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Home | Accessibility | Requesting Accommodations for the Annual Meeting

AAA and CASCA strive to foster accessible spaces during the 2023 AAA/CASCA Annual Meeting. The AAA & CASCA staff can help identify if current accessibility protocols will meaningfully support your access needs or if additional accommodations are necessary. Examples of accommodation requests include ASL interpreters, sighted guides, reader and/or note takers, personal assistants, tactile interpreters, etc.

At any point that you recognize you need to request accommodations for the Annual Meeting, please follow the process described below to do so. Everyone who is interested in attending the 2023 AAA/CASCA Annual Meeting is welcome to seek accommodations at any time in preparation for the meeting.

You are not required to disclose your disability (mobility, auditory, sight, sensory, etc.) or identity status (Disabled, Deaf, Autistic, Chronically Ill, Mentally Ill, etc.), but are welcome to do so if you believe this information will influence the later discussion surrounding your access needs and/or accommodation requests.

Note: While requests are welcome at any time, please also recognize that requests will most effectively be supported if they are submitted as soon as possible, and where possible, before Wednesday, October 4, 2023.

How to Request Disability Accommodations

Please submit your accommodation requests prior to Wednesday, October 4, 2023, so that the AAA and CASCA can provide the best services possible to meet your access needs.

  1. Identify the way you will request accommodations for the Annual Meeting.
    1. At time of Registration for the Annual Meeting
      1. Check the box that reads “I require accessibility accommodations.”
      2. Use the text field below the check box to indicate any access needs you have.
    2. Via the Meeting Website Contact Form, which will be directly sent to the AAA and CASCA staff. This can be completed after registration if accommodations and access needs were not necessary while registering for the meeting.
      1. Please provide the information you believe is most important to receiving the best support possible in the message text field of the form.
  2. The AAA and CASCA staff will follow up with you, whether you requested accommodations via the meeting registration form or Contact Form (email). In this follow up, they will discuss your needs and identify the best plan moving forward to provide your accommodations. This follow up will occur once the online program is available, but you are welcome to complete the form to discuss your needs sooner!
    1. Some accommodations may require that the staff requests your desired schedule at the Annual Meeting to provide the appropriate accommodations. Time changes onsite are accommodated as resources permit, but cannot be guaranteed.
  3. The AAA and CASCA staff will meet you at the onsite registration table and review your accommodations with you and ensure you have access to the supports you need.
  4. If during the meeting you have any questions, comments, or concerns related to any accessibility practices or your accommodations, please feel free to contact AAA and CASCA staff using the above form which gets sent directly to the accessibility inbox.

Accommodations Available Upon Request

View our quick list of accommodations or for more detail about what we can offer, read below. Feel free to request accommodations outside of the options listed below as well. Please make all requests listed below via one of the two ways above by Wednesday, October 4, 2023, if at all possible, to ensure AAA and CASCA staff have enough time to accommodate your needs to the best of their ability.

Assistants

  • Sighted guide
    • There will be hotel and AAA and CASCA conference staff who can orient you and direct you to rooms.
  • Reader/note taker
  • Personal assistant
    • If you require a personal assistant to help navigate the Annual Meeting, AAA and CASCA will register your assistant as a complimentary guest. Please message the Access, Meetings & Conferences Coordinator to register your assistant (name, city, state, and e-mail address is required for the badge). The personal assistant will be issued full conference registration and can pick up their badge at the Annual Meeting in the advance registration kiosk.

