Montana Accessible Communications

08/14/2026

Our Outreach Specialist, Brittany, at the Senior Health Fair in Dillon! If you’re in the area and would like to learn more about our program, drop by and say hi! 😊

08/14/2026

Next Saturday, 8/22, Brittany will be at the Magic City Wellness Expo in Billings! Drop by to learn more about our program. 😊

Come discover local health resources, learn about wellness approaches, and connect with practitioners and health-related businesses in the Billings area.

🕰️ 9:30am-5:30pm
📍 Montana Pavilion at MetraPark, 308 6th Avenue North, Billings, MT 59101
💵 $5 for adults; Free for children 10 & under

08/12/2026

The oversight board of Montana Accessible Communications and Montana Relay will hold its next quarterly committee meeting on Thursday, August 20th. The meeting is open to the public, and those interested in learning more about our program, providing input, or meeting the board are welcome to join us! We will have ASL interpreters and CART services on-site at the meeting.

🕰️ 10 AM to 3 PM
📍Conference Room, 2550 Prospect Avenue in Helena, across from Walmart. We will post a sign on the outside door entrance.

For those who cannot attend in person, below are Zoom and Remote Conference Captioning links you can use to watch from home.

💻 Zoom: https://mt-gov.zoom.us/j/81452669858?pwd=lTiPiLgPt7dEBVtjZpM0aJELefZdlE.1
Meeting ID: 814 5266 9858
Password: 521567

Dial by Telephone

+1 646 558 8656
Meeting ID: 814 5266 9858
Password: 521567
Find your local number: https://mt-gov.zoom.us/u/kuerfZvu4
Join by SIP
[email protected]
Join by H.323 (Polycom)
162.255.37.11 # #81452669858

💻 Remote Conference Captioning:

To view captions via streamtext for this event, please use the following link, or click the “CC” in Zoom, as our captioner will be joining the meeting to caption it within Zoom:
https://www.streamtext.net/player?event= [streamtext.net]HamiltonRelayRCC-0820-MT1023

Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise cloud communications.

08/11/2026

🔥 It’s “fire season” in Montana. ⚠️ Here is an instructional video on how to sign for emergencies during a natural disaster. These are great for everyone to know!

Click the link below to view. 👇
https://youtu.be/zht0ia5Vq1U?si=7opA2qpXwprg92z8

This is video 9 in our Public Services Series. To check out all of ...

08/07/2026

🚨Families and friends of senior citizens in the Dillon area:

Stop by to see Brittany at the Senior Health Fair at the local YMCA on Friday, August 14th hosted by the Y, Barrett Hospital & HealthCare, and Honeybee Hospice! She’ll be there with demo communication equipment and more information on our program. Come meet other amazing local organizations that are sharing resources with the community!

📍Southwestern Montana Family YMCA, 75 Swenson Way, Dillon, MT 59725
🕰️ Time: 11am-2pm

This event is for individuals aged 40 and up. It’s free to the public, and you can expect carnival games, raffle prizes, a free sack lunch, a discounted blood draw, balance testing, and more!

We hope to see you there!

08/06/2026

MTAC team member, Jeff, will be at the MontCOMM ’26: More Than Words event hosted by MonTECH in Missoula on Friday, August 14th to speak about our program!

📍The University Center on the UM campus, 32 Campus Drive, Missoula, MT 59812
🕰️ 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

This event brings together experts in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) to raise awareness and provide training for professionals and families in supporting people with communication challenges.

⚠️ This training is approved for six renewal units for OPI, .6 CEUs for MOTA, and 0.6 ASHA CEUs.

Check out the website below for more details. 👇 https://montech.ruralinstitute.umt.edu/montcomm/

MontCOMM ’26 – More Than Words Follow MonTECH on Facebook and Instagram for the latest. MontCOMM means yearly access to experts in AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication), bringing quality training [...]

08/05/2026

Montana Accessible Communications (MTAC) is a statewide telecommunications service provided to all qualifying Montana residents who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech or mobility disability that interferes with their phone communication. Through this FREE relay service, users can place and receive calls 24/7 by dialing 7-1-1.

Provided by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Montana Relay is here to make communication easier for all. Whether it's for personal use or making a call to someone who struggles with communication, we are here to help!

To explore the various services we provide, visit 👇:

https://dphhs.mt.gov/detd/mtac/otherrelayservices

DPHHS is offering one-time incentive payments to recruit employees at Montana’s state-run health care facilities. For more information go to Work4DPHHS.com

08/04/2026

Shout out to our wonderful teachers throughout the state of Montana! You are so appreciated! Before the new school year starts, here are some tips on how you can make your classroom more accessible:

✏️ Talk to your students and families about what accommodations would make their learning experience better.

✏️ Work with your school administration and support staff to ensure your classroom has the assistive tools, technology, and services needed to support every student's communication and learning needs.

✏️ Ensure that an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter is secured for students using ASL as their primary mode of communication.

✏️ If a student uses an ASL interpreter, still speak directly to the student (rather than to the interpreter) and pause when appropriate to allow time for interpretation.

✏️ Face the class while speaking and teach students the importance of facing one another when communicating.

✏️ Consider seating arrangements that allow students with disabilities to hear you better, see the board more clearly, or have a clear line of sight to an ASL interpreter, educational interpreter, or extra visual supports.

✏️ Provide visual supports: Write clear instructions on the board in addition to saying them aloud, and utilize handouts, pictures, demonstrations, etc. during lessons.

✏️ Turn on captions for all videos and utilize live captioning whenever possible.

✏️ Allow students who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices, communication boards, or other visual communicators the time they need to express themselves, and make space for those communication methods in classroom discussions.

✏️ Repeat or paraphrase comments made by other students so everyone has equal access to classroom discussions.

✏️ Limit background noise whenever possible.

Accessibility isn't about changing what you teach. It's about ensuring every student has an equal opportunity to access, participate in, and succeed in learning.

08/03/2026

Join our MTAC team members, Dawn & Lisa, at the Back to School Bash in Helena on Friday, August 7th hosted by Helena Indian Alliance.

📍 Main Street Park in East Helena
🕰️ 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Back to School Bash was created to help ease the financial burden some families may face as they plan for the upcoming school year. It gets kids excited about education with a fun community event featuring lawn and carnival games, food, and local vendors supporting the cause.

Are you stressed about getting your kid(s) the school supplies they need?

Come join us and get free backpacks and school supplies, while supplies last! 🎒🏫🚌

🔁 Share this post to spread the word to local families with school-aged kids. We look forward to seeing you there!

08/01/2026

Happy August! MTAC hopes you’re having a wonderful summer!

Did you know that August is recognized as National Wellness Month? Summer is one of the easiest seasons to stay active. Explore your favorite hiking trail, take your dog for a walk, hit the bike paths, take a swim, or spend the day kayaking or paddleboarding on one of the lakes. Every step, paddle, and adventure is an investment in your overall well-being.

Just as important, bring family members or friends to share the experience with! Staying active together is a wonderful way to support both your physical and social health!

How are you staying active this summer? Tell us about your favorite summer adventure in the comments! 💬