Date: Thursday, February 26, 2026
Category: General
New "Assistive Technology Guidelines" and "Assistive Technology Notes" are designed to connect evidence-based research with real-world AT practice
RESNA (Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America) announced today that the Assistive Technology journal will begin accepting submissions for two new article types: Assistive Technology Guidelines and Assistive Technology Notes. These formats have been created to strengthen the connection between assistive technology research and clinical practice, ensuring that practitioners, educators, and rehabilitation engineers have timely access to actionable, evidence-based guidance.“For too long, a gap has existed between the research informing assistive technology and the practitioners who need that knowledge most,” said Dr. Emma Smith, Editor-in-Chief of the Assistive Technology journal. “These two new article types are a direct response to our community’s call for practical, evidence-based tools that can be applied in the field.”
Assistive Technology Guidelines
Assistive Technology Guidelines are rigorous, evidence-based documents that provide formal recommendations for assistive technology practice. These guidelines will be developed with careful attention to levels of evidence and methodological rigor, offering practitioners a trusted foundation for clinical decision-making. Each guideline will reflect the current state of evidence on a given topic and include explicit consideration of evidence quality to ensure transparency and reliability. RESNA’s Board of Directors will approve the topics and the author teams, but will not be involved in scientific review.
A detailed procedure for AT Guidelines will be announced in the coming weeks.
Assistive Technology Notes
Assistive Technology Notes are concise, practitioner-focused syntheses of current research evidence written in accessible, lay language. Rather than exhaustive literature reviews, AT Notes offer targeted summaries of evidence on a specific, well-defined practice area, paired with clear recommendations for applying that evidence in real-world AT settings. Citations should be selective and purposeful, guiding readers to the most relevant and impactful sources.
To ensure that AT Notes reflect both the evidence base and the practical realities of the field, each submission must include at minimum one active assistive technology practitioner (such as a clinician, educator, or rehabilitation engineer) and one researcher among its authors. Submissions summarizing a single research study or representing the work of only one authorship team or institution will not be considered for publication.
Submissions and Further Information
RESNA will host an informational webinar with Editor-in-Chief Dr. Emma Smith on Tuesday, April 7 at 12pm ET. Registration will open next week, and the webinar is free.
About RESNA
RESNA, the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America, is the premier professional organization dedicated to promoting the health and well-being of people with disabilities through increasing access to technology solutions. RESNA advances the field by offering certification, continuing education, and professional development; developing assistive technology standards; promoting research and public policy; and sponsoring forums for the exchange of information and ideas to meet the needs of our multidisciplinary constituency. Visit www.resna.org.
About the Assistive Technology Journal
The Assistive Technology journal is the official peer-reviewed publication of RESNA, dedicated to advancing the science and practice of assistive technology. The journal publishes original research, reviews, and applied work that advance understanding of assistive technology and its role in supporting people with disabilities.
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