Dear Conference Presenter,

coffee cup on table next to partially complete handwritten letter
I recently spent the day finalizing session proposals to submit for consideration at some upcoming conferences. Several proposals focus on accessibility. This got me to thinking while I wait to learn of their status. Wouldn't it be great if the acceptance letter included something about ensuring the accessibility of your materials?

I took the liberty to draft such a letter as a starting point and included it below.


Dear [Insert Conference Name] Presenter,


Congratulations! Your session proposal has been accepted at [insert conference name]! [Insert Conference Name] values diversity and the learning experience of all our participants. As you begin to prepare your session materials, please keep accessible design principles in mind to ensure all attendees can access, enjoy, and benefit from your expertise.
  • Caption All Videos. 
  • Provide Alt Text on your Images
  • Use Accessibility Guidelines on your Website 
If you should need assistance in creating accessible materials, [insert conference name] has compiled a list of accessible design resources to help get you started. [insert link to accessible design resources, here's a draft sample

[Insert Conference Name] looks forward to your participation in making our event successful and accessible to our diverse membership and attendees.

Sincerely,
[Insert Conference Name] Program Committee



Imagine the possibilities if conferences sent something like this to every presenter! One of the many things I've learned over the past year since beginning this Create Accessibility journey and talking with EdTech presenters is that no one intentionally creates inaccessible materials. But rather we design and create based on what we know. If you don't have the personal experience of disability and know that sinking feeling when asked as just one example to respond to a video that you couldn't completely understand because it lacked captions, you may not realize how much something like creating and displaying captions means to a learner like me. This could be one small step in creating more welcoming and inclusive communities by ensuring access to all learners.

2 comments

  1. Before we have a look at how mortgaging in Canada works, let us look with the definition with the term mortgage. canada mortgage calculator A shorter term can raise your payment per month, nevertheless it decreases the exact amount you pay on the life of the loan because the principal is repaid quicker and loans using a shorter duration typically have a lower interest rates. mortgage calculator canada

    ReplyDelete