Welcome to IASSIDD 2025 Abstract Submission!

The IASSIDD 2025 Organising Committee welcomes your participation as a presenter in The 5th Asia Pacific Congress of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. We are calling for submission of abstracts now!

Theme: Person-centricity as an approach to well-being of People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

IASSIDD 2025 focuses on Person-centricity and what it means for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities to be at the centre of their care and well-being. We encourage the exploration of how person-centred approaches have been effectively applied in policies, services, programmes, practice, and research for persons with intellectual disabilities. IASSIDD 2025 brings together practitioners, researchers, educators, providers, students, supporters and others to share recent practice, research, developments, and innovations. follow the guidelines below when preparing your contribution – should you require any further assistance please contact us directly via yingpin.leow@minds.org.sg

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Categories 

A. Individual (Spoken Word / Poster Presentation)

Individual Spoken Word Presentation

Individual spoken word presentations report research findings and exemplary programmes that are relevant to the conference themes described below. Individual presentations should be novel and report on previously unpublished work, presenting a fully rounded argument based on completed research or research in progress, innovative theoretical perspectives, or exemplary support practices. Submissions may be grouped with other presentations to form a symposium if there are strong connections across the topics.

Presentations are limited to 15 minutes, of which 5 minutes should be reserved for questions and comments.

Poster Presentation

Posters are presented in the form of an exhibition throughout the conference period. Posters provide a format for reporting research, theoretical perspectives, exemplary support practices, emerging issues, work in progress, case studies, and self-contained projects. They aim to improve knowledge, highlight new capabilities, and share practical solutions and experiences. Posters should be novel and report on previously unpublished work, presenting a fully rounded argument based on completed research or work in progress. Posters should clearly describe the topic, its relevance to conference themes, and its unique contribution to the field. Details on the dimensions and file formats for the posters will be released after judging period.

Instructions for Submission

An abstract is required for the submission of an individual (spoken word/ poster) presentation. The word limit is 250 words. It should include:

• Background: Why this topic is important; what did you want to find out; what was your research question or topic of inquiry?
• Method: What did you do in your project; how did you do your project
• Findings: What did you learn from your project; what do others need to know
• Conclusion: What needs to be done in the future; what could other people do with the information you need

The individual presentations will be reviewed by at least two reviewers and published in the proceedings. The format of your presentation (i.e. spoken word or poster) will be decided by a panel of judges.

B. Roundtable Discussion

Roundtable discussions provide a platform for lively exchange of ideas. This format welcomes both subject matter experts - including people with lived experiences, researchers, and practitioners - and new voices. The 60-minute group discussion begins with a short introduction of the topic (no more than 15 minutes) and is followed up by a facilitated group discussion. The role of the facilitator is to give as many people as possible in the room a chance to have their say.

Instructions for Submission
A proposal is required for the submission of a roundtable discussion topic. The word limit is 250 words. The proposal should include:

• The problem, issue, or question that the roundtable will address
• The information that facilitators will provide to the group
• The purpose of the Roundtable and the anticipated goal(s)
• Suggestions on what participants could prepare before coming to the roundtable

C. Symposium

A symposium comprises 4 related presentations that provide a focused and in-depth exploration of a particular topic. Presenters are encouraged to organise and collaborate among yourselves to present a cohesive and thoughtful symposium. An appointed symposium organiser shall introduce, facilitate and summarise the sharing of knowledge in the session.

Instructions for Submission
The symposium organiser is required to submit a symposium proposal (maximum 250 words) which includes:

• The problem, issue, or question that the symposium will address
• What each of the 4 papers will contribute to the symposium
• The overall take-away message from the symposium

In addition, the symposium organisers is required to consolidate and submit the abstracts (maximum 250 words) of the individual presentations based on the above submission format for individual spoken word presentations.

The symposium proposal and abstracts will be reviewed by at least two reviewers and published in the proceedings.

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Themes of Presentation – Congress Streams

When submitting your abstract or proposal, select the presentation stream that most closely fits with your material.

