Professor
Phone: (919)-843-2524
Email: pporter@med.unc.edu

Education

• PhD, Special Education, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• MS, Speech/Language Pathology, Marshall University
• BS, Speech/Language Pathology, Marshall University

Personal Statement

Dr. Patricia Porter is the Director of Outreach for the Department of Allied Health Sciences and the Associate Director for Administration and Policy of the Center for Literacy and Disability Studies. Dr. Porter first became a member of the faculty of the DSHS in 1977 and subsequently was the first woman in the Division awarded tenure as an Associate Professor. Dr. Porter also served as the Section Chief for Communication Disorders and Director of Clinical Programs for the Medical School’s Division for Disorders of Development and Learning (now CDL) before assuming the position as Chief of Developmental Disability Services for the State of North Carolina, a position she held for 14 years.

Dr. Porter developed the first course in Augmentative and Alternative Communication in the southeast and was a member of the team that initiated the first Augmentative Communication Team in the state at the DDDL.

Dr. Porter has engaged in speech/language pathology services with children in a public school setting, with adults in a Veteran’s Hospital and as an instructor and practicum supervisor. She served as the School Liaison with a hospital outpatient program serving children with neuromuscular disorders and their families. She was the Director of Communication Disorders at a Regional Mental Retardation Center in WV and has continued her interest in the area of communication disorders of persons with developmental disability, especially related to assessment, augmentative communication and other assistive technology.

Dr. Porter currently serves as a member of the faculty in the DAHS Division of Rehabilitation Counseling and Psychology and was instrumental in the development of the new curriculum with focus areas in mental illness and developmental disabilities. She has authored numerous articles and book chapters and has engaged in a variety of interdisciplinary and cross-agency service projects. She has been the recipient of research, training and system planning and evaluation grants. Current areas of research include public policy, system development and support, augmentative and alternative communication and literacy learning for persons with developmental disabilities.

Dr. Porter continues to provide consultation in these areas for public and private agencies nationwide.

Courses Taught

RPSY 814 – Introduction to Rehabilitation Counseling with Persons with Developmental Disabilities or Mental Illness – Co-instructor: Dr. Charles Bernacchio

Recent Publications

Bernacchio, B., Burker, E.J., Carone, S., Falvo, D., Nelson, C., Porter, P.B. and Tote, J. A Collaborative Curriculum Initiative in Rehabilitation Counselor Education: Development of Specializations in Response to State Needs for Serving Persons with Severe Mental Illness and Developmental Disabilities. Submitted to: Rehabilitation Education. August, 2006

Recent Grants

Don Stedman (PI) Co-PI P Porter - Comprehensive Planning Initiative for Establishment of an Independent Day School for Children with Severe Communication and Mobility Disorders .John Rex Endowment 2/2006-12/2007

Erickson, (P.I.), Porter (Project Director), Project Converge, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs1/1/06-12/31/07

Porter, P.B. and Bloomingdale, J. Developmental Disabilities Service Request Database: Single Portal