Accessibility and Inclusion

Please note that the Annual Meeting will be entirely virtual this year. Participants should generally follow the same inclusion and accessibility guidelines as those for all ASECS Annual Meetings, keeping in mind that references to printed copies and LCD projectors are not applicable for 2025.

For the 2025 Annual Meeting there is again a dedicated Advisor for Accessibility, Disability, and Inclusion as part of the Program Committee. Feel free to contact Hilary Havens if you have questions, comments, or suggestions.

You can find accessibility and inclusion resources for conference planning and presentations under the “Resources and Toolkits” >> “Conference Planning” section of the Resources page.

Accommodations:

Please submit confidential accommodation requests via the form below or via email to Executive Director Benita Blessing (director@asecs.org) within 30 days of the Annual Meeting if possible, and as soon as you are able. We may not be able to accommodate all requests, but we’ll do our best!

Accommodations Request Form, Virtual 2025

Please submit accommodations requests by Feb. 25, 2025, 11:59pm. Requests made after this date may be difficult to arrange (but we’ll try).

Speaking (with reference to virtual conference considerations):

Microphones should be turned off unless you are speaking, in order to minimize background noise.
Speak clearly and distinctly and at a level that everyone can hear, and build in adequate time for your remarks to account for a slower tempo.
Ensure that you stay within your time limit. Session chairs should provide a 5- and 2-minute warning as the time limit approaches, using either the chat function, verbally, or with a sound (such as setting a timer on a cell phone or computer that others can hear).
Speakers should repeat questions or statements made by audience members if there are acoustic issues, or if the questions are in chat.
Session chairs should ensure that only one person speaks at a time.
In discussions, speakers should identify themselves so that audience members know who is speaking. It is not possible to change your name on the Stova platform screen.
You can turn on closed captions upon entering the virtual room.

Image of Stova setting page with a button to turn on Closed Captions settings.

Papers, Handouts and Audiovisuals (with reference to virtual conference):

Accessibility Copies: Presenters, including roundtable participants, should provide the audience with accessibility copies [in print for in-person conferences] in digital form.

Print form [in-person conferences only]: Provide at least two copies of papers or remarks, with at least one copy in large print (16 or 18 boldface type), even if the text is only in draft or outline form, for the use of members who need to follow a written text.

Handouts [in-person conferences only]: Speakers who use handouts should prepare two to three additional copies in large print and should avoid using colored paper. Handouts should be briefly described orally or read aloud to the audience.

Digital form: It is not possible for the Virtual 2025 Annual Meeting for speakers to upload copies of slide decks or papers directly to their sessions in the Stova submission platform, unfortunately. You have 2 options to share copies:

Stova Virtual Events Lobby Module To have accessibility copies or links posted to the Stova module, you may upload your document to the “accessibility copy” module on the left side of the Virtual Event Lobby screen. There are 4 Google folders labeled by presentation day; you can upload a copy of your paper (or a document with a link) to the folder for your presentation day. You can delete the paper from the folder immediately after your session. Use the file naming format:

LastName FirstName PresentationMonth/Day SessionNameSessionTitle

Accessibility Copy Module on Left Menu of Platform

OR you can add a link in the “chat” function of your session for attendees to open.

The Chat Button can be found on the left side of the screen in your session.

QR codes: You can also create QR codes for digital copies on a slide deck and share your screen if you registered at least 72 hours before the conference start. In-person conferences only: note, however, that not all rooms have AV capabilities, so you should not count on putting a code on the screen.

Hard copies [in-person conferences only]: Chairs should collect accessibility copies for distribution at the start of the session, distribute the copies to those who request them, and retrieve them at the session’s end.

Presenters may mark accessibility copies with “Do Not Circulate/Cite Without Permission” and ask for copies to be returned at the end of the session [for in-person conferences]. You may also remove access to any online document link you shared after the session.

If you have made a digital copy of your presentation available, please alert your audience to the availability of the digital version as you begin your talk.

For PowerPoint/slide presentations:

A simple design with minimal text (6 or fewer lines) and the largest possible font is the most accessible.
Presenters should describe orally any images on the slides.
When referring to a visual aid or handout, or when indicating the location of materials in the room, allow time for audience members to follow this information. In-person only: Projectors should be turned off when not in use, to reduce background noise.

Future in-person meetings:

In-person meetings: At this time, no provisions are available for hybrid or online presentations or participation. We do not have the budget for reliable virtual options at our in-person meetings currently, and will be focusing on the 2025 Virtual Conference.

Complaints in previous years about “ad hoc” virtual presentations at past annual meetings have come from presenters, panelists, and audience members. One major issue has been dissatisfaction with the form currently available (a private laptop and low-band wifi or hotspots with no technological support).
Registered presenters who are unable to travel may be able to pre-record a video presentation of their talk. Please contact Executive Director Benita Blessing (director@asecs.org) for details.