1. Exemplary policies and supports

Exemplary policies for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities not only deliver successful outcomes that meet their needs, but also proactively and meaningfully involve them in the formulation process. What are the successful models and policy solutions that have improved the well-being of persons with intellectual disabilities?   

2. Education and lifelong learning

Education is integral to the development of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities through schooling years and beyond. What do effective educational approaches and programmes for persons with intellectual disabilities look like? How have we harnessed the strengths, interests and abilities of persons with intellectual disabilities through their education?

3. Social and community inclusion

Persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities are an integral part of their society. What does the social and community life of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities look like? What has helped to better include persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities in their community?

4. Transitions - From early life to aging

The needs of a person evolve through the different stages of their lifespan. What are the unique experiences and needs of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the specific life stages (e.g., early childhood, adulthood, old age)? How  have persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities navigated these life transitions and what has supported them through these changes?

5. Physical and mental health

Maintaining good physical and mental health is important to a person’s quality of life. However, persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities experience various health conditions and complexities. They concurrently face challenges in accessing and navigating healthcare systems. How is person-centred healthcare practised for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities?

6. Meaningful daily activity

Beyond employment, persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities are engaged in recreational and social activities to develop their personal interests and social life. What are the opportunities for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities to be meaningfully engaged in their daily life? How do person-centred approaches guide the designing of such activities?

7. Voices of persons with intellectual and development disabilities and their families

The family unit is important in many Asian-Pacific societies. How do families apply person-centricity in supporting persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities in their decision-making? What helped to enable persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities’ autonomy and voice in the context of their family unit?

8. Role of AI and emerging technology

The development of new technology reshapes our lifestyle and quality of life. How has the emergence of AI and new technology changed the way persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities live? How have persons with intellectual disabilities inspired the use of new technology?

9. Ideological and ethical roots of disability

Ideological frameworks and theories provide us with the lens and language to engage with disability issues. What models are useful to help us understand the application of person-centricity in the Asian-Pacific context?

10. Disability in Asian and other cultures

The Asia-Pacific region comprises diverse local cultures. How have the different local cultures shaped the lived experience of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities? What are the possibilities in using a cultural lens to understand disability? What does inclusive research in the Asia-Pacific context look like?

11. Employment and employability

Employment gives persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities the opportunity to achieve independence, personal growth, and dignity. It also allows persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities to participate and contribute meaningfully to society. What has helped persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities to improve their employability?

12. Building the ecosystem - People, Public, Private

The disability ecosystem encompasses various communities, public systems and private systems within the society. What do effective partnerships across groups/ systems look like? How do person-centred approaches guide the collaboration across stakeholders?

13. Effective and innovative supports and services

With the continued growth of disability ecosystems, service gaps and unexplored fields are identified and addressed. How has the emergence of new needs inspired innovative ideas and solutions? What are the successful innovations that improved the quality of life of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities?

14. Popular media and disability inclusion

The representation of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities in popular media is an important form of social participation. How have persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities been represented in various media forms? What is the impact of disability representation in popular media?

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Timeline and Key Milestones

• Dec 2024: Call for abstracts and proposals
• 31 March 2025: Closing of submission and commencement of judging
• 26 May 2025: Announcement of judging outcome
• 14 - 17 Oct 2025: Congress

• To be published on the IASSIDD website (Authors may opt out from having their abstracts published on the IASSIDD website)
• As author, you and/or your affiliated institution will remain the owner of all rights (including intellectual property rights, if any) to the above-mentioned content. However, by agreeing to share content on IASSIDD you will grant permission to the IASSIDD administrative team to publish and store your material for viewing, downloading, extraction of content in part or whole and/or downloading purposes for users of IASSIDD and the public.
• As author, you hereby acknowledge that all above-mentioned content submitted to IASSIDD does not contain any sensitive or confidential information, such as patient details, detailed financial data etc.; and that your institution has deemed it suitable for public visibility.