Barbara H. Dyer, JD
Education:University of Tennessee College of Law, Knoxville, Tennessee, 8/99-5/02 - J.D. 5/02.
Dean’s List Spring 2001.
University of Virginia/College of Medicine/School of Medical Technology, Charlottesville,
Virginia, 8/73-8/74, - M.T. - clinical, 8/74.
Mary Washington College, Fredericksburg, Virginia, 9/70-5/73, B.S. 6/74 in Medical Technology.
Awards & Honors:2001 Baker, Donelson, Bearman & Caldwell Student Leadership Award - University of Tennessee College of Law.
Tennessee Bar Foundation IOLTA Scholarship- 2001-02.
Kolwyck Public Interest Fellowship- 5/01.
Kolwyck Public Interest Fellowship- 5/00.
Tennessee Bar Foundation IOLTA Grant- 2000 TAPIL Summer Fellowship Recipient.
National Down Syndrome Congress -"President's Award of 1998".Dallas, TX - 8/8/98.
TASH - 1997 National "Collaboration Award" for work on Re-authorization of IDEA. Boston, MA - 12/97.
"GOLD" Addy- 1991- American Federation of Advertising for National Down Syndrome Congress. Campaign.
"Workhorse" Award 1985-86- Arc of Washington County.
"Marathon Award"- 1981- The Free Clinic of the Roanoke Valley.
University of Virginia- 1974- Scholarship.
Memberships:
Hamilton Burnette Inn of Court- 8/01- 5/02.
Phi Alpha Delta- 2000 to present.
America Bar Association- Law Student Member ABA # 64800844.
University of Tennessee Student Bar Association- since 8/99.
TASH International- since1997.
Partners in Policy Making- Partner since1997.
NAPPE- (Network of Advocates for Promising Practices in Education) since 1997.
National Down Syndrome Congress - since1987.
Experience:
Legal Aid of East Tennessee (Formerly: Knoxville Legal Aid Society (KLAS) - Law Clerk (part-time), My primary responsibility was to work on education issues. I assisted through legal research and writing of briefs and memorandums for education and various other issues. I observed children’s educational programs, obtained and reviewed client educational and medical records. I have conducted client interviewing and counseling, assisted in answering interrogatories and participated in depositions and pre-hearing conferences with administrative law judges. I accompanied client’s parents to IEP meetings and negotiated to obtain promising educational practices for their children with disabilities. 4/24/00-present.
University of Tennessee Legal Clinic Clinic Attorney (Spring 2002)
Acted as counsel for indigent people in juvenile delinquency, special education, unemployment compensation, criminal, and housing matters; interviewed clients and witnesses; gathered records; negotiated with opposing attorneys, researched and wrote legal briefs to submit to the Court, briefed clinic supervisor on progress in cases; appeared at hearings before juvenile court, general sessions and administrative law judges.
IDEA Inclusion Project
In this project, as a law student and parent of a child with Down syndrome and advocate for the educational rights of children with disabilities, I worked with graphic designers, a choreographer, and a group of variously-abled young dancers to produce an installation and performance event where the children danced among a forest of panels arrayed with information about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Both the dance and the visual display highlighted the legal rights of children with disabilities, as well as the educational value to all students that flow from fully inclusive learning environments.I arranged funding through the American Festival Project - sponsored by the Knoxville American Festival Project, and in part by University of Tennessee, College of Law and Knoxville community partnership agency.
Exhibits & Performances:
• LRE / STEP conference, Knoxville TN, 11/01.
• Carpetbag Theater, Knoxville College, Knoxville TN, 11/01.
• Regional, Parent Training and Information Center (PTI) Nashville, TN, 6/03.
