Contributions of IASSID to the Scientific Study of Intellectual Disability: The Past, the Present, and the Future1

In: Journal of policy and practice in intellectual disabilities: official journal of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual Disabilities, Volume 1, Issue 2, p. 71-78

Abstract

Abstract  Since its inception in the early 1960s, the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual Disabilities (IASSID) has played an important role in advancing the scientific study of intellectual disabilities, primarily in the developed world. Through its regular world congresses, and its nongovernmental organization status with the World Health Organization, IASSID has served as a forum for bringing together scientists and professionals working the multiple fields of interest related to intellectual disabilities. Highlighted are IASSID's achievements throughout the past 40 years, with special reference to the trends of presentation content made at its regular congresses, and discussed are the challenges facing the Association, which include reaching out to developing countries and involving more researchers from the non‐English speaking world, maintaining its networking and informative role in acting as an information clearing house, and promoting the dissemination of research.