Abstract
I appreciate the opportunity to serve as editor in chief for the Journal of Learning Disabilities (JLD) as the journal enters its 51st volume year. I thank my predecessor, H. Lee Swanson, for his 12-year span of service, which brought the journal to its current top-tier status by virtue of publishing rigorous research that has advanced the field of learning disabilities internationally. During this transition, I have appreciated his support, and the support from his editorial assistant (Amy Allen), the prior associate editors (Dorothy Bishop, Virginia Berninger, Janette Klingner, and Jeannie Wanzek), and the teams at the Hammill Institute and at SAGE. I also appreciate the distinguished scholars in our field who previously served as editors, including George Hynd, Wayne Hresko, J. Lee Wiederholt, and particularly Sharon Vaughn, who has been a gracious mentor to me.
As Lee acknowledged in his last editorial for JLD, the editorial board plays a pivotal role in ensuring the impact, quality, and rigor of JLD. Fortunately, Malka Margalit will continue as the associate editor for special issues. In addition, I am grateful that several new associate editors with specific content and methodological expertise have joined our editorial board, including Michael Faggella-Luby, Nadine Gaab, Sara Hart, Phil Liu, Yaacov Petscher, Sarah Powell, Amy Gillespie Rouse, Emily Solari, Betsy Talbott, and Nicole Patton Terry. We are fortunate to have Kristi Baker as our editorial assistant. Our team has a vision to publish high-quality research on learning disabilities across the life span that answers important questions about improving lives of individuals with or at risk for learning disabilities through informing educational practices and policies. This research will include topics related to learning disabilities such as etiology, prevention, early identification, diagnosis, and intensive intervention. In manuscripts related to intervention and implementation science, we will also attend to culture, language of instruction, race, and social equity in order to answer questions about “for whom” and “under what conditions” interventions are most powerful.
We will publish manuscripts that use state-of-the-art data analysis presented in ways that are clearly explained and lead to important implications for practice and directions for future research. We intend to provide peer review that maintains the standards of JLD and that balances rigor and quality with compassion and conscientiousness. We therefore appreciate the dedication of those of you who have provided insightful and timely reviews over the years and extend a welcome to new individuals who have offered to serve as consulting editors.
In addition to making some changes to the online submission system to function with associate editors whose role is to facilitate reviews within their areas of expertise, we have made some modifications for authors to further streamline the online submission and peer-review process. An example of a small modification is that we ask authors to select from a revised list of classifications or key words. An example of a larger modification is that we ask authors to submit manuscripts that do not exceed 30 pages, and therefore we suggest the use of supplemental online materials, if appropriate. In addition, authors have begun using a new proofing tool, SAGE Edit, to review their proofs. We continue to solicit manuscripts of this length that include reviews of the literature, research articles, and theoretical or position/policy papers. Continuing in the tradition of JLD, letters to the editor (at a maximum of 3 pages) are also welcome.
To conclude, we value this opportunity to serve the field. We look forward to your continued readership and authorship that supports the success and increases the impact of JLD.