VIDBE-Q Volume 67 Issue 4
date with all of the important aspects of intervening. I served as the first
chairperson of the Leadership Team or several years, working with the other
interveners to enhance our practice.
As a group, we have been supporting the intervener practice by writing a
universal job description, generating surveys to understand what's happening in the
field, offering mentoring opportunities to new interveners, and helping interveners
in general. We are working on making intervener services a related service in the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA.) NIAA has worked tirelessly
for the practice of intervening and will continue to do so for many years to come.
Stephanie Garrett, Georgia
I have been a credentialed intervener since 2014, and have since become re-
credentialed as a Deafblind Intervener Specialist (DBIS). I have been with my
student for the past 12 years. In my district I am the only intervener, but I'm
considered to be at a paraprofessional level (currently in my state, interveners are
not recognized and we are still considered paraprofessionals). Although I am
highly trained in my field, my pay is not reflective of my competency level.
Recently, I have requested a pay increase to reflect my competencies as a
highly trained intervener. I'm competent in American Sign Language (ASL),
Pidgin Signed English (PSE), Signing Exact English (SEE), Tactile sign language,
and Unified English Braille (UEB) Grade 1 and 2. This request was unfortunately
