• The presenting author of the abstract must register for the congress.
• Abstracts should only be submitted online. Only abstracts submitted through the official online submission system will be considered.
• All abstracts must be submitted and presented in English.
• Abstracts must present original research or new conceptualization or theory.
• Abstracts must use the headings provided. Please ensure information matches the heading.
• Please use Calibri 11 font and avoid using other fonts for special characters.
• Abstracts cannot be longer than 300 words.
• Abstracts must be provided with 3 to 5 keywords, preferably chosen from the themes accompanying your chosen track (see track document). However, feel free to add your own as you see fit.
• It is possible to submit an abstract with hypothesized results, as long as these results are final at the time they are presented.
• Abstracts will be published online.
• Note: Abstracts that do not follow the instructions will be rejected or returned for correction.
• Abstract submission deadline is extended to: January 7, 2021 (23.59.59 CET).
  Please note there is no option for late-breaking submissions. 
• To tell us anything we need to know about your presentation such as specific wishes or needs, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The congress theme is VALUE DIVERSITY. The presentations will be organized under 4 tracks that support this theme. For a detailed overview of the 4 tracks and their possible subjects see the track document. Select the track where your abstract fits best; for the review of the abstract it is of vital importance that the correct track is selected:

Track 1: The Course of Life / IDD across the lifespan

• E.g. prenatal development, early intervention, childhood, inclusive education, adolescence, adult life, employment, seniors, and end of life issues.

Track 2: Quality of Life and Support: Individuals, Families, Communities

• E.g. parenting with IDD, individual quality of life, family quality of life, family relationships, emotional support, and social inclusion and participation.

Track 3: Health, Behaviour and Disability Conditions

• E.g. physical health, mental health, challenging behaviour, profound and multiple disabilities, Autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, and other disability conditions.

Track 4: Ethics, Politics and Diversity

• E.g. ethics of research, ethics of practice, disability history, new eugenics, ableism, stigma and stigma reduction, identity, exclusion, and media representation.

Authors should indicate their presentation preference (oral or poster presentation or presentation in a symposium, roundtable or workshop) and indicate if they want to present onsite or online. The Programme Committee reserves the right to decide on the final allocation and presentation method.

Oral presentation – research report

10-15 minute report of original research, normally the work of the presenter. (300 words maximum, using the four headings below)

• Aim: The main aim(s) of the research.
• Method: Participants, procedures, and measures.
• Results: The main results of the research.
• Conclusion: Contribution of the research to scientific knowledge and practice.

Poster presentation – research report

Report of original research, normally the work of the presenter. (300 words maximum using the four headings below)

• Aim: The main aim(s) of the research.
• Method: Participants, procedures, and measures.
• Results: The main results of the research.
• Conclusion: Contribution of the research to scientific knowledge and practice.

Symposium - research report

1-hour presentation, including audience discussion: 3-4 speakers present their joint research or speak on the same topic from different perspectives and select their own discussion moderator. (300 words maximum using the headings of the oral and poster presentation)

• Each presenter submits their own abstract online
• Add the overall symposium title 
• The overall symposium abstract can be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Roundtable

1-hour discussion: 1) vignette presented; international panel discusses country approaches to the problem, or 2) a chair and 2-3 presenters initiate audience discussion of a specific topic. (300 words maximum using the two headings below)

• Description: Why this discussion is important to the field of IDD. How it might contribute to scientific and applied knowledge of supporting people with IDD. Who will be involved and what their individual contributions will be. How audience will be engaged in discussion.
• Contribution: A brief summary of what you expect your discussion to achieve, and what the outcomes might be, especially in contribution to the congress theme or one of the 4 tracks.

Workshop

30-minute video or audio presentation, performance, or new technology. (300 words maximum using the two headings below)

• Description: The focus of this workshop (video, photographs, software, equipment, etc.). Why you wish to share this workshop at this congress. How it contributes to scientific and applied knowledge of supporting people with IDD.
• Contribution: A brief summary of what you expect your workshop to achieve, and what you expect participants to learn, especially in relation to the congress theme or one of the 4 tracks.

