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Writing is difficult. Most writers could relate to the frustration expressed by this student. Writing is a complex process that draws on: our knowledge of the topic our ability to anticipate what readers will need our ability to logically organize information our skill at finding the right words our ability to evaluate our efforts the perseverance to keep working

Progress monitoring is a scientifically based practice used to assess your child's academic progress and evaluate the effectiveness of instruction. Progress monitoring tells the teacher what your child has learned and what still needs to be taught.

On Wednesday, December 22, President Obama signed the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Act of 2010 (H.R. 1246/S. 3199) into law. The bill, which was passed earlier this month by the Senate, was passed by the House on December 15.

The legislation reauthorizes and expands EHDI legislation passed nearly 10 years ago, increasing state funding for follow-up services to ensure that babies initially identified with a potential hearing loss receieve full diagnostic evaluations and, if necessary, are enrolled in early intervention programs. The act also promotes culturally sensitive family support services.

Click here to read:A Response to Intervention (RTI) Process Cannot Be Used to Delay-Deny an Evaluation for Eligibility under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

Kids spend an average of more than 7 hours a day with some form of media.  As a result, they sometimes grow up having more interaction with TV, the Internet, and other media messages than people.  Media Literacy refers to the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media messages of all kinds.  This interactive training will explore basic concepts of media literacy by examining TV commercials, messages and print ads, and tobacco and alcohol marketing.  We will work in small and large groups to discuss the language of persuasion, deconstruct ads, and create counter messages.  After this training, participants will have a greater understanding of media literacy and walk away with tools they can use with their learners. Objective 1: Participants will define media literacy and understand some techniques of persuasion. Objective 2: Participants will understand how media literacy education helps prevent tobacco and alcohol initiation among youth. Objective 3: Participants will learn new media literacy activities and exercises they can do with their learners. The Media Literacy Professional Development Project will assist the state's school districts in meeting the Montana media literacy content standards by offering Media Literacy Professional Development (PD) to Montana teachers.  Please note that media literacy is included in both Curriculum Arts and Health Enhancement standards. There are no fees for this taining but registration is required. Mileage reimbursement will be paid for those outside the Billings area. Scheduled Workshops (Mountain): Febraury 15, 2011 (6:00 to 8:00PM) March 14, 2011 (9:00 to 11:00AM) March 30, 2011 (9:00 to 11:00AM) Location: All workshops are scheduled at for MSUB, College of Education Building, Room 122. To Register: More information at http://www.msubillings.edu/smart/training/medialiteracy.htm Registration form at http://www.msubillings.edu/mcdregister/MediaLiteracyRegistration.htm. If you would be interested in scheduling or attending a training session on Media Literacy contact John Keener, MRESA3 Coordinator, at john.keener@msubillings.edu or call 657-1743 for more information or to schedule a training.  There is no fee for this service.

As an occupational therapy practitioner, researcher, and professor, Dr. James Lenker occupies a rare vantage point in the assistive technology field. His is a perspective that encompasses a wide range of AT-related issues: device adoption and abandonment, assessment, evaluation, consumer and rehab technology and AT research. It’s a panoramic perspective with a view of the horizon in every direction and a lens on changes that are remaking the AT landscape.

What: This six session series on Discovery will equip educators, adult service personnel and family members with the critical information necessary to facilitate discovery for persons with significant disabilities. This alternative to comparative assessment addresses the essential question so often overlooked by evaluations and tests, "Who is this person?" The sessions offer a comprehensive overview to discovery, the relationship to employment and transition from school to adult work, relevance to curricular outcomes and development of visual and written profile documents that capture the information learned during discovery.  When: April 4, 11, 18, 25 and May 2, 9  1-2:30 p.m. Mountain More Details Download Registration Form Register Online

Click here to register for this event What: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), almost 60 percent of American adults say they endured abuse and other difficult family situations as children, otherwise known as adverse childhood experiences. Those experiences can have long-term health consequences. The annual financial burden to society of childhood abuse and trauma is $103 billion, according to a 2007 Federal Economic Impact Study. The costs include annual direct costs such as hospitalization, mental health care, child welfare service, and law enforcement, as well as indirect costs such as special education, juvenile delinquency, mental health and health care, adult criminal justice system, and lost productivity. The SAMHSA 10x10 Wellness Campaign invites you to a free training teleconference titled, “The Impact of Trauma on Wellness: Implications for Comprehensive Systems Change.” This teleconference will educate diverse stakeholders about comprehensive systems change, including preventing harm and inadvertent retraumatization and ensuring that services and supports are welcoming, engaging, and culturally attuned. The goal is to help facilitate the healing process among people who have experienced trauma so that they can become fully engaged in their communities. When: Wednesday, March 30, 2011 1:00 - 2:30p.m. Mountain Presenters: Cathy Cave, Senior Program Associate, Advocates for Human Potential Roger Fallot, Ph.D., Director of Research and Evaluation, Community Connections Ann Jennings, Ph. D., Founder and Executive Director, The Anna Institute