• Partners in Policymaking National Conference, Chicago IL, 12/03. (tentative)
"IDEA Inclusion" video of the installation and performance - Video Screenings
• TASH International Conference, Boston, MA 12/02
• Partners in Policymaking Nashville, TN, 4/02
• University of Tennessee, College of Law, Knoxville TN, 2/02
• Sacred Heart Cathedral, Knoxville TN, 2/02Legal Services of Upper East Tennessee (LSUET) — Summer Intern 2001, Kolwyck Public Interest Fellowship;
Summer Intern, 2000 (part-time volunteer) - Received a Tennessee Association for Public Interest Law (TAPIL) fellowship and Kolwyck Public Interest Fellowship based on my proposed project devoted to the further development of the Network of Advocates for Promising Practices in Education (NAPPE). During the course of the internship, I collaborated with LSUET to co-author a National Association for Public Interest Law (NAPIL) grant proposing the use of the skills of a NAPIL fellow to network and train legal and other professionals in special education law and promising practices in education. The grant was awarded in Spring 2001 and a Fellow was hired and began work in September, 2001. I also participated in the general practice of other areas of law in their offices.
University of Tennessee Mediation Clinic - Training and participation as volunteer co-mediator in conjunction with Knoxville Community Mediation Center serving Knoxville General Sessions Court. Spring 2001.
Tennessee State Department of Education Division of Special Education-
Task force to review eligibility criteria for state IDEA regulations — Other Health Impaired, appointed February 2001.
Network of Advocates for Promising Practices in Education (NAPPE), Board member
and founding member (1997 — present). I assisted in writing a successful application for a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit status, organizational by-laws, and brochure. Co-authored grant for NAPIL Fellowship in conjunction with Legal Services of Upper East Tennessee — The project utilizes the organizational and legal skills of a NAPIL Fellow by organizing NAPPE- a program designed primarily to network and train legal and other professionals in special education law and promising practices in education. - $45,000 awarded —2001.
National Council on Disabilities (NCD) - Invitation was extended to participate as grassroots
stakeholder in three advocacy strategy sessions:
•NCD Staff and stakeholders,
•Judy Heumann OSERS Assistant Secretary US Dept. of Ed. and Rehabilitative Services, and stakeholders
•Senator Kennedy, Harkin and stakeholders
to examine the efficacy of the enforcement of IDEA in reference to NCD's recent report Back to School on Civil Rights: Advancing the General Commitment to Leave No Child Behind, Released Jan. 2000. Washington,D.C.- April 2000. (Canceled/ Not Rescheduled)
Tennessee Disability Coalition - East Tennessee Advocacy Project - Advocate 1/99 - 8/99
As the result of a Settlement Agreement from the "class action" lawsuit (People First and the US Dept. of Justice v. Cloverbottom et.al.) the Advocacy Project was created to support class members through the implementation of the Settlement agreement ("Community Plan"). I advocated for 56 individuals during and after transition from any of the TN developmental centers into the community.
Tennessee Department of Education - Division of Special Education: Hearing on Proposed Rules and Regulations for Special Education and Early Intervention Programs and Service- Attended hearing and submitted written comment. Knoxville, Tennessee 2/17/00.
Medical and Educational Entitlements and Life Planning for Children With Special Needs- presented by Legal Services of Upper East Tennessee and The Tennessee Justice Center -"IDEA: What is it, How does it work?"-Co-Presenter with Gordon Bonnyman, Atty. and Linda Archer, 9/17/98.
Accessing Special Education Services for Children -TN Legislative Hearings of the Select Committee on Children and Youth's Education Oversight and TennCare Oversight committees- provided written testimony- 8/18-19/98.
TASH International Education Committee; 12/97 — 12/99 and IDEA Implementation and Enforcement Committee- Co-Chair- 2/98.
Reauthorization of IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) - Spring 1997, During a nine-week period of Spring 1997, I made weekly trips to Washington D.C. to observe and testify before "The Congressional IDEA Working Group". This group was charged with the responsibility of drafting the IDEA Amendments of 1997. During the Washington weekly meetings with colleagues from across the nation, important points in the law that help to protect the rights of children with disabilities were discussed. Through my testimony, I presented the concept of what is now NAPPE to the Working Group. Over the weeks I developed rapport with many individuals most notable were Tom Gilhool, esq., Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia (PILCOP); Kathy Boundy, esq., Co-Director of the Center for Law and Education, Boston, MA; Judith Heumann; Tom Hehir, Assistant Secretaries of Education; and David Hoppe, Chief Assistant to Majority Leader, Trent Lott and the chair of the "Working Group". In December of 1997 I received the TASH National collaboration award for work on IDEA along with twenty-one other colleagues from across the nation.
