Abstract submission for the 2025 EAMHID Congress in Ghent

We welcome you to submit an abstract for the upcoming EAMHID Congress “Unleashing talent, embracing diversity” from 18.09.2025 to 20.09.2023 in Ghent (Belgium).

Are you a person who embraces diversity and who wants to share this with a broader public? The congress will provide numerous possibilities for the professional community and for persons with disabilities to encounter, share, and discuss. This edition we want to focus on inclusivity, unleash talent and embrace diversity. 

We welcome submissions related to intellectual disabilities and mental health from researchers, practitioners and co-productive projects. We want to give the participants the choice to cooperate in lectures that differ on the range ‘more theoretic/ scientific – more practical/inclusive’.

The main congress language is English, but a Dutch or French track is also available.

Deadline for abstract submission is 1.3.2025.

Available formats: 

  • Oral Presentation: This is an individual, stand-alone presentation. The time frame for an oral presentation is 15min and 5min for discussion.
  • Solicited symposium: This is a symposium with a series of talks on a specific theme together with 3 or 4 colleagues. We welcome joint/team proposals. The minimum number of speakers is three, the maximum is four. You will need to submit an overall abstract outlining the symposium theme as well as one abstract for each individual presentation. The time frame for each presentation is 15min (20min if only three speakers) for presentation and 5min for discussion. It is important that you list all presenting authors of the symposium at the “presenting author” section in the overall abstract. Use the + button to enter more than one presenting author.
  • Workshop: This offers an opportunity for a practical discussion on a specific topic for 90 minutes. Roundtables are intended to be interactive and offer the chance for discussion between the debaters and conference attendees. 
  • Poster: you present research findings on a poster. All posters should be submitted in English and be accompanied by an abstract summarizing the poster. The poster abstract has to be submitted by the 1st of March, while the pdf file containing the graphic poster can be sent by the 1st of July to the EAMHID Scientific Committee by email. Poster authors should also be present at the Congress during poster sessions to answer questions from congress participants, so please indicate the presenting author and preference of participation. The best poster will be awarded with a three year free EAMHID membership.

The congress wants to highlight several topics: 

  • Autism Spectrum Disorder  and/or ADHD
  • Deinstitutionalization and community care
  • Emotional development
  • Forensic Care
  • Children

If your topic doesn’t fit in one of the categories, no worries. Submit your presentation and choose ‘other’.

Since we want to be an all-inclusive congress, we give a warm welcome to all your inclusive presentations. 

Recommandations to make your:

  • presentation inclusive, you will find here (see below point 1)
  • workshop inclusive, you will find here (see below point 2)
  • poster inclusive, you will find here (see below point 3)

We suggest all presenters to integrate a more clinical-practical part in their contribution and also the perspective of beneficiaries themselves.

The scientific committee will award three prices:

  • The Anton Došen dissertation price. The best dissertation will be awarded with a five year frees EAMHID membership. You will have the opportunity to present your work at the auditorium of the conference.
  • A poster price. The best poster will be awarded by the scientific committee with a three year free EAMHID membership and will have the opportunity to present will have the opportunity to present your findings at the auditorium of the conference.
  • An inclusion price. The best inclusive presentation will be awarded with a three year free EAMHID membership and will have the opportunity to present will have the opportunity to present your findings at the auditorium of the conference. 

We want to encourage each participant to write an Easy to read abstract (maximum 200 words). In the abstract handling tool (see link below) there is a possibility to add a PDF. The easy to read abstract will also be published in the abstract book of Journal of Intellectual Disability Research. 

Please use this function to send your easy to read abstract. For an example of an abstract and easy to read abstract, here (4)

For any open questions please refer to the scientific committee.

SUBMIT Your Abstract HERE

 

 

 

 

(1) How to Make an Inclusive Presentation (individual or collective symposium)

Tips:

Start with an Icebreaker:

Icebreakers help make the audience comfortable and encourage interaction, especially in diverse or unfamiliar groups. Studies in educational psychology show that starting with an interactive element helps reduce anxiety and encourages participation from quieter individuals.