Click here to register for this event What: Participants will learn the importance of developing a comprehensive service array, what some of the critical services are, how to provide families with choice, what a provider network is, how a provider network can be organized and evaluated, benefits of having such a network, and lessons learned. When: 12:00pm -1:30pm Mountain Time June 14, 2011 Presenters: Bruce Kamradt, Childrens Mental Health Services/Wraparound Milwaukee

Schools are required to locate, identify and evaluate all children with disabilities from birth through age 21. The Child Find mandate applies to all children who reside within a State, including children who attend private schools and public schools, highly mobile children, migrant children, homeless children, and children who are wards of the state.

Click here to register for this webinar -- $49 What: School therapists will enjoy finding a bag of tricks in their pocket to meet the needs of a large and very diverse caseload. There are thousands of apps out there, but “How do I choose?”  This session will review apps for students with articulation problems, fluency issues, voice disorders and language delay.  Apps will be identified with some initial guidelines for how to evaluate these increasingly popular ‘pocket’ products. When: Monday, September 12, 2011 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Mountain Time Presenter: Phyllis S. Watson, CCC-SLP, Augmentative Communication Specialist, Crotched Mountain ATECH Services Full Abstract – Including speaker biography and learning points

Click here to register for this webinar -- $39 What: In this age of Apps, iPads and iPod Touches, parents, teachers and students are being bombarded. It seems every day, if not every hour, a new tool is available for our over-flowing toolbox. When is too much of a good thing, too much?  This presentation will focus on Apps and how they are delivered considering ways to identify, integrate, evaluate, and further implement in a meaningful way into the lives of those students with special needs.  Our purpose is to decrease App/iPad/iPod abandonment, misuse or simply no longer considering additional solutions in this ever-changing area. When: Thursday, October 6, 2011 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Mountain Time Presenter: Sean J. Smith, Ph.D., Associate Professor, University of Kansas Full Abstract  - Including speaker biography and learning points

Today, the Obama Administration outlined how states can get relief from provisions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act – or No Child Left Behind (NCLB) – in exchange for serious state-led efforts to close achievement gaps, promote rigorous accountability, and ensure that all students are on track to graduate college- and career-ready. “To help states, districts and schools that are ready to move forward with education reform, our administration will provide flexibility from the law in exchange for a real commitment to undertake change. The purpose is not to give states and districts a reprieve from accountability, but rather to unleash energy to improve our schools at the local level,” President Obama said. What this means for you:   For Teachers: A collaborative learning culture where teachers can target instruction towards the needs of students and offer a well-rounded curriculum. Fair and responsible evaluations that are based on multiple measures including peer review, principal observation, and classroom work.  For Principals: Greater flexibility to tailor solutions to the unique educational challenges of their students and recognition for progress and performance.  For Parents: Accurate and descriptive information about their children’s progress and honest accountability that recognizes and rewards success – where schools fall short – targeted and focused strategies for the students most at risk.  For Students: A system that measures student growth and critical thinking to inspire better teaching and greater student engagement across a well-rounded curriculum. For more information on how this flexibility package may affect you, read our blog post: What NCLB Flexibility Means for You

Many families of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are faced with the option of using medicines to help treat their child’s challenging behaviors. This is a tough medical decision and there is no one right answer.  Though many children with autism may benefit from medications that ease challenging behaviors, families often struggle with making the decision of whether medication use is right for their child. This is why the Autism Speaks’ Autism Treatment Network (ATN) created the Medication Decision Aid. It includes a family decision aid and answers to frequently asked questions—all designed to help you clarify your values and goals and then talk with your healthcare provider about the options, benefits, and possible downsides of medications. This tool kit can be used at any point in your decision-making process, including the re-evaluation of medications your child is now taking.     

