UM program raising awareness “neuro-diversity” in Missoula

May is "Better Hearing and Speech" month, the ideal time for students at the University of Montana to spread awareness about neuro-diversity -- that our brain differences are normal.

BETSY MULLIGAN-DAGUE /JEANETTE RANKIN PEACECENTER EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR"TODAY IS THE 20THANNIVERSARY OF WHEN ITCAME DOWN, AND IT CAMEDOWN AND NINE PEOPLESTEPPED UP TO SAY OUT,I'LL KEEP A PIECE OF IT I'LLBE A PEACEKEEPER ANDTAKE CARE OF IT.

AND THEAGREEMENT WAS ALWAYSTHAT THEY WOULD IT WOULDNOT BE THEIRS AS IT WOULDJUST BE THEIRS TOCARETAKER UNTIL THE TIMETHAT IT COULD BE PUT BACKTOGETHER AGAIN."THESE SIX PANELS OF THESIGN HAVE BEENIDEAL TIME FOR STUDENTSAT THE UNIVERSITY OFMONTANA TO SPREADMAY IS "BETTER HEARINGAND SPEECH" MONTH, THEIDEAL TIME FOR STUDENTSAT THE UNIVERSITY OFMONTANA TO SPREADAWARENESS ABOUTNEURO-DIVERSITY, THAT OURBRAIN DIFFERENCES ARENORMAL.KATIE MILLER REPORTS ONTHE MESSAGE OFINCLUSIVITY."OF COURSE A BAG OFCHIPS, SOME SENSORYITEMS, SOME CHEWYITEMS, AND STICKERS."JENNIFER SCHOFFER(SHOW-FUR) CLOSSON(CLAW-SIN) IS A CLINICALEDUCATOR AT THEUNIVERSITY OF MONTANA,AND HEADS THE MOSAICPROGRAM FOR AUTISTICSTUDENTS."THE DEMANDS OFCOLLEGE ARE WAY DIFFERENTTHAN THE DEMANDS OFHIGH SCHOOL, SO IT CAN BEA PRETTY STEEP LEARNINGCURVE."THE PROGRAM JUSTLANDED A GRANT TO HELPEDUCATE THE PUBLIC ONNEURODIVERSITY."WHERE IT MIGHT NOT BEAS VISIBLE, IT STILL IMPACTHEIR PARTICIPATION ANDMOVEMENT THROUGH THIWORLD."THAT'S WHERE THE GOLDBAG SEMINAR COMES IN."WE FIGURED THIS WAS AGOOD WAY TO INTRODUCETHEM TO WHAT IT IS ANDKIND OF BRING AWARENESSTO TERMS AND INDIVIDUATHAT THEY MIGHT HAVEENCOUNTERED BEFORE, BUTMIGHT NOT HAVE KNOWNTHAT THEY WERE DIFFERENTOR HOW THEY WEREDIFFERENT.ON TOP OF INFORMATION,THE BAGS STUDENTS PASSOUT ARE FILLED WITH ITEMSSOME NEURODIVERSEPEOPLE MIGHT USE ASTOOLS."A LOT OF NEURODIVERSEINDIVIDUALS DO HAVE ASENSITIVITY OR NEED FOMORE OR LESS STIMULUS INTHEIR LIFE.""SOMETIMES PEOPLEENGAGE IN CRUNCHFOODS, MAYBE TO HELPTHEM PAY ATTENTION INCLASS, OR CHEWY FOODS TOHELP THEM CALM, OR LITTLEFIDGET ITEMS TO HELP THEMSTAY ENGAGED IPARTICULARLY TAXINGLEARNING SITUATIONS."ACROSS TOWN, A GROUP OFCOMMUNITY MEMBERSALSO TOOK PART."I'M PASSING SOME STUFFOUT WITH PEOPLE.MICHAEL CREWS SAYSINTEGRATEDTHERAPYWORKS HEARDABOUT THE PROJECT ANDWANTED TO GET INVOLVED."AND WE JUMPED ON ITBECAUSE WE JUST AREVERY PASSIONATE."SOME PARTICIPANTS SAYTHEY WANTED TO GETINVOLVED, HOPING THEEDUCATIONAL TOOLS WILLMAKE PEOPLE MOREEMPATHETIC."JUST TO BE MOPRESENT, I GUESS.WHAT DO YOU THINKJADYN?I THINK IT SOUNDS GREAT.