Programs – NFB of Montana

Newsline

NFB Newsline

Screen shot of the NFB NewsLine application, running on an iphone. The app is showing some of the Montana publications

NFBNewsline is a free audio news service for anyone who is blind, low-vision, deaf-blind, or otherwise print-disabled that offers access to more than 500 publications, emergency weather alerts, job listings, and more.

NFB NewsLine subscribers have access to:

  • National newspapers, including the Wall Street Journal and USA Today
  • Breaking news sources, including CNN, BBC, and ESPN Online
  • International newspapers, including Financial Times and Vancouver Sun
  • Magazines, including Time, Consumer Reports, Guideposts, and Smithsonian
  • State newspapers
  • Emergency weather alerts and seven-day forecasts localized to your zip code or GPS location
  • The information that scrolls along the bottom of your television screen during emergency alerts
  • More than 100,000 job listings from two national job sources
  • TV listings localized to your zip code and provider
  • Retail ads
  • NFB’s national channel, including:

How to Sign Up for NFB NewsLine

Anyone who cannot read printed publications due to vision loss, dyslexia, or a physical disability is eligible to receive NFB NewsLine. Please register by calling or emailing:

Marilyn Bennett, – Montana
Talking Book Library Digital and Outreach Coordinator
Phone: (406) 444-5352
Email: mbennett@mt.gov

to fill out an application over the phone or to
have one mailed to you. Alternatively, you may also call:

National Federation of the Blind
Phone: (866)
504-7300
Fill out our:online application
Alternatively you may Download the application

After your registration is processed, you will receive a message containing your activation codes and instructions.

NFB NewsLine in Montana

In addition to the toll-free number 888-882:1629, here are some local numbers to call to reach:

  • Billings: 406-409-3100
  • Great Falls: 406-401-6100
  • Missoula: 406-303-2200

Please contact the Montana NFB Newsline Coordinators with any questions you may have or for additional help and support.

Call the Montana NFB Newsline Coordinators
Phone: (406) 233:0771
toll-free, (888) 987:0414
Montana Coordinator Robert Jaquiss, press 1.
Montana Coordinator Samantha Chase, press 2.
Email the Montana NFB Newsline Coordinators
For last names beginning with the letter A through L, please email Samantha Chase at schase@nfbofmt.org
For last names beginning with the letter M through Z, please email Robert Jaquiss at rjaquiss@nfbofmt.org

Belle Academy

Belle Academy

A young man sitting in a classroom reading a braille document.

The Bell Academy is a highly structured program that focuses on teaching children from the ages of 4 to 12, who are visually impaired or blind important life skills. The program is designed to help children succeed in life by teaching them how to read and write braille, as well as how to navigate the world around them. The curriculum is tailored to the individual needs of each child to ensure that they receive the best possible education.

In-person NFB of Montana BELL Academy

The National Federation of the Blind of Montana offers an NFB BELL Academy in Missoula, during the summer months. Registration is $25 per child. Each day will begin at 9:00 a.m. and end at 3:00 p.m. Arrangements will vary for lunch. Parents will need to drop off and pick up their child each day. Transportation will be provided for field trips. Please contact Robert Jaquiss for more information.

In-Home NFB of Montana BELL Academy

Don’t live near a participating program? Our NFB In-Home Edition is a virtual option for those who may not be able to participate in person.

For more information, contact:

Robert Jaquiss – NFB of Montana Bell Academy Coordinator
Phone: (406) 334:5088
Email: rjaquiss@nfbofmt.org