Small Seminars and Meetings: A Guide for Planning Accessible Gatherings
Choosing a Location and Venue
Physical Accessibility on Site
- What are the distances within the venue for meetings, meals, lodging, etc.?
- Can a person using a wheelchair or scooter navigate the terrain?
- Is wheelchair or scooter rental available?
- Are ramps and elevators available as alternatives to stairs and escalators? Are they located conveniently and well-marked? Are they able to be used without assistance?
- Are wheelchair-accessible restrooms available in all public areas?
Dietary Options:
Is the catering or food provider willing to work with you to avoid these common food allergens and sensitivities?
- Peanuts
- Tree nuts
- Fish
- Shellfish
- Milk/Dairy
- Soy
- Egg
- Red Dye #40
- Gluten
Reserving Meeting Spaces
- Is there a location for sign language interpretation that allows for easy viewing?
- Is there wheelchair seating and accessibility for:
- Meal times?
- Meetings?
- Large-group gatherings?
Accessibility Services/Information Booth
- How will people with disabilities ask for help or services during the event?
- Information booth location and set-up:
- Central location
- Clear and visible signage
- Always staffed
- Equipped with:
- Internet access
- Phone access
- Computer, printer, copier
- Paper maps of venue
Housekeeping Needs
Is the venue “Chemical Free”? Are they willing and able to stop use of room fresheners and scented products, and to keep public spaces free of cleaning product odor and residue?
Publicity
A key question to ask when publicizing your event: who do you want to attend your event? Are you making it clear that they are welcome, and are you making registration accessible for them? Including people of color, people with disabilities, and other minorities in addition to people who are “in the majority” in publicity documents sends the message that the Kingdom of God really does include everyone, and it opens us to the possibility that everyone is welcome, and everyone is valued, even at this event.
- Note options for accessibility (transportation, etc.)
- Advertise both on paper and online
- Advertise in multiple languages (i.e.: Spanish and English)
- Include a diverse group of people in photos
Registration Process
- Offer online and paper registration options
- Note any disability accommodations that are available (assistive listening devices, etc.)
- Include a space for allergies, sensitivities, or disabilities on the registration form, and provide space for explanation and requests for accommodations
- Include opportunities to volunteer
- American Sign Language interpreters
- Assistants/Hosts
- Children’s activities
- General events
Setting up Meeting Spaces
- Clearly mark where the available audio/visual assistive technology is located
- Provide technology assistance as needed
- Provide microphones for presenters and responders on the floor
- Have adequate maneuvering-room for scooters and power wheelchairs
- Have adequately spaced seating for all mobility needs
- Provide a raised platform area for presenters to be visible to audience, and wheelchair access to the raised area
- If the room is large, provide simultaneous video projection of the presenters
- Provide text captions of spoken words of presenters in real time
Orienting Attendees to the Event and Meeting Spaces
- Use volunteers/accessibility coordinator
- Provide descriptive information
- To help orient attendees who are blind or have low vision to the meeting location, it may be useful to provide some descriptive information and offer a “walkthrough” of the event space
- Include “big picture” information: the layout of the facility and surrounding area, including landmarks and their relation to each other
- Include “small picture” information: the location of the coffee pot, telephone, toiletry products, and the thermostat in a hotel sleeping room, for example
- Include specific directions for getting to and from one area of the meeting place to another. For example, directions from the lobby, elevators, stairs, or other common “starting points” to specific meeting rooms, restaurants, or other spaces