Q1: What platform will be used for the conference?
A1: The virtual conference will be held on Zoom Webinar.
Q2: What types of accommodations will you have at the conference?
A2: We will have Zoom automated English captions available to conference attendees. We will also have ASL interpretation. The chat function will be turned off during the conference to minimize competing stimulations and screen reader confusion. We are building breaks into every hour of the conference, as well as a longer lunch break, to allow people to take screen breaks and minimize overstimulation. Please refer to the conference schedule for more information.
Q3: Can attendees ask questions during the conference?
A3: Each presentation will be followed by a 10-minute live question and answer period. The team recognizes that this short window of time will not allow many conference attendees to ask questions, as such, we will be encouraging participants to submit their questions to the conference team in a number of different ways: the question-and-answer function in Zoom, telephone (416-597-3422 x 7879) and email (team@pac2023.ca). Once we have received your questions, we will publish the questions and their responses as we receive them from our speakers on our conference website after the conference.
Q4: Will there be an international call-in number for conference attendees?
A4: Yes, we will have a dial-in option for international conference attendees and speakers. We will also have a dial-in option for those attending using their landline in Canada. There numbers with corresponding area codes include:
+1 204 272 7920 Canada
+1 438 809 7799 Canada
+1 587 328 1099 Canada
+1 647 374 4685 Canada
+1 647 558 0588 Canada
+1 778 907 2071 Canada
+1 780 666 0144 Canada
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 689 278 1000 US
+1 719 359 4580 US
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
+1 253 205 0468 US
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 305 224 1968 US
+1 309 205 3325 US
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 360 209 5623 US
+1 386 347 5053 US
+1 507 473 4847 US
+1 564 217 2000 US
+1 646 931 3860 US
+1 669 444 9171 US
Q5: Will visual presentations be described?
A5: We will not have a professional describer present for the conference but we are working with our presenters to ensure that any visuals they use are being described within the presentation. We have created an Accessible Presentation Training Guide that we shared with all presenters. This guide reviews the basic principles of creating accessible presentations.
Q6: Will conference attendees have the option to turn off sign language to avoid having to process two languages at once (cognitive accessibility)?
A6: The ASL interpreter will only be visible on your screen in the Zoom webinar if you enable this feature. If you choose not to enable the interpretation feature, you should not see the ASL interpreter. However, if you choose to view the conference via our Youtube stream, the ASL interpreter will always be visible. Please note, that for certain presentations the ASL Interpreter will be visible to everyone on screen, such as when a Deaf person is presenting, as they will need to be able to see the Interpreter during the Q&A portion.
Q7: Will attendees be on-camera and expected to speak or participate in the conference?
A7: Conference attendees will have their audio muted and videos off by default. This cannot be changed. Attendees can interact with the conference by submitting questions and comments using the Q&A feature in Zoom webinar or by calling 416-597-3422 x 7879 or emailing (team@pac2023.ca).
Q8: Will the live sessions be recorded?
A8: Yes, an English recording will be created and posted on our conference website a few weeks post-conference. The final recordings will have English captions as well as sign language. We will also be posting our conference on YouTube.
Q9: How can I enabled closed captioning and/or ASL interpretation?
A9: Once you are in the Zoom webinar, you will have the option to turn on captions and/or ASL. The settings can be seen on the bottom of the screen within Zoom webinar.