The Collective is a diverse group of researchers who are working with educators, families, policymakers, and other partners to better understand learning disabilities in reading and language among young children to better understand specific learning disabilities in reading and oral language among young children. The Collective is one of only two Learning Disabilities Research Centers in the nation funded by the National Institutes of Health.
The long-range objective of the Learning Disabilities Translational Science Collective (The Collective) is to build on the successes of the Florida Learning Disabilities Research Center (FLDRC) to address the research to practice gap associated with the identification and treatment of children with specific learning disabilities (SLD).
The short-term goals of the Learning Disabilities Translational Science Collective are organized around four specific projects and three cores.
Projects
Project 1 - Advances in Classification and Identification for Specific Learning Disorders in Reading
Project 1 addresses identification, classification, and risk prediction of SLD (Leads: Rick Wagner, Mercedes Spencer)
Project 2 - Precision Education Research in Reading
Project 2 investigates the genetic and environmental influence on the responsiveness to intervention for children who show early signs of reading risk. (Lead: Sara Hart)
Project 3 - Engaging Educators around Classification Systems in Schools
Project 3 uses an implementation science approach to better understand how to develop sustainable process for assessment systems in authentic school settings. (Leads: Tiffany Hogan, Nicole Patton Terry)
Project 4 - Population Level Language and Literacy Screening: An Early Warning System for Word and Language Related Reading Disabilities
Project 4 will utilize population level screening data to better understand classification systems at scale. (Lead: Emily Solari)
Cores
Administrative Core
The Administrative Core facilitates the work of the research projects across The Collective, including promoting synergy across projects, engaging local advisory boards, and enhancing diverse perspectives. (Leads: Sara Hart, Tiffany Hogan, Nicole Patton Terry, Emily Solari)
Data Core
The Data Core serves as a central location for quantitative and qualitative data management, data analysis, and data sharing across The Collective and facilitates the use of REDCap for data management, best practices for open science, and genomics and GIS technology to geocode risk and vulnerability for learning disabilities. (Leads: Jessica Logan, Chris Schatschneider).
Engagement Core
The Engagement Core facilitates bidirectional research engagement, translation and dissemination of research findings, and structured project-embedded research career enhancement efforts for early career scholars and community members across The Collective. (Lead: Nicole Patton Terry)