What do you do if your conference is not accessible and inclusive for all attendees?

Organizing a conference is a challenging task that requires careful planning, coordination, and communication. However, even with the best intentions, you might overlook some aspects that affect the accessibility and inclusivity of your event for all attendees. Accessibility and inclusivity are not only ethical and legal obligations, but also opportunities to enhance the quality and diversity of your conference. In this article, we will discuss what you can do if your conference is not accessible and inclusive for all attendees, and how you can prevent or address common issues.

1 Assess your situation

The first step is to assess your situation and identify the gaps or barriers that prevent your conference from being accessible and inclusive for all attendees. You can use various tools and frameworks to guide your assessment, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, or the Social Model of Disability. You can also consult with experts, stakeholders, or representatives of different groups of attendees, such as people with disabilities, people of color, LGBTQ+ people, or people from different cultural backgrounds. The goal is to understand the needs, preferences, and experiences of your potential and actual attendees, and how your conference can meet them.

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Shakera Carroll

Family Physician at New Horizons Medical Clinic
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The (Covid-19) pandemic was a challenging time for everyone. The medical community was no exception. Conference organizers had to figure out how to include people who could not attend conferences in person. Several entities were able to successfully have purely virtual, or even hybrid conferences. So to assess the situation, you must first know your intended audience. Will attendees include differently abled persons? The elderly? Breastfeeding moms? Persons with different ethnicities, cultures or lifestyles, may feel excluded or even targeted based on the shared content, venue or even the food options at the conference. If you're not sure who's coming? Do a survey of the conference registrants to identify and address potential challenges.

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Wil Brown

Grow your WordPress business. I help WordPress developers and designers get more clients and increase monthly revenue to build a sustainable and profitable business. Connect and ask how 🙋♀️
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You can also use your eyes and common sense. One of our venues is not very accessible for mobility challenged people. We're constrained by budget to this venue. So we have processes in place to ask attendees during ticket purchase if they need accessibility help. Then we follow them up and put whatever we need in place to help the attendee to get into the venue.

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2 Implement changes

The next step is to implement changes that can improve the accessibility and inclusivity of your conference. Depending on your situation, you might need to make adjustments to your venue, your program, your speakers, your materials, or your communication. For example, you might need to ensure that your venue is physically accessible, that your program offers a variety of formats and topics, that your speakers are diverse and inclusive, that your materials are available in different formats and languages, or that your communication is clear and respectful. You might also need to provide additional services or accommodations, such as sign language interpreters, captioning, audio description, alternative seating, dietary options, or childcare.

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Wil Brown

Grow your WordPress business. I help WordPress developers and designers get more clients and increase monthly revenue to build a sustainable and profitable business. Connect and ask how 🙋♀️
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In past conferences, we've asked for an accessibility sponsor. A company that is willing to put money directly towards an interpreter or audio description ing.

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3 Communicate effectively

The third step is to communicate effectively with your attendees and other stakeholders about the accessibility and inclusivity of your conference. You should inform them about the changes you have made, the options and services you offer, and the expectations and guidelines you have. You should also invite them to provide feedback, suggestions, or requests, and respond to them promptly and positively. You should use multiple channels and platforms to communicate, such as your website, your social media, your email, or your phone. You should also use accessible and inclusive language, tone, and design in your communication.

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Wil Brown

Grow your WordPress business. I help WordPress developers and designers get more clients and increase monthly revenue to build a sustainable and profitable business. Connect and ask how 🙋♀️
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We have a Code of Conduct policy that covers accessibility and inclusiveness. We discuss the CoD at the conference kick-off meeting so that everyone understands its importance.

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4 Monitor and evaluate

The fourth step is to monitor and evaluate the impact and effectiveness of your changes on the accessibility and inclusivity of your conference. You should collect and analyze data and information from various sources, such as surveys, interviews, observations, or testimonials. You should measure both quantitative and qualitative indicators, such as attendance, satisfaction, engagement, learning outcomes, or diversity. You should also compare your results with your goals and objectives, and identify the strengths and weaknesses of your conference.

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5 Learn and improve

The final step is to learn and improve from your experience and feedback, and apply your lessons to your future conferences. You should recognize and celebrate your achievements, but also acknowledge and address your challenges. You should seek and share best practices, resources, and examples of accessibility and inclusivity in conference organization. You should also maintain and update your knowledge and skills on the topic, and keep up with the latest trends and developments. You should remember that accessibility and inclusivity are not static or one-time goals, but dynamic and ongoing processes that require constant attention and improvement.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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What do you do if your conference is not accessible and inclusive for all attendees?

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3

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1 Assess your situation

2 Implement changes

3 Communicate effectively

4 Monitor and evaluate

5 Learn and improve

6 Here’s what else to consider

Conference Organization

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What do you do if your conference is not accessible and inclusive for all attendees?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Assess your situation

2 Implement changes

3 Communicate effectively

4 Monitor and evaluate

5 Learn and improve

6 Here’s what else to consider

Conference Organization

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