The presenting author should be named first. Collect the information below for each author, as you will be required to provide it. Carefully check the correct spelling of all names as this will be the way that names will be published. Please make sure to write the AFFILIATION in English (one institution per author).

• Clearly describe the proposed presentation, and include words that electronic search engines can find.
• When submitting an abstract for a symposium, workshop or roundtable also add the overall title.
• No more than 200 characters.
• Do NOT type the abstract title in capital letters, only the first letter of the title.
• Please use Calibri 11 font and avoid using other fonts for special characters.

• The abstractbody text is limited to a maximum of 300 words (excluding title, authors, affiliations, but including references).
• Please use Calibri 11 font and avoid using other fonts for special characters.
• The submission programme will automatically calculate the size of your abstract and will not allow submissions that do not fit in the size requirements.
• Use the headings according to the chosen presentation type in STEP 2 above.
• Standard abbreviations may be used as follows: on first use spell out the full term and follow with the abbreviation in parentheses.

• Abstracts must be provided with 3 to 5 keywords, preferably chosen from the themes accompanying your chosen track (see track document). However, feel free to add your own as you see fit.

Edit to make sure spelling, sentence structure, and headings are correct. The evaluation criteria for abstract reviews will be:

• Relevance to conference theme
• Scientific Quality or Impact for Policy and Practice
• Clarity and readability
• Correct formatting

Save your edited abstract to paste it into the online form when you are ready to submit it.

• First time user: you must create a user profile online. 
• You can work online on your abstract, save the data and come back to finish it later.
• Return user: log in using the email address and password you used to create your user
• Once you have clicked on the ‘submit your abstract’ button, it is no longer possible to edit your abstract in the online submission form!
• The receipt of your abstract will be confirmed by email.
• If you forgot your password you can reset it by clicking on ‘forgot my password’ and fill in your e-mail address.
• Are you having trouble / do you have any questions? Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

• Abstracts should be submitted online via the online ABSTRACT SUBMISSION FORM button on the IASSIDD 2021 congress website.
• Mandatory fields are marked with an asterisk (*).
• Select a Track from the dropdown
• Select a presentation type.
• Paste your title into the box provided (max. 200 characters).
• Paste your abstract text into the box provided [max. 300 words).
• Enter 3 to 5 keywords. We recommend you choose from the themes that accompany your chosen track, but feel free to add your own.
• Enter First Name; Last Name; Email address; Affiliation; Country and Bio Statement of the first (presenting)
• Use the button ADD AUTHOR to add co-authors.
• You can work online on your abstract, save the data and come back to finish it later. Once you have clicked on the ‘submit your abstract’ button, it is no longer possible to edit the information you have entered.
• Submit your abstract.
• The receipt of your abstract will be confirmed by e-mail.

You have now completed your submission and may log out.

The review process will take place January/February 2021. All abstracts are subject to peer review and are expected to meet the standards of academic/scientific excellence. Submissions will be reviewed by an expert panel, based on the following criteria:

• Relevance to conference theme
• Scientific Quality or Impact for Policy and Practice
• Clarity and readability
• Correct formatting

You will receive a notification by email in the beginning of March 2021. All notifications will be sent to the e-mail address of the first author provided during the abstract submission process.

Registration

All accepted presenters must register for the conference before the early registration deadline at the end of April 2021. Presenters not registered by this date will not be included in the scientific program.

Cancellation Policy

Please do not submit an abstract if you are not confident that you will be able to attend the hybrid IASSIDD conference and hold the presentation either onsite or online.

If your presentation has been accepted but circumstances prevent your attendance, we ask you to check if one of the co-authors is able to present. Please notify us of this change or if cancellation is unavoidable, at this e-mail address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..