Accessibility.

Accessibility is a priority for us, not an afterthought. Like in-person events, virtual events need to be accessible. We have thus been consulting our respective campuses as well as professional and community-based service groups throughout the symposium planning process. Furthermore, disability is central to the symposium’s content. We have organized a panel sponsored by the Learn More AY 21-22 Grant that explores disability in Jones’ work.

The symposium will be hosted on Zoom, a teleconferencing software which is available as a free download here. This platform allows for computer and phone-based audio listening/speaking. Attendees can dial-in by phone and participate without a computer. Additionally, Zoom has a chat function and other features (e.g., reactions) that allow for nonverbal participation, communication, and feedback. With the exception of the “lighting talks” session on day two of the symposium (May 14), we will use Zoom’s webinar format throughout the symposium. For key differences between Zoom’s webinar format and the more commonly used meeting format, click here.

The symposium’s structure also offers multiple ways for attendees to process symposium content. Our website includes a brief overview of the structure (under the “program” tab), as well as activities leading up to the symposium, here. All three days of the symposium will include:

• Dialogues

• Roundtables

• Traditional conference paper presentations 

• Contemplative Q&A periods, which involve intentional periods of silence to support listeners in processing information and posing thoughtful questions

• Unmoderated bio- and stretch- breaks between sessions during which we will play music and share a screen saver with suggestions for how to unwind

Importantly, all three days of the symposium will be live streamed, not pre-recorded. While Zoom has built-in accessibility features like automatic transcripts, we have decided to utilize live captioning based on feedback from our friends. Hardeman Realtime Inc. will provide Communication Access Real-time Translation (CART) for every session. The sessions will be recorded and available through Boston University’s Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center after the symposium. 

If presenters use slideshows in their presentations, image descriptions should be added to all slides. In brief, image descriptions provide detailed yet concise descriptions of visual content (e.g., photographs) that can be read by presenters, participants, or screen readers. Image descriptions make visual content more accessible to viewers who are blind or low vision as well as people who, for a variety of reasons, may have reading difficulties, are participating by phone, or cannot keep their visual attention on the presentation. Image descriptions are distinct from alternative text and captions; to learn more about how to write image descriptions check out All About Image Descriptions and the examples on our website. 

There will be a designated technology support person from Boston University who will assist with troubleshooting in real time. The symposium co-organizers (Ianna Hawkins Owen, Kianna Middleton, and Tala Khanmalek) will be available during the conference, but only to provide logistical support as they too will be presenting, moderating, and switching between roles. Please keep in mind that this is our first time organizing a multi-day symposium that is entirely virtual and we are learning as we go. Currently, we are learning about digital safety and how to prevent “Zoom-bombing.” We appreciate your patience with us and will continue to update this page throughout the symposium planning process.

Registration for the symposium is finally open! The symposium is free and anyone can register for it. Attendees may share any additional accessibility requests (including but not limited to ASL interpretation) via the registration page by April 22, 2022, up to three weeks before the event begins on May 13, 2022. We ask for at least three weeks' notice so that we as the co-organizers have time to meet everyone’s access needs. Last but not least, the full program is now on our website, including the schedule for each day, detailed information about each session, and presenter biographies.   

If you have questions, please contact us at: gayljonessymposium@gmail.com