Vision Rehabilitation International

COVID 19 and the impact on peer review

The COVID-19 pandemic is causing significant disruption worldwide and as such many external peer reviewers are unable to provide their service or are having difficulty meeting the normal deadlines. As such, we ask authors to be aware there could be a delay in the time it takes from submission to receiving an outcome from the journal.

Contact
visionrehabeditor@gmail.com

1. SCOPE

Vision Re/habilitation International aims to publish original research, reviews, case studies, evaluations and viewpoints in the field of vision habilitation and rehabilitation. Vision habilitation and rehabilitation focuses on teaching or improving the functional ability of a person who is blind or has low vision so that quality of life can be maintained. Vision habilitation and rehabilitation encompasses a range of services and tools including orientation and mobility (O&M), low vision aids, assistive technology, falls prevention, adaptive independent living skills, communication tools, vocational and educational assistance and programs. Manuscripts should be prepared with an overall focus of having a practical relevance to individuals who are blind or vision impaired and/or professionals who work with these individuals in vision rehabilitation.

2. ARTICLE TYPES

Vision Re/habilitation International publishes the following types of articles:
Research Article: presents original research/data from a primary source such as a laboratory experiment, a clinical trial, or a survey. 5,000 words
Review Article: provides an overview of the literature with regards to an important or topical area. 5,000 words
New service/tool report and evaluations: provides description and critical analysis of new or innovations in existing services and tools for vision rehabilitation. 4,000 words
Case studies: up to three cases relating to an observation, presentation or outcome which is interesting and demonstrates lessons to be learned. 3,000 words
Clinical Guidelines: evidence-based guidelines relating to delivery of vision rehabilitation tools and services. 5,000 words
Viewpoints: discusses contemporary issue in vision rehabilitation. 1,500 words
Book Review: brief overview of new books with specific relevance to vision rehabilitation. Authors should contact the Editor in Chief before embarking on a review. 1,000 words

3. FORMATING REQUIREMENTS
Manuscripts should follow the Author Guidelines provided.
At a minimum, manuscripts should conform to the following requirements:

• Times New Roman, font size 12, double spaced, with one inch (3cm) margins. Number pages consecutively and include line numbers.
• Written in English with UK spelling and at a level for a reader who is a professional but not necessarily a specialist in the field.
• Abbreviations should be limited to standard terminology (for example O&M for Orientation and Mobility).
• Authors are responsible for all statements made in their work and for obtaining permission from copyright owners to reprint or adapt a table or figure, or to reprint a quotation of 100 words or more.
• Title pages should include type of submission, Manuscript Title, List of Authors, List of Author institutions, Corresponding author name and e-mail address, Word count (abstract and entire manuscript, excluding abstract, figures, tables and references), Number of figures and tables, Key words: (3 – 5 words).
• Abstracts should be restricted to 250 words and not contain abbreviations or references. Viewpoints and book reviews do not require and abstract.
• Tables should be generated in Microsoft Word using the Table function and submitted as individual files.
• Figures should be submitted as individual TIF or JPEG files with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi.
• Figure legends should be listed together at the end of the manuscript.
• Any conflicts of interest relating to ideas, viewpoints, evaluations or research presented in a manuscript should be indicated.
• Individuals or groups/organisations who have made an important contribution to the manuscript should be listed in Acknowledgements at the end of the manuscript.
• Any funding should be listed in Acknowledgements.
• Referencing should be in Author-date (Harvard) style referencing system.

4. SUBMITTING MANUSCRIPTS
All manuscripts should be submitted via email to the interim Editor in Chief, Kelly Prentice
All submissions need to have:

• Title page
• Manuscript file (include title but no author list to assure anonymity in the review process)
• Individual files for each table and figure

Authors should confirm upon submission that the manuscript has not been published anywhere else or is being currently considered by another journal.
Manuscripts will be acknowledged upon receipt.

5. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Credit should be given for any type of sponsorship, donations or grants, technical assistance, and to professional colleagues who contributed to the quality of the paper, but who have not been listed as authors.

6. OPEN ACCESS AGREEMENT
Upon acceptance of a manuscript, Authors will be requested to sign Open Access Agreement prior to publication.

7. REVIEW PROCESS
Manuscripts will be acknowledged upon receipt. Following preliminary editorial review, articles will be sent to members of the Editorial Panel and where warranted, to consulting reviewers who have particular expertise in a subject. The review process may sometimes take up to three to four months. This journal uses the double blind review system.

8. ARTICLE PROCESSING CHARGE
The journal does not have article submission or processing charges (APCs).