What do you do if your presentation audience includes individuals with disabilities?

Remember, it is not a matter of “if” disabled attendees will be present - we WILL be there, and even more of us will be there if the event is accessible. 20-25% of people are disabled, and almost everyone will experience temporary or permanent disability in their lifetime. Preparing your presentation with this foundational knowledge in mind, whether attendees request accommodations or not, is a great start for inclusive and equitable practice.

And add to these reasonable accommodation supports required by persons with more invisible impairments and 'lesser known' physical impairments such as a structured program that sticks to the outline, one speaker at a given time rather than a babble of voices all competing for space, frequent short health breaks, adjustable lighting, adjustable seating etc etc

You should ALWAYS create an accessible presentation. Period. When you create presentations with accessibility in mind, it makes it easier to provide it in an additional format upon request.

Could we redefine this? Your presentations will attract people of a wide range of abilities. Universal design will assure full access to your brilliance.

Design all presentations and learning resources guided by the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Using UDL ensures materials are accessible to a wide audience from the get go, versus trying to adapt them to meet the needs of any given audience member later.

Also adding asl interpreters can be quite help for deaf and hard of hearing. Transcripts and captions while helpful are not he same as having a qualified interpreter on hand

Plain language will make your work more accessible to all. Remember to visually describe aspects of your slide that are important to your presentation but won't be seen by blind or visually impaired audience members. You may also want to start with a visual description of yourself by briefly telling the audience what you look like.

Use accessible fonts and colors: Choose clear, legible fonts and ensure sufficient contrast between text and background colors to aid readability, especially for those with visual impairments. Include alternative text: Provide descriptive alternative text for images, graphs, and charts to make visual content accessible to screen readers used by individuals with visual impairments.

Tone of voice: Use a tone that matches the message and conveys the intended emotion or emphasis. Avoid monotone delivery, which can make the message seem dull or disengaged. Pace and rhythm: Speak at a moderate pace, allowing enough time for listeners to process information. Use pauses effectively to emphasize key points or allow for reflection.

Avoid acronyms and always spell them out at least once if you must use them. Keep the pace of your speaking at a speed that interpreters can follow.

When hosting an event, ensure you have a ramp to the stage. Whether or not you may have a speaker who absolutely needs it, many people naturally prefer a ramp to stairs and it also sends a message of inclusion.

Every speaker needs a microphone, every time. Do not ask "Can everyone hear me?" without a microphone, because the ones who can't hear you CAN'T ANSWER.

The key is to not think about “If” the presentation includes persons with disabilities. Rather, it is to imagine that they would be there. To ensure accessible presentations and engage everyone: 1. Follow universal design – clear visuals, captions and transcripts, accessible handouts, and interactive elements. 2. Use inclusive language – plain language, maintain a moderate and positive tone and pace, allow contributions, engage multiple senses. 3. Keep presentations vivid – use relatable examples in a personal story. The key is to remember that people with disabilities are, primarily, people. So, include all that you would include in a presentation, while making sure that it is accessible.

Maintains Attention: Engaging presentations captivate the audience's interest, preventing distractions and ensuring they stay focused on your message. Increases Retention: When people are engaged, they are more likely to remember key points from your presentation, leading to better retention of information.

This suggests sending out information after the presentation is done. Actually, it is better to try sending information BEFORE the presentation where feasible so we can review materials in advance. For example, as a deaf person I cannot simultaneously watch the interpreter to know what you say and look at the PowerPoint slides to read them, I have to pick one to focus on and miss the other. Reading the slides ahead of time allows me to stay focused on the interpreter during the presentation. Some folks with other types of disabilities may also appreciate advance materials where feasible. Of course any resources not available in advance could be sent out afterwards, and it is good to collect feedback on accessibility issues as well.

a. Ahead of the training, I try to visit the venue to check for the accessibility of the physical infrastructure if it is a physical and hybrid event. (I examine the venue, the toilet facilities, the entrance, and the dining/lunch areas to see how accessible they may be. If not, I try to involve the facility management to propose solutions together. b. I ensure that my slides and presentations are accessible by taking cognizance of the various disability groups. c. Before my presentation, I would contact potential audiences with disabilities to ask for their reasonable accommodation requirements and address their needs. Examples may include sign language interpretation (ASL, BSL, or any other sign language outside ASL/BSL).

Try to follow these guidelines to make your presentation more accessible. While it takes time to adapt, this has worked wonders for me! - Accessibility housekeeping updates (more like etiquettes but a quick summary how to use accessibility features on your meeting platform). - Visual storytelling rather than writing up tons of paragraphs. - Limit your content to 6 per slide, so it’s easier to read and comprehend. - Add captions to any audio/video embedded or hyperlinked. - Use alt-text for images and visuals. - Use of the right colors including high contrast ones for text fonts. - Underline any hyperlinks. - Openly ask for feedback from a select few audience members towards the end.