Addressing The Needs Of Your Attendees

Ashfaq (Kash) HusainChair, R7 Conference Advisory Committee

a.husain@ieee.org

Types of Needs

• Travel

• Accommodations

• Dietary

• Smoking

• Language

• Religious Observances

• Persons With Disabilities

Persons With Disabilities

• Visible Disabilities Mobility Assistive Devices Amputee Service Animal

• Invisible Disabilities Vision Loss Hearing Loss Medical Condition (Stroke, Cardiac, Diabetic, etc) Learning Disabilities and many more !

What You Can Do

• Ask !! - How may I help you?

• Place this question on your website

• Identify someone who will address these requests

• Is you website accessible? W3C Standards?

Event Location

• Is it accessible? - Ask your Facilities Manager

• Take a walk around the venues and look at: Disabled Parking Locations Entrance – is it at grade ? Washrooms – Are they accessible ? Signage – Place in strategic locations Accessible Bedrooms Elevator with Braille or floor calling ability TTY unit and Kit for persons with hearing loss

During The Event

• Space !!! Registration Area Meeting Rooms Dining Facilities Evacuation Plan

• Communications Alternate Formats ASL (American Sign Language) Assistive Listening Devices Real Time Captioning

General Etiquette

• Focus on person’s ABILITY• Be Respectful• Be Patient• Be Observant• ASK• Listen Carefully• Speak to the person not their partner• Do not raise your voice• Be yourself – it is OK not to know what to do• CONSIDER THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO

LEARN.

Resources

Website Design: http://www.accessible.org/ ISO/IEC 23026; IEEE Std 2001-2002, First edition

Software Engineering - Recommended Practice for the Internet - Web Site Engineering, Web Site Management, and Web Site Life Cycle

http://www.w3.org/

Facilities: Facility Accessibility Design Standards (FADS)http://www.london.ca/d.aspx?s=/Accessibility/accessibilitystandards.htm

Accessible Design / Universal Design Resources

http://www.makoa.org/accessable-design.htm

Resources

Americans With Disability Act (ADA) http://www.ada.gov/

General Information: http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/mcss/english/pillars/

accessibilityOntario WSU - http://access.wsu.edu/ or try your own local

University. United Nations - http://www.un.org/disabilities/index.asp

Universal Symbols