Submit a Manuscript to the Journal
Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology
For a Special Issue on
Assistive technology as a catalyst for development, employment, entrepreneurship, and inclusive growth in Africa
Abstract deadline
Manuscript deadline
Special Issue Editor(s)
Surona Visagie,
Division for disability and rehabilitation studies; Stellenbosch University
[email protected]
Assistive technology as a catalyst for development, employment, entrepreneurship, and inclusive growth in Africa
Assistive technology (AT) is a critical enabler of health, education, employment, entrepreneurship, and social participation for many people experiencing impairments due to disease, trauma or increasing age. Across Africa, access to AT remains fragmented, inequitable, and insufficient to support meaningful inclusion in education, transition from school to work, and economic participation. A recent mapping of academic and grey sources of information on the provision of AT in the African region identified not only persistent barriers but also significant opportunities to strengthen AT ecosystems to support access to education, skills development, employment, and entrepreneurship. The aim of this special issue is to showcase the barriers and especially oppertunities to strengthen AT eco-systems in Africa.
Submission Instructions
Scope and aim of the special issue:
The special issue aims to advance evidence and dialogue on assistive technology as a catalyst for development, employment, entrepreneurship, and inclusive growth in Africa. As such we invite original research, reviews, policy and governance analyses, implementation studies, case studies and practice papers, as well as commentaries and perspective pieces addressing sustainable assistive technology provision in Africa with a specific focus on local innovation and the role AT can play in youth inclusion across Africa.
Submissions may address, but are not limited to, the following themes:
- Policy, governance, and implementation of assistive technology systems across Africa, including application of global frameworks such as the World Health Organization tools, the Global Report on Assistive Technology, and development of national priority assistive product lists
- Multi-sector collaboration and ecosystem development involving government, industry, academia, DPOs, and regional partnerships
- Financing, affordability, market shaping, procurement systems, and supply chains for sustainable and equitable AT access
- Innovation, local production, repair, maintenance, and entrepreneurship within assistive technology ecosystems
- Decentralised, community-based, youth-centred AT service delivery models and digital access pathways
- Assistive technologies (especially communication, cognitive, learning, and digital AT) linked to education, youth skills development, employment, and entrepreneurship outcomes
Geographic focus: African countires and collaboartions across the African region as well as Comparative Global South perspectives relevant to Africa. Pan-African analyses are particularly encouraged.
Timelines:
- Initial abstract of 150-200 words to be submitted by14/06/2026 to Surona Visagie @ [email protected]
- Notification of acceptance or rejection sent by: 16/07/2026
- Full manuscript submitted by 27/09/2026
- Adhere to D&R:AT authors guidelines
- Aprroximately 6 000 words
- Peer review completed: 19/11/2026
- Publication of special issue: February 2027