SSSP strives to make our annual meetings as accessible as possible.  The Accessibility Committee has developed written guidelines to maximize access for all program participants.

The guidelines are presented in full below. Central provisions are:

  1. Presenters must send copies of their papers to the session chair by June 30th to facilitate the accommodation of all.
  2. Keep rooms accessible to all by moving chairs as needed and ensuring entryways are not constricted.
  3. If you are a presenter, read any visual aids aloud and describe any illustrations or charts.  Please request a microphone if your voice is quiet, and speak clearly.
  4. If there are American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter(s) present, be sure the room lighting is not overly dim and that the interpreter can see the presenter and be seen by the audience.
  5. If you use handouts, make several available in larger font format and have an electronic copy available.
  6. Please do not wear scented products, smoke, or bring companion animals other than service animals into the conference space.
GUIDELINES FOR PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS

SSSP strives to make our annual meetings as accessible as possible. The Accessibility Committee has developed written guidelines to maximize access for all program participants.

Visual Materials:  Presenters have the primary responsibility for ensuring the access of the materials which they share with their audience.  If visual material is presented, you should be sure that either yourself as the speaker or another appropriate person reads or orally describes the overheads or other visual material for blind or low-vision participants.

Handouts of your paper can be useful adjuncts to any presentation.  If employed, these materials must also be made accessible to all by making them available in alternate formats. Therefore, you should have a few copies in large (18 point font) print and be prepared to share them in electronic form.  (Reasonable efforts on your part and a willingness to relay additional materials at a later date to attendees at your session are certainly acceptable.)

Air Quality & Service Animals:  Please refrain from wearing any scented products to respect participants who may be sensitive and/or allergic to these types of chemicals.  Unless you yourself use a service or therapy dog or other credentialed assistance animal, we ask that you not bring companion animals to book exhibits or areas where SSSP members are presenting.

Seating Arrangements:  Rooms will be arranged for wheelchair access, but chairs do get moved around.  When you arrive at a session, please choose a seat or space that does not block a door or aisle.  Do not be afraid to move chairs for each other.  Also, please do not block the hallways.  We all do some session hopping, so leave room to allow all people to come and go during a session.

Sign and Voice Interpreting:  There may be American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter(s) present during your session.  Please do not block the view of the interpreter especially if audio-visual aids are in use.  Lights should not be lowered to a degree that would interfere with sign interpretation or lip reading.  During discussion periods, be sure the interpreter can hear you and keep up with you.  Please be aware that some people may have great difficulty understanding what you are saying (particularly when there is competing background noise) and that some concepts/terms used in the academic language may be unfamiliar to interpreters.  Whether you are a member of the audience or are communicating with someone using an interpreter, give your attention to the person using the interpreter, not to the interpreter.  In order to facilitate the work of interpreters and facilitators and for other logistical purposes all program participants must send a copy of their paper to the session chair and/or discussant by June 30.

Audio Equipment:  Presenters with quiet voices should request the use of a microphone so that their presentations will be more easily audible.  Please speak clearly and in a reasonable tone into the microphone (especially with proper nouns).  An FM audio loop system may also be provided to attendees upon request.  This may involve a separate microphone from that used by the general public address system.  If one is in use, try to minimize extra noise as much as possible.

Discussions:  All speakers should state their names in discussions, whether speaking from the session panel or from the audience.  Please be patient and be prepared to have your discussant interrupt you to ensure effective ASL interpretation or use of an FM Loop or a microphone if necessary.

We appreciate your efforts in ensuring that everyone can have a great conference experience.  If you need accommodations in order to present your paper, or have any questions or concerns please contact Cary Gabriel Costello, Accessibility Committee Chair, and Michele Koontz, Administrative Officer & Meeting Manager, no later than June 30.