How to submit your abstract

Account Setup

To begin using the platform, you need to set up your account. Please follow these steps to get started:

  • Email Authentication: First, you’ll need to authenticate your email address on the documediaS portal.
    When you access the submission site, the system will present you with two options: log in or create an account. If you’ve used the system before, simply log in with your existing credentials.
  • Creating a New Account: If you’re a first-time user, click on the “Create an Account” option. You can choose to use your email address or one of your social media accounts, such as Meta (formerly known as Facebook), Google, LinkedIn, X (formerly known as Twitter), or Apple.
  • Verification Email: After providing your email address, a verification email will be automatically sent to you. This email will contain a unique verification code. This code ensures a secure login process.
  • Verification Process: Enter the verification code you received into the system to confirm your account. It’s essential to keep your account information, including your email and password, secure.
  • Check Spam Folder: Typically, you should receive your verification email within seconds. However, if you don’t see it in your inbox, please check your spam folder

General Submission Guidelines:

As a presenting author, please be aware of the following guidelines:

  • Submission Policy: You can submit as many abstracts as you like. However, the Scientific Committee will select only one oral presentation per presenter. Each presenter can appear as an oral presenter only once in the scientific program. You may have up to two abstracts accepted—either as two posters or one oral presentation and one poster.
  • Word Limit: Please ensure that each abstract you submit does not exceed a word limit of 250 words.
  • Mandatory Fields: Within the submission site, some fields are mandatory and marked with a red asterisk (*), meaning they must be completed.
  • GDPR statement: Your abstract and contact details have been collected as part of the abstract submission process for AEC2025. Your abstract, session submission and contact details may be shared with the AECS2025 Scientific Committee, reviewers who may be outside of the EU, and the conference organising company in preparation for the congress. By ticking this box, you agree to this sharing of your abstract, session submission and contact details.
  • List of Topics: A broad range of topics is provided in the system. Below is the list with descriptions and guidance for each topic:
    1. Improving physical and mental health (Including topics relating to both physical and mental wellbeing and access to the health care system)
    2. Understanding aging in autistic people
    3. Supporting autistic people to thrive and find meaning in life (Including topics such as interests, joy, leisure and creative arts)
    4. Vocation and employment
    5. Creating safe and autism friendly environments (Including topics such as sensory, motor, socially safe, and predictable spaces)
    6. Accessing learning across the lifespan (Including topics such as access to education from early childhood to higher education, ongoing access to lifelong learning and formal and informal coaching)
    7. Gender and sexuality (Including topics relating to gender identity and expression, sexuality and sexual diversity)
    8. Embracing intersectionality and underrepresented perspectives (Including topics relating to communities that have traditionally been underrepresented in research, policy and/or practice)
    9. Accessing housing and autonomous living
    10. Autism and overlapping neurodivergence
    11. Autistic communication and autistic interaction
    12. Advancing rights: from advocacy and activism to policy changes
    13. Other

Abstract Submission in 4 steps

After successfully logging in, you’re prepared to begin the submission process.

My Submission Page: Upon entering the system, you’ll find an overview of your abstracts or sessions submission, each accompanied by its status. Quick links are provided for viewing, editing, submitting, or deleting your abstracts or sessions. To create a new abstract or session, click the “New Submission” button. The system will guide you through the required steps in the online form.

Process Navigation: Upon clicking “New Submission,” you’ll see a four-step progress bar at the top of the page. The system will guide you through the submission process, upon completion of each step simply click “Save and Next” button.

Step 1: Abstract Body Type

Type selection section

  • Please select your preferred presentation type (poster or oral).

General data section

  • Theme: Please select the appropriate theme for your abstract from the dropdown list. If your topic is not listed then please select “other” and provide some details on your topic. You may select up to two Themes for each submission.
  • Keywords: Please provide at least one keyword and up to 5 separate keywords or phrases with a comma. Example: Play, Double Empathy, Employment Supports.
  • Practical impact: Please describe the practical impact that this work may have for autistic people.
  • Trigger warnings: For all submissions, we ask you to include potential trigger warnings.