Speak Slowly and Clearly:

Speaking at a moderate pace ensures that all audience members, including non-native speakers and those with hearing difficulties, can follow. According to The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), speaking slowly with clear enunciation is essential for improving comprehension for people with hearing impairments.

Use Simple Language:

Avoid jargon and overly complex sentences. Explaining difficult terms ensures everyone can follow along. The Plain Writing Act encourages federal agencies to use clear communication to improve understanding for diverse audiences.

Visual Aids:

Use images, graphs, and videos, but always describe them for visually impaired attendees. According to WCAG, including alternative text or descriptions of images ensures accessibility for people with visual impairments.

Interaction with the Audience:

Interactive elements, such as live polls or questions, ensure audience engagement and make the presentation more inclusive. Studies on active learning show that asking questions and soliciting feedback improves comprehension and retention.

Accessible Slide Design:

Ensure high contrast, large fonts, and minimal text to avoid overwhelming the audience. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends keeping slides clean and simple to enhance accessibility.

Sources:

  • National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) – https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – https://www.hhs.gov

(2) How to Make an Inclusive Workshop

Tips:

Collaborative Atmosphere:

Encourage group discussions and collaborations to make everyone feel like their input matters. Research on collaborative learning shows that interactive workshops enhance engagement and provide diverse perspectives.

Diverse Presenters:

Involving facilitators from diverse backgrounds can provide different perspectives and make the workshop more relatable for a broad audience. According to Diversity Best Practices, having diverse presenters enhances relatability and increases trust among participants.

Accommodate Different Learning Styles:

Use varied methods to engage participants: visual aids, hands-on activities, and verbal discussions. The UDL principles suggest that offering information in multiple formats accommodates different learning preferences and abilities.

Inclusive Content:

Avoid making assumptions about prior knowledge or using culturally-specific examples that might alienate certain participants. The Culturally Responsive Teaching framework advocates for using examples that are accessible and relevant to diverse groups.

Pre-Workshop Materials:

Providing materials in advance gives participants, especially those with learning disabilities or those who need more processing time, a chance to familiarize themselves. According to Inclusive Learning Design principles, pre-reading materials and agendas help make workshops more inclusive.

Accessible Environment:

Ensure the space is accessible (ramps, seating arrangements) and provide materials in multiple formats (digital, printed, etc.). This ensures that everyone, including individuals with disabilities, can participate fully in the workshop.

Sources:

  • Universal Design for Learning (UDL) – https://udlguidelines.cast.org
  • Diversity Best Practices – https://www.diversitybestpractices.com
  • Culturally Responsive Teaching – https://crtframework.com

 

(3) How to Make an Inclusive Poster

Tips:

Clear and Simple Language:

Posters should be easy to read by everyone, regardless of their background or education level. Avoid using jargon, abbreviations, or overly complex language. Use plain language principles. According to the Plain Language Association International, writing in plain language means structuring sentences in a way that non-experts can understand at first glance.

Accessible Fonts and Sizes:

Fonts should be legible for everyone, including people with visual impairments. Sans-serif fonts (like Arial or Verdana) are recommended for readability. Font size should be at least 24pt for body text, and higher for titles. According to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), a font size of 18pt and above is considered large enough for visually impaired users.

Visual Hierarchy and Key Information:

Organize the poster so that the most important information stands out. Use bold or larger fonts for key points. The Gestalt Principles of Visual Perception show that people are more likely to retain information when it is clearly structured.

Use Visuals (Icons, Charts, Images):

Images help communicate ideas faster and are helpful for individuals with low literacy or non-native speakers. According to Universal Design for Learning (UDL) guidelines, multiple forms of representation (visual, textual, etc.) enhance accessibility.

Inclusive Imagery:

Ensure that visuals represent a diverse range of people, including different races, genders, and abilities. The National Center on Disability and Journalism advises avoiding stereotypical images or tokenism, ensuring authentic representation.

High Contrast for Visibility:

High contrast between text and background ensures readability for people with visual impairments. The WCAG recommends a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for text to be considered accessible.

 

Sources:

 

 

 

 

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