RSIG Call for Abstracts
Submission Deadline has been extended to January 31st!
RESEARCH SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP
33rd Annual Research Day
Changing and Growing: Where are we headed in developmental services?
When: May 9th, 2025
Where: Brock University in St. Catharines Ontario
Why: To meet others who are interested in the work being completed in
developmental disabilities, to network and share your work.
What: Review the following to get more information about RSIG, the theme for
this year’s research day, instructions for the call for abstracts, and example submissions
How: Submit an abstract by January 31, 2025 to one of the following:
- Microsoft Teams Forms (direct link: https://forms.office.com/r/bSSJQHnp3k
- Email: oadd.rsig@gmail.com
Welcome Back!
We are excited to announce some changes to the OADD-RSIG! To include more students and academics, our 2025 event will be held Friday, May 9th, 2025, at Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario. This gives everyone time after the winter term to share their great work. Our goal is to highlight the outstanding research by students, academics, community researchers, community professionals and self-advocates. Presenters are expected to join us in person, but a hybrid option is available for participants.
The objectives of the RSIG Research Day are:
- Share new research in developmental disabilities.
- Build connections among students, researchers, professionals, and self-advocates.
- Encourage research support from institutions like universities, colleges and governments.
- Create a safe space for students to learn about the peer review process and to discuss their work.
We invite self-advocates, students, researchers, and professionals to submit:
- Oral presentations
- Data blitz presentations
- Posters
- Interactive workshops
We welcome all submissions including quantitative, qualitative, or single-subject designs. We especially encourage submissions involving collaborative or participatory research with self-advocates.
Space is limited for workshops and oral presentations. If not selected, you may be invited to present a poster or data blitz instead. COVID is still a reality. On May 9th, if you are unwell, isolating, or test positive, please do not attend in person. Use the hybrid option. If attending, follow all safety guidelines and enjoy the event!
More About the Theme and What to Expect!
Changing and Growing: Where are we headed in developmental services?
We welcome submissions showing how research has shaped policies and practices in the developmental sector. We are especially interested in work that highlights stakeholder engagement in services, research, and knowledge sharing with people with developmental disabilities.
Research that captures the changes and promises within the developmental sector will be the highlight oft his event. Submissions on this theme are encouraged but not required.
This year’s event will have an option for online participation! Although we ask that presenters be in-person for the event, the rest of your team can join us online!
If you would like to present, please submit your abstract online by January 31st, 2025. You will have three submission options. Please only provide ONE submission.
- Online at (copy and paste into your browser- direct link also located a the bottom): https://oadd.org/affiliate-organizations/rsig-call-for-abstracts/
- Microsoft Form (copy and paste into your browser- direct link also located at the bottom): https://forms.office.com/r/bSSJQHnp3k
- Email us: oadd.rsig@gmail.com
For any questions or concerns, please email oadd.rsig@gmail.com OR Talk to the RSIG co-chairs: Laura Mullins (lmullins@brocku.ca) Courtney Bishop (courtney.bishop@durhamcollege.ca).
RSIG Committee Guidelines for Reviewing Abstracts
Abstracts are anonymized (i.e., identifiers removed) by the conference committee before review to promote fairness. Please see below for an example of an abstract.
The review process will be completed by mid-February 2025 and authors will be notified immediately thereafter by email.
The following criteria is used to evaluate abstracts for poster and oral presentations. Each area is rated on a 4-point scale (0=Not acceptable, 1=Acceptable, 2=Good, and 3=Excellent) for a total score of 20
AREAS RATED
Area 1: Purpose
- Is the purpose or objective of the study clearly stated?
- Is the rationale for the project made clear?
Area 2: Methodology
- Do the authors describe the demographics of the participants adequately?
- Is the methodology (e.g., procedures, data analysis and measures) described sufficiently?
- Do the experimental techniques (e.g., standardized measures, etc.) aid in addressing the key research questions and hypotheses?
- Did the authors use standardized measures/measures with adequate psychometric properties?
- For single-subject design: Is data collected on the reliability or inter-observer agreement (IOA) for each dependent variable?
- If employing a qualitative approach, is it described in detail and is the methodology appropriate for the research questions?
Results
- Are the results presented in a clear, coherent fashion?
- Do the results verify or contradict previous findings/theories?
- If research is in progress, do the authors describe study progress to date or preliminary results?
Conclusions
- Is the conclusion clear and understandable?
- Have potential limitations of the methodology been addressed?
Area 3: Clinical/Research Implications & Novelty
- Is the information clinically important, relevant and/or significant?
- What are the practical implications of the information?
- Is this research original?
To download an example abstract click here
RSIG AWARDS
*Awards are subject to availability and may be modified based on available funding
Past Awards have included:
1) Self Advocate Travel Award The O.A.D.D. RSIG Travel Award is an award that will be offered to a self-advocate who will be traveling to attend the RSIG conference. The award recipients will receive a monetary value of $150.00 to assist with any expenses associated with attending the RSIG conference. A total of one (1)travel award will be given. This award is open to all conference attendees who identify as a disabled self-advocate Each applicant must complete the application form available at http://oadd.org/affiliate-organizations/rsig-awards/and must also submit the following supporting documentation: 1) A brief statement(maximum 1 page) requesting receipt of the travel award. This statements should include a rationale for the request, as well as an explanation of your interest in either attending or presenting at the conference. Recognition of geographic distance to the conference as well as other expenses will be considered.
