Research, Advocacy, and Practice for Complex and Chronic Conditions

Research, Advocacy, and Practice for Complex and Chronic Conditions: A Journal for Physical, Health, and Multiple Disabilities (RAPCC) is the journal associated with Complex and Chronic Conditions:  Division for Physical, Health and Multiple Disabilities (CCC-DPHMD). It is published twice a year and is indexed in EBSCO as well as ERIC. During the fall of 2013, the journal transitioned from a print journal to an online journal. The first issue published in online format was the Spring 2014 issue.

This peer-reviewed journal is published two times per year. RAPCC is a multidisciplinary journal that focuses on research, issues, and program innovations that relate to educational and related services needs of individuals with physical, health, and/or multiple disabilities. Articles cover a wide range of topics, including assessment, educational programming, access to the general curriculum, characteristics, training of instructional personnel, rehabilitation, prevention, community understanding and provisions, and legislation. The following are considered for publication: empirical research, theoretical perspectives, case studies that address promising practices, innovative instructional practices, and reviews of books, materials, media, and software.

All research articles in this journal have undergone rigorous peer review, based on initial editor screening and anonymous refereeing by two reviewers.

All published articles are the personal expression of the author(s) and do not necessarily carry the endorsement of CCC-DPHMD. CCC-DPHMD is the official division of the Council for Exceptional Children that advocates for quality education for all individuals with physical disabilities, multiple disabilities, and special health care needs served in schools, hospitals, or home settings. The goals of CCC-DPHMD include:

• Promoting the continued development of adequate resources and programs that address the many areas of need associated with serving children and adults with physical and/or multiple disabilities, and special health care needs.
• Sharing relevant and timely information on current issues, instructional strategies, adaptations, and research through the annual CEC convention, professional meetings, training programs, and publications.
• Providing technical assistance and preservice and in-service education.
• Advocating for funds and policies that promote supportive legislation and funding for persons with physical disabilities, multiple disabilities, and special health care needs.
• Supporting the activities, policies, and procedures of the CEC and the other CEC divisions.

RAPCC accepts submissions from anyone interested in the education and welfare of individuals with complex and chronic conditions including physical, health, and/or multiple disabilities. The review of these submissions follows a blind process where the authors do not know the identity of the reviewers, nor do the reviewers know the identity of the authors.

Authors are encouraged to submit work in one of the following categories:

• Original research: includes experimental (group and single-subject methodologies), quasi-experimental, survey, and qualitative designs
• Reviews of current themes in RAPCC research including meta-analysis
• Case studies illustrating effective intervention procedures
• Reviews of current books and other publications of interest (published in the previous two years)
• Position papers that reflect diverse philosophical and theoretical positions
• Promising practices, which are descriptions of successful programs that provide meaningful advancements in the process of educating/rehabilitating individuals with physical, health, and/or multiple disabilities. These brief articles must go beyond simply describing a practice in which the authors have engaged. They must have a theoretical basis and provide empirical support that the practice is connected to desired outcomes.

Articles published in RAPCC cover topics throughout the lifespan in home, school, hospital, rehabilitation, work, and community settings.

Articles submitted to RAPCC are subject to anonymous review by at least two anonymous reviewers selected by the Editor. Criteria for acceptance focus on relevance, potential reader interest, quality, applicability, contribution to the field, and economy and smoothness of expression. Research articles are reviewed based on standards appropriate to the methodology used in the study. The review process is usually completed within 3 months of receipt of the manuscript. RAPCC is focused on fairness and courtesy in the review process.

Viewpoints expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily conform to positions of the Editor or CCC-DPHMD.

All submissions must conform to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, seventh edition, 2020. While there is no formal page limit, authors should adhere to recent article lengths, typically 30 pages or less.

Manuscripts are only accepted through IUScholarWorks. To have a manuscript considered for publication, please follow these instructions:

(1) Go to the RAPCC site at: http://scholarworks.iu.edu/journals/index.php/pders/;

(2) Complete the registration process;

(3) Once logged in with your username and password you may submit your manuscript by following the online directions;

(4) Upon receipt, each manuscript will be screened by the editor. Appropriate manuscripts will then be sent to reviewers. Principal authors will receive notification of receipt of the manuscript;

(5) Submissions should include the title of the paper, an abstract of no more than 150 words and 4-5 keywords.