audiologist) Dr. Al Yonovitz (Audiologist) Dr. Peter Von Doersten (Audiologist) When: October 20-21, 2011 Where: Best Western Great Northern Hotel Helena, MT Click here to register online for this conference

Click here to pre-register for this event online What: At this conference, we value various, distinct groups coming together to learn and build capacity and collaboration. Are you… A family member? Come learn ways to increase family and school collaboration, and find out what strategies your children’s teachers will be using in the classroom so you can support participation at home, in school, and in the community! A general or special educator, or school professional? Participate and access innovative, research based educational strategies, relevant to a wide range of hot topics in education today, that will enhance learning for ALL your students. And, these practical strategies can be put into practice immediately in your classroom! An Administrator? Join us and learn how to lead your teachers to support all students to achieve. Learn strategies and programs to share with your staff as well as information on parent involvement, effective collaboration, and updates on the law. When: February 9-11, 2012 Where: Hyatt Regency Denver Tech Center Denver, Colorado

Whether you need help with math homework, need to prepare for a college entrance exam or the GED, or write an effective resume or term paper, HomeworkMT can help!   HomeworkMT offers free online tutoring, academic resources, writing assistance and preparatory testing materials from Tutor.com for all Montana residents. Get help in math, science, social studies or English from a live tutor as part of this statewide service. The service can be accessed from a Montana public, school, academic or special library or from your home computer. Tutors are available Sunday through Thursday 2 p.m. — 11 p.m. The SkillsCenter is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

DENVER - Chase was just 18 months old when he started speaking his first words and sentences to a stunned mom and dad.

"It started with him just loving books, picking up books and playing with them," Brett Perry, Chase's father, said. "Then he went into this fascination with numbers and letters." Before they knew it, Chase was doing more than just looking at the letters. He was reading full words out loud, and then full sentences out loud. Mind you he wasn't even 2 years old.

A new study published online in Environmental Health Perspectives shows no correlation between blood mercury levels in 2-5 year old children and autism or developmental delay. This study adds to the growing evidence that environmental exposure to mercury, from any source, is not a risk factor for autism.

You already know that the Internet is one of the most convenient, effective means of researching and finding information for your classes, but did you know that in some cases it can replace all of your hefty textbooks and reading assignments too? With ebooks, you can read, stream, and listen to lessons, classic literature, poetry and reference books on the Internet or your mobile device. Here are 100 useful links for ebook lovers.

Welcome to the Family Center on Technology & Disability's Online Discussion Center. Join us this month for a discussion of "Improving Teaching and Learning through Technology." Led by national experts, Lisa Thumann and Karen Janowski, our discussion will range from the specifics of using particular applications for both teacher and student learning to the results of recent research on best classroom practices. Our threaded discussion format allows you to follow individual lines of discussion, start new topics, and easily post questions and comments.

Improving Teaching & Learning through Technology with Karen Janowski and Lisa Thumann

The ability to self-advocate is important for kids to learn in order to be successful at all stages of their lives. In the past, self-advocacy was a term applied mostly to adults with disabilities, but recently more focus has been placed on teaching this skill to preteens and teenagers.

The reader can read digital files of books aloud. It can also capture images from any printed material and use its text-to-speech technology to read aloud the publication at a variety of listening speeds. It also has a four-inch color display that can render the words being read in large font sizes. The device can read millions of books that have been formatted online for visually-impaired readers, and it comes with a high-resolution camera that can convert printed text to digital text. The reader can then read the words aloud to the user. It can even work with web pages if users first capture the text from a site in a plain text file.

The following articles provide information on the inclusion of students with learning disabilities or ADHD in the general education classroom.

What: All Montana students require equitable access to a variety of resources, encompassing the breadth of human conversations and creations for academic achievement and personal growth.  By learning to access and evaluate information they gain an appreciation and respect for diverse ideas and creative expressions.  By using information literacy skills in all aspects of learning, students become empowered and engaged lifelong learners. To thrive in the 21st Century, students must employ a process of inquiry that can be adapted to any information need.  By learning strategies to manage and ethically use information, Montana students open the door to the world in all its diversity. Teacher librarians, in collaboration with other classroom and content area teachers, empower all students to become information literate. The Library-Information Literacy and Technology (LILT) will assist the state's school districts in meeting the Montana LILT standards by providing training to Montana educators. Registration: If you are interested in attending a training session you may register online at http://www.msubillings.edu/mcdregister/LILTregistration.htm.  There is no registration fee for this training but registration is required.   If you are interested in scheduling training on LILT or would like more information please contact John Keener, MRESA3 Coordinator, at john.keener@msubillings.edu or call 657-1743. There is no fee for this service. Current Training Schedule: We currently have training sessions scheduled for the following dates to be held at MSUB, College of Education, Room 122: April 11, 2011 5:00 to 8:00PM April 26, 2011 1:00 to 4:00PM May 3, 2011 5:00 to 8:00PM May 4, 2011 1:00 to 4:00PM