2) RSIG Poster Awards The RSIG will be providing 3 student poster awards; one first place award, one second place award, and a “People’s Choice” award. The first-place recipients of the poster award will be presented with a certificate, as well as a $150 prize at the end of the conference and will be asked if they would like to speak for a few minutes about their research (this is optional and not required).The second-place award winner will receive a $100 award. All abstracts that have been submitted for a poster presentation with a student as the first author will be considered for the poster award. Presenters who were not accepted for an oral presentation and who agreed to do a poster presentation will also be considered for a poster award. Posters considered for awards will be evaluated anonymously (i.e., identifiers removed) using the abstract review guidelines to select the top 5 student posters. Poster award finalists will be informed of their nomination in their acceptance letters. No application required. If nominated for a poster, the student presenter will be asked to meet with members of the RSIG conference committee on the day of the conference. The RSIG conference committee will ask the finalists to briefly discuss their poster (maximum of 2 minutes) and will score the presentation of the poster including the visual presentation of the poster (i.e., how does the poster look? Is it clear, comprehensive, and readable? Has there been consideration for accessibility?). We will also be awarding a “people’s choice” poster award. All poster presentations are eligible for this award. Conference attendees will have the opportunity to review and vote for their favourite poster. The winner will receive a $100 prize that is awarded during the awards ceremony at the conference. Winners of the RSIG poster award cannot also win the “People’s Choice” poster award for the same poster.
3) OADD RSIG Student Award for Excellence in Research This award is presented annually to one student who has made an outstanding contribution to the field of developmental disabilities through an innovative and novel piece of research. Winners of this award will receive $250, plus will be invited to speak for 15 minutes at the conference. Students are encouraged to self-nominate and faculty members are also encouraged to nominate worthy candidates! Please go to http://oadd.org/affiliate-organizations/rsig-awards/ for more information.
4) RSIG Travel Awards The O.A.D.D. RSIG Student Travel Award is an award that will be offered to students who will be traveling to attend the RSIG conference. The award recipients will receive a monetary value of $150.00 to assist with any expenses associated with attending the RSIG conference. A total of five (4)travel awards will be given. This award is open to full-time students who are either currently or within the previous calendar year were enrolled in a college or university from any discipline (e.g., Nursing, Education, Psychology, Behavioural Science, etc.). Each applicant must complete the application form available at http://oadd.org/affiliate-organizations/rsig-awards/and must also submit the following supporting documentation: A brief statement(maximum 1 page) requesting receipt of the travel award. This statement should include a rationale for the request, as well as an explanation of your interest in either attending or presenting at the conference. Applications should also outline active participation in RSIG (if applicable). Recognition of geographic distance to the conference as well as other expenses will be considered
OADD Awards
Please note that the following awards are adjudicated by OADD Board Members and presented at the OADD conference, not the RSIG Research Day.
Kay Sansom Scholarship
Three awards of $1,000 each and a one-year membership in OADD are available to Ontario students with interests in the field of intellectual and/or developmental disabilities in the following categories: medical/graduate, undergraduate, and college students.
Please go to http://oadd.org/scholarships-awards/awards-scholarships-overview/kay-sansom-scholarships/ for more information.
OADD-NADD Ontario Scholarship – Participation Scholarship
One award of $1000 is intended to support individuals with developmental disabilities, their family members and/or informal supports, to participate in the development and delivery of training and educational materials. Trainings and material to be consistent with NADD Certification and Accreditation program.
Please go to https://oadd.org/scholarships-awards/awards-scholarships-overview/oadd-nadd-ontario-scholarships/ for more information.
OADD-NADD Ontario Scholarship – Student Research Scholarship
One award of $1000 is available to a college or university student completing a research study or writing a thesis focused on intellectual and developmental disabilities co-occurring with mental health needs. Please go to https://oadd.org/scholarships-awards/awards-scholarships-overview/oadd-nadd-ontario-scholarships/ for more information.
Dr. Bruce McCreary Memorial Scholarship
One award of $5000 is available to students enrolled full-time in an accredited clinical program of study with an emphasis on working with individuals with developmental disabilities, care providers, and families. Please note that this award is provided by Ongwanada.
Please go to https://oadd.org/dr-bruce-mccreary-memorial-scholarship/ for more information.
To prevent any conflict of interest, individuals on the RSIG Committee are not eligible for any of these awards for the duration of their membership. Applications for awards will be made available early in 2025 (please keep an eye on your email).
If you are interested in helping by sponsoring an award, please contact oadd.rsig@gmail.com. For more information, click here.
For more information about OADD and RSIG, please visit: www.oadd.org or “like” us at www.facebook.com/rsig.oadd