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today unveiled several new resources on the federal government’s one-stop resource for flu information -- www.flu.gov.  The Web site now features a new H1N1 Flu Self-Evaluation guide for adults 18 and older along with a new Flu Myths and Facts section, which provides the public with the latest and most accurate information about the flu.“Flu.gov is a one-stop clearinghouse for the latest news about the flu,” said Secretary Sebelius.  “These new resources on flu.gov will help individuals get critical information on how to protect themselves and their families from the H1N1 virus. They will also help us to get accurate information out into the public realm so people know what the facts are about the flu.”

The use of optical character recognition (OCR) systems combined with speech synthesis (computer-generated speech) has become increasingly accepted as a means of compensating for reading disabilities. These OCR systems, or reading machines, convert printed text to spoken language so the user can hear and see written words. These technologies are now marketed internationally (for example, WYNN®, Kurzweil 3000®), commonly found in assistive technology centers serving individuals with learning disabilities, frequently exhibited at LD conferences, generally considered in assistive technology evaluations for students with LD, and regularly discussed in publications on LD and assistive technology.

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

On behalf of the Autism Subcommittee of the Council on Children with Disabilities, please note the current AAP autism resources for health care professionals and parents. Find more information about these items as well as additional resources at: http://medicalhomeinfo.org/about/cocwd/autism.aspx. Be sure to check out the sneak preview of the autism toolkit contents - only for AAP members (see below). Sound Advice on Autism - The AAP has developed a series of audio interviews with medical experts and parents of children with autism who answer parents' frequently asked questions. Conversations include: screening, diagnosis, treatment, alternative therapies, prevalence and causes of autism. AUTISM: Caring for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Resource Toolkit for Clinicians - A clinical resource (on CD-ROM) to assist in the recognition, evaluation, and ongoing management of ASDs. SNEAK PREVIEW for AAP Members - including samples and additional content information!! Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) - This booklet provides critical information about ASDs and answers parents' most common questions. This booklet will help to identify ASD symptoms so that an intervention program can be started as soon as possible.   Is Your One-Year Old Communicating with You? - This brochure encourages parents to share any concerns about their baby's language development with their pediatrician as early as possible. It also provides early language and social milestones checklists. 

Click here to download the registration form for this event (PDF) What: Recent studies indicate that the rate of an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children with Down syndrome (DS) is higher than previously reported. Early detection of ASD is critical because early intervention has been associated with more favorable child outcomes and therefore, the presence of ASD in a child with DS has implications for treatment and special education decisions. However, identifying ASD in children with DS is difficult because of overlapping symptoms, the presence of cognitive and language delays and deficits, and other developmental factors. Moreover, little is known about what autism assessment measures are valid for use with children with DS. This talk reviews the various issues surrounding the accurate identification of ASD in children with DD and presents a set of considerations to assist evaluators in selecting appropriate screening and diagnostic assessment protocols. When: May 18, 2011 1:00-2:30pm Mountain

What: Kids spend an average of more than 7 hours a day with some form of media.  As a result, they sometimes grow up having more interaction with TV, the Internet, and other media messages than people.  Media Literacy refers to the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media messages of all kinds.  This interactive training will explore basic concepts of media literacy by examining TV commercials, messages and print ads, and tobacco and alcohol marketing.  We will work in small and large groups to discuss the language of persuasion, deconstruct ads, and create counter messages.  After this training, participants will have a greater understanding of media literacy and walk away with tools they can use with their learners. Objectives: Participants will define media literacy and understand some techniques of persuasion. Participants will understand how media literacy education helps prevent tobacco and alcohol initiation among youth. Participants will learn new media literacy activities and exercises they can do with their learners. The Media Literacy Professional Development Project will assist the state's school districts in meeting the Montana media literacy content standards by offering Media Literacy Professional Development (PD) to Montana teachers.  Please note that media literacy is included in both Curriculum Arts and Health Enhancement standards. OPI Renweal Units are available. There are no fees for this taining but registration is required. SCHEDULED WORKSHOPS: May 6, 2011 - (9:00 to Noon) May 11, 2011 - (9:00 to Noon) May 17, 2011 - (9:00AM to Noon) All workshops are scheduled at for MSUB, College of Education Building, Room 122. TO REGISTER: For further information go to http://www.msubillings.edu/smart/training/medialiteracy.htm To register go to http://www.msubillings.edu/mcdregister/MediaLiteracyRegistration.htm