35th Anniversary Edition

The purpose of this publication is to synthesize information on a feature topic of wide-ranging interest in the field of developmental disabilities and to disseminate other information of a relevant and timely nature. Comments to the editors are encouraged.

These words, from the back of Impact’s first issue in the summer of 1988, set a vision for the publication that endures today. That year, Ronald Reagan was president, record heat prompted scientists to declare the arrival of global warming, and Congress introduced the Americans with Disabilities Act, which was signed two years later. Impact, in fact, predated the Institute on Community Integration name, publishing as a report from the University Affiliated Program on Developmental Disabilities, University of Minnesota.

From that first, 12-page publication on case management, to the most recent 43-page print and digital magazine on engaging marginalized communities in disability research, Impact’s mission has not changed. Our look, reach, and accessibility have grown, but our commitment to bringing forth timely, practical articles that reflect and inspire critical thinking about the field endures. Impact is not an academic journal, but a research-to-practice guide for advancing the inclusion of people with disabilities in their communities of choice. People with disabilities, their loved ones, practitioners, and investigators all contribute to and learn from these pages.

To mark Impact’s 35th anniversary, current and former Institute leaders discuss the publication during the years of their tenure. Several former authors write about changes in their lives or work since their articles first appeared. A “best of” collection of resources includes a foldout disability history timeline. Readers and friends reflect on what Impact means to them, and to the field of intellectual, developmental, and other disabilities.

Our deepest thanks go to the contributors who wrote for this issue, and to the many authors and editors who gave their time to produce compelling articles over the years. We dedicate the issue to them, and to you, Impact’s readers. We hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed creating it.