Schedule of Events

Tuesday, May 28 Pre-Conference Assistive Technology & Alt Format Roundtable*
Wednesday, May 29 Conference Day One
Thursday, May 30 Conference Day Two
Friday, May 31 Half- and Full-Day Workshops

*Complimentary bonus for conference delegates. If you are interested in attending this roundtable discussion, please choose this session as an "add-on" to your conference package. Only 50 spots are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Session recordings for the two-day conference will be available to all registrants for 30 days post conference. Workshops and pre-conference sessions will not be recorded.

Registration Details

All conference sessions will be hosted virtually via Zoom Events conference platform. Details will be emailed to all registrants closer to the conference date.


Assistive Technology & Alt Format Roundtable

Date: Tuesday, May 28
Time: 1–4:30 p.m.

Calling all assistive technology (AT) and alternative (ALT) format professionals, plus anyone else interested in participating in this informal knowledge exchange!

Join the discussion about current tools, strategies and solutions in the field of assistive technology aimed at creatively supporting the needs of those we serve.

Bring your questions. Contribute to the show and tell. Connect with other professionals.

In this unconference-style roundtable discussion there will be opportunities to share, discover, collaborate, and network. Although the heart of the session will be the sharing of knowledge, there is no formal presentation. Build and strengthen your knowledge, discover new tech, and chat about all things AT and Alt Format.


Conference Schedule at a Glance

Day One | Wednesday, May 29 
Schedule at a Glance | Day One – Wednesday, May 29
Time Slot

Session 1

Session 2

Session 3

8:30 – 8:45 a.m. Welcome        
8:45 – 9:45 a.m.

Opening Plenary: Accessibility, Inclusion, Anti-Ableism and Human-Technology Interaction

Dr. Mahadeo Sukhai

  
10 – 10:45 a.m.

AI as A11y: Generative AI Features That Can Improve Accessibility

Gian Michele Pileri & Rocio Conde


Accessible Teaching and Learning (ATL)

Technical Excellence through Social Understanding

Meg Harding


Web Accessibility (WA)

Assessment of a Collaborative Accessible Service: Methods, Analysis and Outcomes

Ravit H. David & Sabina Pagotto


Document and Media Accessibility (DMA)

11 – 11:45 a.m.

Retire the PDF

Darrin Evans


Document and Media Accessibility (DMA)

Access to Experiential Learning: Anticipating Difference and Troubling Disclosure and Accommodation

Sabina Chatterjee & Heather Willis


Accessible Teaching and Learning (ATL)

Making Accessibility Mainstream: Developing and Piloting an Accessible Lens Toolkit

Joanne Oud, Amanda Oliver & Dawn Westwater


Accessibility Policy and Legislation (APL)

11:45 a.m. – 1 p.m.

LUNCH BREAK

1 – 1:45 p.m.

Getting it Off the Ground – My Experience in Helping to Start an Accessibility Champions Team 

Jonathan Merifield


Accessible Teaching and Learning (ATL)

Universal Course Design: Access for All

Heather Powell, Suzanne Hagarty & Angeli Mehrotra


Inclusive Design (ID)

The $10 Audit, or Why is Digital Accessibility So Expensive and How Do We Fix It?

Bob Dodd


Web Accessibility (WA)

2 – 2:45 p.m.

Accessibility Services at Ontario Colleges and Universities: Trends, Challenges and Recommendations

Sophie Lanthier & Ryan Tishcoff


Accessible Teaching and Learning (ATL)

Getting Ready for AODA Postsecondary Education Standards: Ingredients for a Proactive Institutional Response

Kate Brown & Paige Maylott


Accessible Teaching and Learning (ATL); Accessibility Policy and Legislation (APL); Inclusive Design (ID)

Building Accessibility and Inclusion Competencies as a Culture Building Tool for Inclusive Workplaces

Ana Sofía Barrows


Inclusive Design (ID); Accessibility Policy and Legislation (APL); Accessible Teaching and Learning (ATL)

3 – 3:45 p.m.

Using the PDF Techniques for WCAG 2.x with Accessible PDFs

Karen McCall


Accessibility Policy and Legislation (APL); Document and Media Accessibility (DMA); Inclusive Design (ID)

Crafting Accessible Digital Content for Neurodivergent Audiences

Leanna Manning


Document and Media Accessibility (DMA); Inclusive Design (ID)

Courageous Conversations: The Intersections of Race and Disability

Raihanna Hirji-Khalfan


Accessibility Policy and Legislation (APL)

 

Day Two | Thursday, May 30 
Schedule at a Glance | Day Two – Thursday, May 30
Time Slot

Session 1

Session 2

Session 3

9 – 9:45 a.m.

Understanding the Needs of Visually Impaired and Neurodivergent Students in STEM Education

Mia Maceasik & Chris Schiafone


Accessible Teaching and Learning (ATL)

Strategies on How to Embed Inclusive Innovation and Design

Samantha Estoesta & Brian Moore


Inclusive Design (ID)

Accessible Wayfinding Systems will Start a New Era of Accessibility

Idan Meir


Assistive Technology (AT)

10 – 10:45 a.m.

