Accessibility Requests
Conference registrants may request accessibility services (sign language interpretation, sighted guides, etc.) to facilitate their full participation in the annual meeting. NWSA is committed to making the Annual Conference accessible to all.
Any accommodation requests related to scheduling and room location (i.e. scheduling your session near an elevator/escalator, requesting an ASL interpreter, etc.) can be made in your submission through Oxford Abstracts. Please indicate your need for accommodations using the form linked below. We must receive requests for accommodations by September 1st, 2024 in order to best work with our site coordinators, vendors, and partners in the panning process. Please note that some services may be available for only some portions of the conference. If a need arises on-site at the annual conference, we encourage you to stop by the NWSA registration booth(s) for assistance.
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Fragrance Free Conference Environment
In the interest of supporting our colleagues with sensitivity to alcohols and scent, we ask that attendees refrain from wearing perfumes or fragrances. Perfumes and fragrances (including scented lotions) can negatively affect people with multiple chemical sensitive syndrome (MCS), asthma, and/or autoimmune disorders. For every 100 people in America, there are an average of 10 with asthma, 20 with an autoimmune disorder, and/or 12.5 with MCS.
Assisted-Listening Devices (Keynote and Plenary Sessions)
Assisted-listening devices are portable headsets provided by NWSA’s AV company that connect to the sound board to provide clear and amplified sound directly through the device. To request an assisted listening device please ask the registration desk the day of the Keynote or Plenary you would like to attend.
Accessibility at Huntington Place Convention Center
The Governing Council accepts and selects bids from conference sites that offer accessible meeting and community spaces (s) that meet the needs of attendees with a range of mobilities, enable us to provide gender-inclusive and accessible restrooms, and private space for lactation. The Association ensures the inclusion of a designated quiet space for attendees who benefit from low-sensory environments and the ability to recharge their social batteries throughout the duration of the conference.
The Huntington Place Convention Center also has wheelchairs available to use located at the front desk. Click here to view Huntington Place’s own accessibility page. Our commitments serve to meet the needs of attendees with disabilities but also work to the benefit of all conference attendees.
Accessibility Suggestions for All Presenters
NWSA is committed to making the Annual Conference accessible to all attendees. If a need arises on-site, we encourage you to stop by registration for assistance and ask for a NWSA staff person.
- Presenters should plan to bring five copies of their papers, even in draft form, for the use of attendees who wish to follow the written text. Presenters who use handouts should prepare some copies in a large-print format (Sans-serif font, 16-point type size). Presenters should indicate whether they want their papers and handouts returned.
- When speaking, position your face at an angle that allows participants to read your lips. Avoid speaking while facing away from the audience, or while looking down at papers or screens.
- Please describe any PowerPoints or visuals.
- If you are planning on showing video during your presentation, please plan to caption/subtitle your video or have transcripts available.
- If engaging in experiential activities, make sure you have planned for the inclusion of all, regardless of physical abilities.
- Consider making it possible for attendees to obtain an electronic version that allows for type size adjustments or use of text readers (creating audio from written text).