Dr. Lyttle has been active in the field of special education since the passage of The Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 (Public Law 94-142), as a special and secondary education teacher; tenured university professor (Duquesne University, 10 yrs); grant author/director; mainstreaming/inclusion consultant to federal, state and local education departments, school districts, professional organizations and universities; attorney (Reed Smith Shaw & McClay, Pgh, PA; Kirkpatrick & Lockhart, Pgh, PA); Pennsylvania Special Education Hearing Officer and Appellate Panel Hearing Officer and collaborative attorney and advocate.
She earned her undergraduate degree with honors in Speech Communications, Theatre Education and teaching the Visually Impaired, from The Ohio State University; her MA in Learning Disabilities and teaching the Visually Impaired from Peabody College of Vanderbilt University; her PhD in Communications & Technology and Special Education from The University of Pittsburgh; and her JD (law review) from Duquesne University.
Dr. Lyttle taught law and special education as a member of the Pennsylvania State University World Campus Faculty and guest lectured for several other universities. She is presently serving as a Clinical Professor of Special Education at Drexel University and is involved in collaborative dispute resolution as a Special Education Mediator, IEP/IFSP Facilitator and IDEA Resolution Meeting Facilitator for the Pennsylvania Department of Education Office for Dispute Resolution.
Through her private special education mediation/consulting practice, Special Education Law Solutions, Dr. Lyttle assists school districts and families collaboratively resolve issues concerning appropriate evaluation, identification, educational programming and placement, progress monitoring, related services and transitional programming for children with disabilities.
Dr. Lyttle remains active in special education and legal professional organizations, notably, the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Legal Rights for Exceptional Children, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Children's Rights Committees, Association for Conflict Resolution - Greater Delaware Valley Chapter, Pennsylvania Council of Mediators and a Pennsylvania Representative to the International Council for Exceptional Children.
Dr. Lyttle may be contacted directly via email:
Constance@spedlawsolutions.com