Abstract text section

  • Title: Please insert the title of your abstract either directly or by copy and pasting from MS Word or Pages. The maximum word limit is 25 words.
  • Abstract body: Please enter your abstract content here.
    • Text Entry: For text entry just copy and paste content directly from a MS Word document or Pages. For formatting please use the editor toolbar, the specific functions can be viewed by hovering your cursor over each toolbar icon. The maximum word limit is 250 words.
    • Tables and images are not allowed.
    • Submissions may be in the form of a research submission, an example of delivering practice or a personal account. There is a suggested layout for each submission type – please see Appendix A below for details of the suggested layouts.
  • Plain English version: If your abstract is very technical and may not be understood by someone outside the field, please also provide a plain English version

Once completed, please click on the “Save and Next” button to advance to step 2.

System Alerts: Note that the system will prompt you regarding incomplete mandatory fields before advancing to the next step. To proceed without entering mandatory information, simply click “Proceed.”

Step 2: Authors

  • Adding an Author: To include an author, either input the necessary information manually or utilize theconvenient “Copy from Login” function, which populates the data from the login contact information youprovided during account creation. Once done, click “Save and Add Institute.”
  • Institutions: Please note as per AEC2025 guidelines there is a limit of 2 affiliations per author. For previously entered institutions, the system offers a time-saving pre-fill function on the right side, eliminating the need to re-enter information repeatedly. If you are not affiliated to a university or institute, please write ‘No affiliation’ in the University / Institute field.
  • Changing the Presenting Author: If you need to change the presenting author, simply check the box labeled “Presenter” and provide the required information.
  • Author Order: To adjust the order in which authors should appear in the abstract, please drag and drop their names into your preferred order.Once the author-related information is completed, please proceed to the next step by clicking the “Next” button.

Step 3: Affirmation

Please carefully review and confirm each statement on this page by either clicking or sliding the button located underneath each statement.
After confirming these statements, click the “Save and Next” button to proceed to Step 4.

Step 4: Submit

In this step, carefully review your abstract content. If you wish to make any changes, navigate to the respective sections using the links provided on the left side of the page.

Once you are satisfied with your submission, please proceed by clicking the “Submit” button.

For your convenience, you will have the option to download a PDF of your submission for your records.

Additionally, please be aware that an automatic confirmation email will be sent to you upon successful submission.

Please note that you can modify your submission until the deadline. To edit your submission, please log in to the submission system using the link below and click on the “edit” icon: https://aec2025.abstractserver.com/submission

If you require any assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact the AEC2025 abstract support team at aec.abstracts@abstractserver.com for assistance.

Appendix A - Guidelines for Submissions

For research submissions the following headings can be used as a guide, if appropriate for your submission.

  • INTRODUCTION & CENTRAL QUESTION
    (e.g. Why did you undertake this study or action? What does your contribution specifically seek to address or propose? What is the background to this field? Is there a specific section of the autism community that your research focuses on?)
  • METHODS/APPROACH
    (e.g. When, where and how was the study undertaken? Did you include autistic people in the design process? What experimental methods did you adopt?)
  • OUTCOME
    (e.g. What did you find? What was the impact of your study? Were the results as you predicted?)
  • DISCUSSION/IMPLICATIONS
    (e.g. What might your study or action imply and what is the potential impact on the lives of autistic people? What does this mean for the autistic community, professional practice, or society as a whole? How do you interpret your findings in the context of previous research? What are the next steps?)

We ask that all submissions include the practical impact of the work e.g. concrete conclusions or tips that can be used personally or in practice to benefit the lives of autistic people.

For submissions sharing examples of best practice or a personal account, in the main body of your text please feel free to use the headers below as a guide:

  • WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
    (e.g. there were was a lack of local provision; I changed my gender)
  • WHAT YOU DID OR EXPERIENCED
    (e.g. we established a service to diagnose adults; I set up an autistic peer support network)
  • WHAT HAVE BEEN THE CHALLENGES?
    (e.g. the finances are not there to support our service; I have not received adequate mental health support for my eating disorder.
  • WHAT HAVE BEEN THE BENEFITS?
    (e.g. we have trained local professionals in our methods; I have met like-minded people online)
  • WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?
    (e.g. we are planning to set up a new school; I am planning to go to university next year).

We ask that all submissions include the practical impact of the work/personal account e.g. concrete conclusions or tips that can be used personally or in practice to benefit the lives of autistic people.

Click to Submit Your Abstract

Contact: aec.abstracts@abstractserver.com