Click here to register for this event What: Thousands of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries have learned how to stay in control of their benefits while enriching their lives through employment. You can too. Work Incentive Seminar Events (WISE) provide you and your family the opportunity to learn how to take advantage of Social Security Work Incentives, including Ticket to Work. When: April 7, 2011 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. MDT MSU Billings/College of Education Building, Training Room #122 1500 University Drive Billings, MT  59101 April 14, 2011 9 :00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. MDT Best Western KwaTaqNuk Resort 49708 US Highway 93 East Polson, MT  59860 Register: Online or by calling 1-877-743-8237 (V/TTY).  Space is limited, so please register today! 

Click here to register for this event What: Thousands of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries have learned how to stay in control of their benefits while enriching their lives through employment. You can too. Work Incentive Seminar Events (WISE) provide you and your family the opportunity to learn how to take advantage of Social Security Work Incentives, including Ticket to Work. When: April 14, 2011 9 :00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. MDT Best Western KwaTaqNuk Resort 49708 US Highway 93 East Polson, MT  59860 Register: Online or by calling 1-877-743-8237 (V/TTY).  Space is limited, so please register today! 

Click here to visit the Western Montana CSPD homepage to register What: Want an intriguing conference that will channel you and your students to an invigorating new level, change the current path of your classroom, and set the course for change in your school? Then don't miss the 2011 August Institute. There is something for everyone regardless of how you perceive your classroom technology integration skills and teaching. You’ll leave with new ideas, knowledge of at least one free online application and many techniques to set your students on an exciting path of innovation and self motivation. When: August 8-10, 2011 Where: Missoula, MT

Click here to register for this event What: This webinar will provide you with an overview of culturally effective pediatric care and will highlight the American Academy of Pediatrics’ new online resource the Culturally Effective Care Toolkit. A current Healthy Tomorrows grantee will discuss their experiences creating culturally responsive health education materials and training providers how to manage diverse health literacy levels.  Speakers: Denice Cora-Bramble: MD, MBA, FAAP, Senior Vice President, The Diana L. and Stephen A. Goldberg Center for Community Pediatric Health, Professor of Pediatrics, George Washington University. Dodi Meyer: MD, FAAP, Associate Clinical Professor Pediatrics, Co Director Community Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center/Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital When: Thursday, April 7, 2011 12:00 – 1:30 pm Mountain After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

April is Autism Awareness Month, and to kick off events, the advocacy group Autism Speaks is releasing results of its first online community survey on livability. The organization used the data to generate a list of places to live for people with autism, reporting the places most often cited by respondents for best availability of services and resources, including educational offerings and recreational and medical services.

Click here to download the full brochure with registration information (PDF) What: Behavior Management This academy is intended to give the paraeducator knowledge and skill in instructional methods that support students who have challenging behaviors in inclusive classrooms, resource rooms, elf-contained classrooms, domestic settings and the community. The module focuses on interactions that paraeducators have with students whose behaviors are challenging and on the role they lay in assisting the professional members of their teams with behavior challenges. Effective behavior management is a complex system of proactive strategies, positive reinforcements and natural or logical consequences. The most important concept to understand is that good behavioral management begins with the educator; that ultimately the only person anyone can truly control is him or herself. Our focus, therefore, must be on changing what we, as educators do, as opposed to attempting to make or force our students to change. This academy will address this issue and provide participants with a “tool box” of ideas and strategies that have been proven to encourage positive behavior in students. If your school is an MBI school, these strategies are consistent with the MBI philosophy. Number Theory and Rational Numbers This academy was designed to provide paraeducators with the skills and knowledge needed to assist students, grades 5-8, with mathematics skills taught in the classroom. The course content is designed and adapted from standards recommended by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. It includes the specific skill-building areas of number sense, computational techniques for fractions, decimals and percentages; and their related applications for intermediate and middle-school learners. Participants are encouraged and welcome to attend both days of training. When: June 8-9, 2011 Where:Robins Administration Building Upstairs Conference Room 425 6th Street Havre, MT Register: Register online at www.havre.k12.mt.us Click on the CSPD icon (upper right hand corner) Click on CSPD Calendar

While medication is often used to treat children with autism, “strikingly little evidence” exists to support the approach, researchers said Monday. That’s the conclusion of an analysis published online in the journal Pediatrics looking at 10-years worth of studies on the effectiveness of antipsychotics and other drugs in treating children with autism.