Tips on Planning Accessible Events

Tips on Planning Accessible Events

Written by Melania Hudson  
MPI Ottawa Chapter

A common clause in hotel contracts allows venues to switch reserved meeting rooms in order to maximize use of the venue’s space. But as Jeanna Andre-Murdie, the Howes Group, warns, if you have delegates with special needs that the property is not aware of, this can cause unanticipated problems. One of her client’s participants was in a wheelchair and the newly assigned room not only had stairs in it but was accessible only "through a back kitchen by a service elevator, which is not dignified." The new meeting room also wasn’t wide enough to accommodate the stage ramp.

"In the end, with a lot of conversation, the hotel agreed that it was responsible for finding suitable alternate space at a convention centre close by," says Andre-Murdie.

In today’s world, meeting planners and suppliers must educate themselves on the special needs of those with disabilities or impairments in order to make events more inclusive. Here are some real-life experiences and tips gathered from members of our MPI community.

Back in 2014, François Brunet, D. E. Systems Ltd., had to design a registration website for a Carleton University event that conformed to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. This system has four principles: perceivable, operable, understandable and robust. Some of the requirements include using clear language to write Web content; providing alternate text for images and captioning for pre-recorded videos; ensuring users can navigate the website with a keyboard; and offering high-contrast coloring and readily resizable text to assist those with compromised vision.

Brunet recommends the tool AChecker, which scans websites to ensure they conform to accessibility standards, accommodating those with vision, hearing and motor control impairments. This process even takes into account adjusting reading levels and avoiding triggering seizures. Now, D.E. Systems has the expertise to make all its registration websites fully accessible.

Another important step is to perform an accessibility audit of the venue. "Ideally this is done at the site selection phase so that any changes required can be written into the contract," says Chuck Schouwerwou, CMP, CMM, ConferSense Planners Inc. "We get individuals who are on a scooter and in a wheelchair (motorized and manual) to traverse the entire route a delegate would take in the course of the meeting. This starts with the drop off experience outside the venue, the lobby/check in counters, the guestrooms, the meeting space, elevators, pet refresh stations where applicable and all washrooms."

Schouwerwou notes that the area of most concern is usually the washrooms. Unless the doors are push-button controlled, they can be very difficult for people in wheelchairs to open themselves. Having to rely on volunteers is demeaning and draws focus on their accessibility issue instead of allowing them to be independent.

Nicolaas Sont, CMP, Yes We Plan Event Management Inc., agrees that although restrooms can be labelled "accessible," there are many details that can be overlooked. Push buttons for the doors are great, but they have to be in the open, not behind a pillar. Is the stall large enough for a wheelchair to be turned around? Are there handrails around the toilet for easy transfer? Check under the counter for adequate space for someone in a wheelchair to access the sink. The mirror needs to be angled down; and the soap dispensers and hand dryers need to be lower.

Andre-Murdie recalls an event she organized where more than half of the attendees were in wheelchairs or had mobility issues. "Most hotels have only four to six accessible guestrooms with some being only partially accessible (added bars but not roll in showers or lowered closets/switches, etc)." They made arrangements with a local medical rental company to provide bathroom and transfer aids, to ensure all the guests were comfortable.

Elevators are also a factor to consider, advises Schouwerwou. "One conference I did in the past had so many people register as using a scooter or wheelchair that the regular elevators could in no way match the need. We addressed this by cleaning and decorating the venue’s large freight elevators, adding signage to direct people to them, plus assigning volunteers to staff the elevators during conference hours. This permitted easy movement of all delegates between floors throughout the day."

Sont adds that facilities should include Braille on elevator buttons and consider installing audibles that announce the floors. Furthermore, Braille should be added to hallway and room number signage.

Changes are also required when it comes to meeting room setups. Those who read lips or use sign language need to be seated near the front. Sont cautions that at least 5 feet of space must be left between tables to allow access to every area of the room. Wheelchairs are getting bigger and wider he says; so tables might need to be higher and they cannot have lips underneath them.

Alissa Hurley, FMAV, offers a number of solutions from the audiovisual perspective. "A couple years ago we put a considerable amount of time and energy into the design of a modular wheelchair ramp system that utilizes standard riser decks to create a safe slope wheelchair ramp to whatever height is required."

For those with hearing impairments, consider offering closed captioning on dedicated monitors in the meeting room; or add sign language interpreters at side stage. Another option is to provide portable assistive listening devices to delegates. To accommodate those with vision impairments, Hurley suggests setting up larger screens and making sure there is very good lighting on stage and throughout the meeting space. Check that all the cable runs are safe and don’t obstruct the path of presenters and participants.

Hurley also recommends solutions to allow delegates to participate remotely such as 360-degree streaming (e.g., Periscope), flat webcast streaming that requires less hardware, Skype/video conferencing and closed captioned webcasts. Another new tool, called Double Robotics, looks like an iPad on a stick attached to a wheel on the ground. A remote participant can log into the robot to see and hear what is happening, as well as navigate the room and interact with those on site. These various methods allow those with mobility issues to participate without having to leave their homes or offices.

Last year, the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure published a booklet called "Planning Accessible Events: So Everyone Feels Welcome." It includes a handy checklist that runs through basic topics such as venue, invitations and promotion, food and refreshments, room set-up, speeches and presentations, service animals and volunteers.