Volunteer Educational Advocate for Families & Children in upper East Tennessee- 95- present.
Johnson City Medical Center- Registry Medical Technologist; Johnson City, TN; 11/89 - 6/95 Responsibilities: Availability as needed to work any shift in transfusion medicine, stat lab, hematology, chemistry, and satellite labs.
National Down Syndrome Congress - National Public Awareness Campaign wrote copy and concept; won Gold Addy Award (Top Honors); 1991.
"What if You Couldn't" Display for the Hands-On Museum sponsored by the Arc of Washington County - "What if You Couldn't" was a disability awareness display for children and adults included 10 minute video, various interactive activities. 8/90 — 9/93.
Association for Retarded Citizens of Washington County - Johnson City, Tennessee, 8/85 — 11/86 -"Innervisions Newsletter" -Editor, writer, and coordinator. Brochure, Publicity, and Adult Services Committees. Received Arc's "Workhorse" Award 1985-86.
Veteran's Administration Medical Center- Microbiology Section, Salem, Virginia, 1/77- 11/83 Responsibilities: Bacteriology, Mycology, Mycobacteriology, Parasitology, Immunology, Inventory and Quality Control in all areas as well as more specialized testing such as: MIC's, MBC's antibiotic assays, serum cidal levels.
The Free Clinic of the Roanoke Valley- Roanoke, Virginia, 1975-1981 Voluntarily donated services as a medical technologist. Received "Marathon Award"- 1981.
Roanoke Memorial Hospitals Roanoke, Virginia, 9/74- 1/77 Responsibilities: Bacteriology, Mycology, Mycobacteriology, Immunology. Instructed the hospital's School of Medical Technology Students.
University of Virginia Hospital Clinical Lab - Chemistry 12/73- 8/74-Part-time; STAT & Routine tests.
Continuing Education:
Nappe Advocate Training 6/1/02, 6/29/02, & 8/3/02.
President's Commission on Excellence in Education, Nashville TN, 4/18/02.
Special Education 101: Representing Exceptional Children - Continuing Legal Education
Seminar, Sponsored by Legal Aid of East Tennessee and NAPPE (Network of Advocates for Promising Practices in Education) 7/19/2002.
"We’ve got an IDEA and it’s good teaching" FAST (Families and Schools Together) Conference sponsored by STEP, Inc. and LRE for Life Project — Knoxville, TN 11/1-2/01.
Special Education Practice - Coalition for Students with Disabilities Legal Advocacy
Center; Roanoke, VA 8/23/01.
Tennessee Dependency Law Seminar - Knoxville, TN; 8/27/01.
Tennessee Bar Association "Litigating the Special Education Case," Continuing Legal Education Seminar.10/18/00.
STEP & LRE for LIFE Project: Partnership in action 1999 Kick-Off to Success
Conference- Knoxville TN, 8/99, 8/00.
Northeast Tennessee Special Education Conference, 7th Annual - 7/99, 6th Annual - 7/27-29/98,
5th Annual - 7/28-30/97.
6th Annual Tennessee Transition Academy-"Countdown to the Future"-offered by The Tennessee Department of Education through the Office of Training and Professional Development, in conjunction with The LRE for LIFE Project, Vanderbilt University, University of Memphis, and RISE (Restructuring for Inclusive School Environments) Project. 6/22-25/99.
Special Education Law and Practice - Continuing Legal Education Seminar of the Tennessee Bar Association - Johnson City, TN - 5/12/99.
First Annual Conference On Serving The Needs Of The Dual Diagnosed, First Annual Statewide Meeting Of Human Rights Committees, First Open Meeting Of The Tennessee Chapter Of The National Association For Dual Diagnosed - Nashville, TN - 4/ 23-24 /99.
TASH International Conference - Seattle, WA - 12/ 2-5 /98; Boston, MA - 12/03, 12/97.
Various STEP (Support and Training for Exceptional Parents) workshops- 9/17/98, 11/20/97, 5/25/96, 4/86.