Language Access

  • ASL interpreter
    • Attendees can request sign language interpreters for the Annual Meeting.
    • AAA and CASCA are working with the Kyle Duarte Company to provide ASL interpreting services. The AAA and CASCA staff will connect you with the interpreting agency to discuss your needs.
    • You will be asked to share which sessions you may be interested in so that interpreters can review the presentations and abstracts before the meeting.
      • You are not limited to only attending those sessions. However, this gives the interpreters a chance to review the presentations and abstracts in order to properly prepare and provide excellent service.
    • Interpreters are available for scholarly times, plenary events, business meetings, and workshops. All additional events outside of this scope must be arranged with the Kyle Duarte Company separately at the individual’s cost.
    • ASL interpreting is provided during meeting plenary and non-compete events (i.e. Opening Keynote, AAA Business Meeting, CASCA Weaver-Tremblay Award and Address, and Presidential Address) and are available to attendees who need them for the duration of the meeting.
    • On-site requests for interpreters can be made in the registration area; however, AAA and CASCA cannot guarantee a sign language interpreter will be available to accommodate a request without advance notice.
  • CART captioner
    • Attendees can request CART captioning for the Annual Meeting.
    • AAA and CASCA are working with the Kyle Duarte Company to provide CART captioning services. The AAA and CASCA staff will connect you with the captioning agency to discuss your needs.
    • You will be asked to share which sessions you may be interested in so that captioners can review the presentations and abstracts before the meeting.
      • You are not limited to only attending those sessions. However, this gives the captioners a chance to review the presentations and abstracts in order to properly prepare and provide excellent service.
    • Captioners are available for scholarly times, plenary events, business meetings, and workshops. All additional events outside of this scope must be arranged with the Kyle Duarte Company separately at the individual’s cost.
    • ASL captioning is provided during meeting plenary and non-compete events (i.e. Opening Keynote, AAA Business Meeting, CASCA Weaver-Tremblay Award and Address, and Presidential Address) and are available to attendees who need them for the duration of the meeting.
    • On-site requests for captioners can be made in the registration area; however, AAA and CASCA cannot guarantee a CART captioner will be available to accommodate a request without advance notice.
  • Tactile interpreter
  • Signed English
  • Transliteration
  • Revoicer

Alternative Document Formats

Abstracts will be available on the 2023 AAA/CASCA Annual Meeting Virtual Platform. The final program will be available in a PDF format and alternative formats to registrants who make such an advance request.

  • Accessible PDF
  • Large print
  • Braille
  • ASL

Accessibility Devices

  • Accessible room setup
    • Wheelchair accessibility
      • We have directed Convention Centre staff to make sure that meeting room chairs are arranged to ensure open spaces for attendees using wheelchairs both at the front and rear of rooms. We have asked participants to keep the aisles clear so that people can move freely.
    • Accessible stage ramp
    • Lower podium
    • Lower poster stand
    • Podium lighting
  • Yoga mat
    • A limited number of yoga mats will be available, so they are available on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no charge for the use of these devices. These may be used by attendees for prayer or to provide alternative ways of sitting or laying down in session rooms.
  • Assistive listening device
    • A limited number of assistive listening devices will be available, so they are available on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no charge for the use of these devices. This technology generally involves the installation of “transmitters” in the sessions you wish to attend. Sound is transmitted to headphones provided to the attendees. If you need an assistive listening device, please make this request before October 4, 2023 so AAA and CASCA staff can work with the AV team to coordinate this accommodation.
  • Mobility device
    • Due to the size of the 2023 AAA and CASCA Annual Meeting, sessions are sometimes spread out and distances between sessions can be considerable. Some attendees may want to consider obtaining a scooter, wheelchair, or walker in Toronto. Contact the AAA and CASCA staff for assistance in sourcing these resources.
  • Other navigation assistance
    • Once available, please review the Annual Meeting schedule on the Virtual Platform carefully and let us know if you may need assistance getting from one event to another due to long distances and short turnarounds.

Maps

  • Maps with all accessible conference building routes listed
  • Large print conference building map

Quick list of accommodations without additional text

  1. Assistants
    1. Sighted guide
    2. Reader/note taker
    3. Personal assistant
  2. Language access
    1. ASL interpreter
    2. CART captioner
    3. Tactile interpreter
    4. Signed English
    5. Transliteration
    6. Revoicer
  3. Alternative document formats
    1. Accessible PDF
    2. Large print
    3. Braille
    4. ASL
  4. Accessibility Devices
    1. Accessible room setup
      1. Wheelchair accessibility
      2. Accessible stage ramp
      3. Lower podium
      4. Lower poster stand
      5. Podium lighting
    2. Yoga mat
    3. Assistive listening device
    4. Mobility device
    5. Other navigation assistance
  5. Maps
    1. Maps with all accessible conference building routes listed
      Large print conference building map

Want to make your accommodations request?