{"id":6756,"date":"2024-08-30T15:06:09","date_gmt":"2024-08-30T19:06:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/disability\/?page_id=6756"},"modified":"2024-09-12T12:47:38","modified_gmt":"2024-09-12T16:47:38","slug":"creating-accessible-events-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/disability\/making-your-event-accessible%e2%80%af\/creating-accessible-events-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Creating Accessible Events"},"content":{"rendered":"

Disability and Access Services prepared the following guidelines for event\u00a0<\/span><\/span>planners<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to employ best practices that may enable you to plan for group and individual accessibility needs in advance.<\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Note:<\/strong> If a there is a known need for communication access services at your event, such as American Sign Language-English Interpreters or CART services, please go to the communication access services form to begin the process of securing services.<\/span><\/p>\n

Request Communication Access Services<\/a>\u202f\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/h3>\n

To begin, designate an individual to be responsible for all aspects of accessibility, including contacting requesters of accommodations to ask about their individual needs.\u00a0<\/span>This designee is also a key contact to report accessibility concerns or observations before, during and after the event. Planning early for wider access and checking in with DAS\u00a0often, enables us to put access in place quickly and efficiently even before an individual makes a request.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>The event designee should be on site or within the hybrid\/remote event to monitor accommodations and services to trouble shoot issues that may come up. Sometimes last-minute adjustments in such areas as lighting, technology, seating, or signage need to be made. If the event is large or complex additional volunteers may be needed on site.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Please keep in mind that there are a variety of ways to provide accessibility\u00a0accommodations<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>The type of need may differ among\u00a0persons\u00a0with the same condition, and<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>it is often necessary to consult with the individual who needs access to determine how best to accommodate for a specific circumstance.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The designee should become familiar with a range of different accommodations which individual might request for your event. This includes but, is not limited to:\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

ASL\/English Interpreting<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Note:<\/strong> If a there is a known need for communication access services at your event, such as American Sign Language -English Interpreters or CART services, please follow the link Request Communication Access Services<\/a>\u202f to secure communication access services:\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Speech to Text Services<\/span> (STTS)<\/span><\/a> ( Also see CART<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Closed Captioned Media<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Assistive Listening Devices\u202f<\/span> (ALD)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Accessible seating and companion seating<\/em>\u202f<\/span> (See Events and Facilities<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n

Accessible parking and transit services\u202f<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Digitization or modified printing of visual\u00a0aids\u00a0as in enlarged text,\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Audio description services and recordings\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Admission of service dogs\u202f<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Allergy-free diverse meal\/dietary choices<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Fragrance and latex free spaces\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This Event Accessibility Checklist<\/a>, adapted from the our colleagues at the University of Connecticut Disability Services, is a valuable and quick tool to help you cover fundamental accessibility concerns for event planners.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once the accessibility and accommodation needs have been identified, create a list of everything that will be needed to respond to those needs. Communication Access Services and other accessibility services come with expenses. Consult with DAS if necessary when you are creating your budget for accessibility services.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Presentation Accessibility<\/h3>\n

A key to creating a successful event is to keep this principle in mind: More preparation leads to less modification. <\/em>The more that we prepare and have our content accessible in advance, then the less modifications of original content will have to be done within shortened windows of time. Calls for Presenters<\/em> or Calls for Presentations<\/em> should include riders or requisites for the presenters to make their content accessible and perceivable by your events participants and stakeholders with disabilities.<\/p>\n

We suggest using the following language in your Cf<\/em>P:<\/p>\n

Language:
\n[ insert call for presenters<\/em> \/gratitude\/congratulations or\u00a0<\/span>acceptance to present text here] In advance of the sessions, we ask presenters to prepare as accessible a presentation as possible, including captions for video. When papers and presentations can be made available ahead of time, this is very helpful to our attendees with visual impairment, captioning providers and sign language interpreters. We thank you for your cooperation in these matters<\/em> [insert links for tips on creating accessible presentations] Supporting Resources: Accessible Presentations<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Online and\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Broadcast Platforms<\/h3>\n
\n

All online and hyrbid features of a university event, whether it be promotional in nature, interactive, or used for broadcast purposes, should comply with the <\/span>Minimum Web Accessibility Standards<\/span><\/a> and Closed Captioning Priorities<\/span><\/a>\u202f.<\/span><\/p>\n

ASL interpreters<\/strong> & CART Providers Remotely<\/strong><\/p>\n

Since the inception of the\u00a0Learning\u00a0\u00a0from<\/em>\u00a0Anywhere (Lf<\/em>A) model of instruction, it has become even more important to keep the following in mind when working with Deaf or hard of hearing participants and viewers and communication access providers in remote or hybrid settings. <\/span><\/p>\n