Accessible In-Person Events

If you are planning an in-person event, make sure to start with our Accessible Campus Event Guidelines. In addition, there are some additional important considerations for in-person events.
A presenter speaking from a podium to a group of people.

Find an Accessible Venue

Start by making sure your location or venue is accessible in the following ways:
  • Accessible parking and drop-off areas.
  • Accessible entries (preferably an automatic door opener) and common areas that are well-lit with routes that are wide (at least 3-5ft), flat, paved (if outdoors), and clear of debris.
  • Accessible room layouts, including adequate space for service animals and/or wheelchair maneuverability. For accommodation requests, ensure space near the presentation area for American Sign Language Interpreters (ASL) and/or CART (Communication Access Real-time Translation) Captioners.
  • Wheelchair accessible seating which allows an inclusive, shoulder-to-shoulder experience. (i.e., wheelchair seating is not on the “sidelines” and is integrated within the seating footprint of the room.) Ideally, there are at least 2 distinct options.
  • Accessible restrooms (indicated with signage).
  • Good speaker system and options for amplified sound or assistive listening devices with enough devices.
  • For multi-floor venues, ensure accessible elevator access. 

Provide an Accessible In-person Experience

Once you have an accessible venue, there are some other things you should make sure to consider:
  • Provide an accessible check-in/registration process (tables, kiosks, vendors, etc.)    
  • Make sure a good speaker system is available and remind presenters, facilitators, and speakers to face the audience when speaking and always use a microphone (even if they think everyone can hear them without it).
  • For question and answer sessions, ensure questions are asked using a microphone or repeated by someone using a microphone.
  • If providing food, clearly label foods with allergen information and avoid serving foods that contain common allergens.
  • Provide clear, accessible signage with large text and adequate contrast.
  • In addition to accessible electronic conference materials, you may also consider having hard copies of the conference schedule or presentation materials.
  • Be familiar with the USU Service Animal guidelines and consider providing toileting or watering areas.

If your in-person event also includes an online component, be sure to review the Accessible Online Events page.