Symposium Accessibility

We are committed to an open, accessible, and sustainable symposium. Please look over the accessibility features we have put in place, and contact us with any questions, concerns, and ideas for improvement. You can reach us at shepardsymposium@gmail.com . We also acknowledge that some elements of access are contextual and relational, and require the participation and cooperation of participants and presenters. Please know that we are doing our best to adapt accessibility efforts into a virtual format for our 2021 symposium. Please register in advance at this Google Form for the conference to help us know about access needs.

Virtual Access

Rather than being held in a physical space, this year we will be engaging with one another primarily through the virtual platforms Zoom and Miro. Please know that you do not have to utilize Miro to attend, but you will need to utilize Zoom. Zoom is free to use and has many great resources [https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us] for learning more about how to navigate using it, from changing your screen name, to bandwidth issues, to utilizing live transcription, and more. Miro also has resources, such as the following video [https://mirohq.wistia.com/medias/vz78w1n31f]. If you are experiencing internet and connection issues, consider turning off your video to save bandwidth. For additional challenges, please reach out to the Virtual Help Desk.

Help desk and faq

During the Symposium, we will have a Virtual Help Desk that attendees can reach out to with questions and support needs. We will have some resources available as static links, as well as the option to speak to someone via zoom and/or via Miro chat in real time. You can find more information about this on our schedule as well as on Miro. To access Miro, click here. During the event, if you have any non-urgent questions you can also email shepardsymposium@gmail.com.

Please find information about FAQ’s and the Help Desk here

Zoom link: Select the proper link below depending on the day to access the Help Desk live chat
Tuesday (April 13) Help Desk link: https://uwyo.zoom.us/j/94372579335
Wednesday (April 14) Help Desk link:  https://uwyo.zoom.us/j/94741306892
Thursday (April 15) Help Desk link: https://uwyo.zoom.us/j/98656803994
Friday (April 16) Help Desk link:  https://uwyo.zoom.us/j/94455121505
Saturday (April 17) Help Desk link:  https://uwyo.zoom.us/j/98720741422

community reflection and resources

Shepard symposium covers many social justice topics, so it is natural if emotions and feelings arise during sessions. As a community, we need to process these conversations and reflect together. We will provide a variety of different resources as a way to offer processing and reflection, a break from sessions, or a chance to connect with fellow Symposium attendees and chat. These resources will be in the form of linked content and an opportunity to enter into a zoom room with another person there who is willing to talk and listen. This person will NOT be a certified mental health professional and will not be offering professional advice. However, we have linked resources below to connect you with mental health professionals and help.

If you want to access Community Reflection and Resources, please click here. Also, you can find more information about this by reaching out to the Help Desk, looking at Miro, or emailing agernant@uwyo.edu.

livestreaming recording and Captioning

All zoom sessions and talks will be captioned. Keynotes will have live-captioning provided by transcriptionists, and additional sessions may be live-captioned in this way upon request. Please know zoom offers an AI live transcription feature that we will offer as a baseline at every session (except for breakouts, as the AI transcription is not supported there). ASL interpreters may also be requested, and will be provided at all keynotes and awards. Please contact University Disability Support Services at udss@uwyo.edu and for more information, or visit their website: http://www.uwyo.edu/udss/accommodations-and-services/request-services.html. We will be recording several, but not all, sessions. These will be available to view after the symposium.

Audio Description

We do not have trained audio describers, but volunteers and committee members are available to informally audio describe. Please reach out to the Help Desk if you would like to explore this option. Presenters are encouraged to describe all visual elements of presentations.

Please contact Michelle Jarman at mjarman@uwyo.edu for specific questions, or contact UDSS udss@uwyo.edu with requests.

Accessibility Guidelines and Ideas for Presenters:

Announce when the presentation begins and ends
At the start of the presentation, introduce the interpreter(s) and other service providers
Begin with an overview of the presentation and end with a summary of key points
Keep the presentation clear, simple, concise, and organized
Clearly describe and modify any writing, reading or other activities during the presentation so people with visual, cognitive, or motor impairments can fully and equally participate
Verbally describe visual gestures and points of reference
Use simple language; avoid acronyms, jargon, and idioms (or clarify/define them)
Always face the audience; avoid covering your mouth when speaking
Try to ensure your computer microphone is picking up your voice well. Consider using a headphone with a built-in microphone to help with this
Speak clearly and at a pace that allows interpreters and/or captioners and/or AI live transcription to convey information accurately
Make text and visuals large enough to be read. We suggest starting at a minimum size 20 font. Make sure there is good contrast color between presentation background and text.
For presentations with a large amount of text, please consider linking a digital copy in the chat feature when starting the zoom session.
Verbally describe all visual materials (e.g., slides, charts, overheads, videos) in detail. Please ensure that images in google slide presentations and PowerPoint have alt text
Use multiple communication methods for different learning styles (verbal information, pictures and diagrams, text, auditory)
Provide a verbal overview of information in textual materials
Provide audio descriptions for all videos (i.e., describe facial expressions, body language, actions, and costumes); use captions on videos when available
Instruct participants to speak one at a time, and to speak clearly
During Q & A: Repeat questions posed by people in the audience to ensure they are heard
Consider putting information into the chat over zoom, so participants can interact with information in another modality or open additional links on their computers
Zoom cannot provide live transcription for breakout rooms. If you plan to use this feature, please let us know at shepardsymposium@gmail.com

Prior to the Presentation: If you want to share materials, please consider these suggestions:

When reading directly from text, provide an advanced digital copy and pause slightly when interjecting information not in the text

Make electronic versions of materials available in plain text, rich text, or Microsoft Word (and if materials are provided in PDF format, make certain it is a readable PDF)
Be willing to provide materials (papers, PowerPoints, agendas, slides) in alternative formats upon request (e.g., large print, Braille, audiotapes, computer disks, DVDs)
Provide a written description of all images

Please send us any materials you plan to share during the presentation prior to the conference, and we will make them available online. This will allow all conference attendees, including persons with disabilities, as well as interpreters and other support personnel, to familiarize themselves with the materials or access it in multiple formats during the conference.

Email materials to: shepardsymposium@gmail.com