Policy Perspectives: Applying a Critical Lens from Post-Secondary Accessibility Guidelines in Ontario to Develop Institutional Action Plans

Hujma Chowdhury, Megan McMeekin & Katya Pereyaslavska


Accessibility Policy and Legislation (APL)

Shared Intentionality in Hy-flex Education for Instructors and Students with Disabilites

Tamara Crasto, David Barter & Dr. Mahadeo Sukai


Accessible Teaching and Learning (ATL)

6 Things Screen Readers Catch that Your Document Accessibility Checker Can’t

Dax Castro 


Assistive Technology (AT); Document and Media Accessibility (DMA)

11 – 11:45 a.m.

Accessible Content: A Case Study of Impacts and Costs

Jennifer Ellingham


Accessible Teaching and Learning (ATL)

Intro to Audio Description

Jena Wallace


Document and Media Accessibility (DMA)

Design Systems: The Key to Sustained Web Accessibility?

David Cox


Web Accessibility (WA)

11:45 a.m. – 1 p.m. LUNCH BREAK

 

 

1 – 1:45 p.m.

Exploring the Impact of Neurodivergence on Participation in Canadian Post-Secondary Education

Jennifer Fane


Accessible Teaching and Learning (ATL)

Crafting Inclusive E-Learning: Practical Tips for Accessible Design in Rise & Storyline

Paula Trelinska & Melissa Balardo


Document and Media Accessibility (DMA)

 

Achieving Accessibility from the Bottom Up

Lorna Notsch & Lorenzo Milani


Web Accessibility (WA)

2 – 2:45 p.m.

Demystifying Accessible & Equitable AI Through an Inclusive Design Lens

John Willis, Dr. Anne Jackson &
Dr. Sambhavi Chandrashekar


Inclusive Design (ID)

Making Conversations Count with Accessible Social Media

Kelly Thibodeau


Web Accessibility (WA); Document and Media Accessibility (DMA)

Embedding Digital Accessibility and Inclusive Design Competencies into Curricula

Karen Caldwell & Laura Perry


Inclusive Design (ID); Accessible Teaching and Learning (ATL)

3 – 4:15 p.m.

Closing Capstone: Disability Needs to be Decolonized: Indigenous Knowledge for Anti-Ableist Discourse

Dr. Rheanna E. Robinson, PhD

 


Workshops Schedule at a Glance

Workshops | Friday, May 31
Schedule at a Glance | Workshops – Friday, May 31
Time SlotFeeWorkshopStream(s)*
9 a.m. to noon (half day) $125 CAD

Access as Praxis: Approaching Accessibility as a Design Consideration

ATL, ID

9 a.m. to noon (half day) $125 CAD Crafting Alt Text for Complex Graphics: A Starting Point  ATL, APL, DMA, ID
1 to 4 p.m. (half day) $125 CAD

Optimizing Accessibility and Independence using Built-in Accessibility Tools 

AT

1 to 4 p.m. (half day) $125 CAD Social Media Accessibility 101  DMA
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (full day) $175 CAD

Create Accessible Documents in Office 365: Word, PowerPoint, & Excel 

DMA

 *APL = Accessible Policy and Legislation; ATL = Accessible Teaching and Learning; AT = Assistive Technology; DMA = Document and Media Accessibility; ID = Inclusive Design


Registration Fees

Conference & Workshop Fees
Participation*Conference - Both Days Half-Day WorkshopFull-Day Workshop

Off-Campus

$215  $125  $175
Ontario Public Service $150  $125  $175
U of G Faculty & Staff $150  $125  $175
Students $100  $125  $175
*Participant Information 

Ontario Public Service (OPS)

The Ontario Ministry provides in-kind and financial assistance to support conference events. On the Ontario Government Website, visit the Ministries, Secretariats and Offices eligible for the OPS registration fee. Other government organizations, colleges, universities, school boards, municipalities and public health are not eligible for the OPS rate. Registrations received who are not in the list of Ministries, Secretariats and Offices will be refunded.

University of Guelph (U of G) and U of G-Humber Faculty and Staff

If you are registering as a U of G or U of G-Humber staff or faculty member, please be sure to register with your U of G email account. Please be prepared to pay for yourself and expense to your department.

Students

If you are registering as a student, please include your school name and a scan of your student card on the registration form.

Care Providers

Care providers may attend sessions and events with the registered participant they are assisting at no additional cost. Please contact our main office to ensure your care provider is included.

The registration fees listed above do not include HST.


Refunds and Receipts

A full refund less a 10% administration fee will be issued for withdrawals received by Sunday, April 28, 2024. Refunds will not be issued after this date, but you may transfer the registration to another individual. To request a refund or to obtain a receipt, log into the OpenEd Student Portal. In the 'Student Home' section, select 'My Conference History'.


Conference Cancellation

Open Learning and Educational Support (OpenEd) reserves the right to change or cancel a conference at any time. When it is necessary to cancel or postpone a conference, OpenEd will make every effort to notify all participants. It is important that you provide your home and business telephone numbers and email address when registering.

In the event that the Accessibility Conference is cancelled, 75% of your registration fee will be refunded. OpenEd will not be responsible for travel or other related expenses incurred by the registrant.