National Down Syndrome Congress Convention — Washington D.C., 8/00, attended workshops; Dallas, TX, 8/98 - recipient of "President's Award of 1998" by action of the Board of Directors for dedication and outstanding commitment of personal time, energy, and resources to assuring quality education for students with disabilities. Atlanta, GA, 9/92; Boston, MA, 9/91; Memphis, TN, 10/90; Cincinnati, OH, 11/88; Washington D.C., 11/87.
"Partners in Policy Making" Sponsored by the Developmental Disabilities Council, I was selected a "partner" from pool of applicants across Tennessee. 1997-98; Graduate-4/18/98, Annual Conference 2/02, 2/01, 2/00, 2/99.
Oral Motor Skills, Assessment and Intervention for Infants, Toddlers, Children and Adolescents with Down Syndrome-Speaking Up with Down Syndrome-Nashville, TN; 10/24/97 6hr. CEU.
Communication Skills, Assessment and Intervention for Infants, Toddlers and Children with Down Syndrome-Speaking Up with Down Syndrome-Nashville, TN; 10/23/97 6hr. CEU.
"Changes to IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)"-Kathleen Boundy, Esq. Co-Director Center for Law and Education- Boston, Massachusetts - sponsored by Pacer Center, Minneapolis MN 6/27/97.
Changing Children's Lives by Solving Special Education Problems - Sponsor: Future Horizons, Reed Martin, Esq., Nashville, TN 8/1-2/97.
"Recharge - Changing Children's Lives"-STEP (Support and Training for Exceptional Parents-TN Parent Training & Information Center) State Conference; Reed Martin, Esq.; 3/7-8/97.
University of California- College of Medicine, Irvine, CA; 20.5 CME's -International Down Syndrome Society Conference; Orlando, Florida; 8/93.
American Association of Blood Bank- Conference, Baltimore, MD - 10/91.
Upper East Tennessee Conference on Social Welfare- Topics: Public Relations, Advocacy, Johnson City, TN - 9/86.
Arc of Washington County-Workshop on Respite Care -Johnson City, TN, Spring 86.
"A Symposium on Current Topics in Clinical Infectious Diseases"- presented by the University of Virginia Affiliated Hospitals program in infectious diseases, Roanoke, VA - 5/83.
Virginia Western Community College - Business/Accounting; Roanoke, VA - 1978-79.
"Clinical Microbiology In Control of Nosocomial Infection"- sponsored by CDC-US Dept. of HEW and the Bureau of Epidemiology Dept. of Health- Commonwealth of Virginia at the Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, VA - 5/76.
Articles Authored and Papers Presented:
"Supporting All People in The Human Rights Experience/Human Rights: International Law Instruments That Contain Disability Related Provisions" - Tennessee Human Rights Committee Training Conference, Townsend, TN; 6/7-8/02.
"IEP Strategies to Meet the Needs of Children with Disabilities…Including Children in
State Custody" Special Children / Special Needs, Sponsored by the Northeast Tennessee Council on Children
and Youth, Johnson City, TN, 3/30/01.
"IDEA: What is it, How does it work?"-Medical and Educational Entitlements and Life
Planning for Children With Special Needs - presented by Legal Services of Upper East
Tennessee and The Tennessee Justice Center -Co-Presenter with Gordon Bonnyman, Atty.
and Linda Archer; 9/17/98.
"India's Story: How IDEA Protected Her Rights" Co-author, TASH Newsletter, pp12-13, Vol. 23, 2/97.
"Regarding the Discipline Amendment to the Reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)" Co-author, The Chronicle, AHRC - New York City, Spring 1997.
Panelist: "Principal's Special Education Leadership Institute" by College of Education, ETSU, 5/6/93.
Appalachian Early Intervention Network Conference: "United We Stand: Collaborative Service Programming For Young Children With Special Needs"-Co-Presenter-"Facilitating Family Support Groups"- 10/25/91.
"What is Cerebral Palsy" - Innervisions, pp 4 Vol 2, No.2, November/December 1987.
"TIPS-Tennessee Infant Parent Service", Innervisions, pp. 6, Vol. 1, No.5, Summer 1986.
"A Tremendous Loss", Innervisions pp. 5; Vol. 1, No.4; March/April/May, 1986.
"October was National Down Syndrome Awareness Month," Innervisions, pp 4, Vol.1, No.2, November/December 1986.
