Call for Submissions

The Journal of the Arts and Special Education (JASE) is a peer-reviewed publication of the Division of Visual Arts and Performing Arts Education (DARTS) of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). DARTS is an organization that advocates for all students to experience the visual and performing arts, encourages research and a professional community in special education and the arts, and fosters collaboration across professionals and organizations. JASE aligns with the DARTS mission by disseminating research-based practices for educators, increasing visibility of research, advancing efforts to make the arts accessible, and spotlighting collaborative partnerships at the intersection of the arts and special education.  

Aims & Scope 

The Journal of the Arts and Special Education (JASE) is peer reviewed journal featuring original research, research-based practitioner, and community partnership articles that highlight the various ways the arts intersect with special education to include and support people with disabilities in meaningful ways. Educators and advocates providing instruction and support in all arts disciplines and contexts contribute to our rich understanding of equitable access to arts learning for all students. 

Contributors to JASE vary in perspective and experience, including educators, researchers, and advocates from visual arts education, music education, theater/drama education, dance education, media arts education, special education, inclusive general education, assistive technology, arts integration, STEAM instruction, community-based arts, teaching artist collaborations, arts therapy, arts-based transition services, and museum-based arts education. We also recognize the importance of the Disability Arts Movement, including learning about and experiencing art, music, and performances by people with disabilities in the curriculum.  

Types of Submissions:

Practitioner 

Articles submitted in this section should focus on a single, research-based application for improving outcomes for students with exceptionalities with the arts. Manuscripts must explain a method or idea and provide actionable strategies for others to understand and/or use it. Please describe the specific audience of students that you worked with, the specific audience or audiences you are addressing, explain how others can incorporate this practice into a variety of educational settings to support individuals with exceptionalities, and share what you learned from implementing this practice and how it helped your target audience.  

2,500-4,000 words in length 

Community Partnership  

Articles in this section should focus on sharing a community partnership that was developed to promote the arts for students with exceptionalities. Partnerships may be between the following, but are not limited to, PK-12th grade schools, universities, theater companies, museums, non-profits, and after school programs. Articles should identify who were members of the partnership, what were the partnership goals/outcomes, how the partnership supported students with exceptionalities, and how art was incorporated into the partnerships. 

2,500-4,000 words in length 

Research  

Articles submitted should be focused on empirical research and have a strong connection to theory and literature. JASE publishes original research including mixed methods, qualitative, and quantitative research, scoping and systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and participatory research methods.  

4,000-6,000 words in length 

Artwork 

The covers of The Journal of the Arts and Special Education (JASE) feature original artwork by individuals with disabilities and photographs of individuals with disabilities engaged in artmaking or performances. Individuals with disabilities, educators, and caregivers are encouraged to submit cover art entries. Submission of artwork should include the artist's name, email, title of artwork, artistic medium, description of artist or process, and an image description for accessibility. Submissions of photographs of individuals with disabilities engaged in artmaking or performances should include the photographer’s name, email, and an image description for accessibility. Submitters must obtain permission to publish any artwork or photographs and include a statement that of permission. Images should be high-quality jpeg files.  

APA Style 

All manuscripts should be prepared in accordance with the style and format guidelines specified in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (http://www.apastyle.org/manual/). 

When writing about individuals with disabilities use person-first language. It is also acceptable and respectful to use identity-first language if a participant or particular disability community has this preference. 

Instructions for Authors

1. 1. Submit your masked manuscript, cover letter, and title page on journal website: https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/jase/ (you will need to create an account to submit).
   2. Your cover letter should be addressed to co-editors Kathleen Farrand and Jasmine Begeske, identify type of article (Practitioner, Community Partnership, or Research), include a description of the article, and the word count.
   3. A masked manuscript should be submitted (no author information included), so that your manuscript can be sent out for peer review. Manuscript should be 12-point font, Arial or Times New Roman font, double-spaced, and saved as a Word document.
   4. Please submit tables, figures, images, etc. in a separate Word document. Images should be high-quality jpeg files.
   5. If images are included with your submission, include a statement in your cover letter confirming that you have permission to publish, as well as a text description of the image.
   6. The title page should be submitted as a separate document from your manuscript and include author names, affiliations, and ORCID ID (optional).