To foster an accessible environment so that all attendees may enjoy their experience at AAA events, please follow the accessible practices listed below.
- Wear your name tags at all times, and include your pronouns as you are comfortable doing so.
- Avoid wearing fragrances and varying scents while spending time in AAA event spaces.
- Before you go: Wash your clothing with scent-free detergents or, if you only have scented detergents and dryer sheets available for use, air your clothing out a few days prior to your trip.
- This includes not using perfume, cologne, body sprays, and other heavily scented personal care products.
- Read one member’s firsthand perspective on how going fragrance-free at the Annual Meeting will help everyone breathe easier and concentrate better.
- Respect the smoke-free indoor environment.
- Note: If you wish to smoke, please use the venue’s designated outdoor smoking areas and refrain from smoking near any other doorways or paths of travel.
- Respect the accessibility-designated rows in the front of every session room.
- Note: These rows will have a number of chairs removed for mobility assistive devices and the rows next to those areas are reserved for individuals with accessibility/disability needs, including but not limited to mobility, ASL signers, CART users, etc.
- Always use the microphone when you speak publicly during your presentation or as an audience member.
- Note: A teacher voice is not enough for those of us who require clearer and amplified access to verbal communication. Please stop and ask for the mic in any session you are attending. Please do not ask “Can everyone hear me without the mic?” It is possible someone can’t but is too nervous to say so.
- When using a microphone, prior to sharing your questions or thoughts, first announce your name and, as comfortable, your pronouns.
- If posting presentation content on social media following the explicit permission of the presenter, please provide content warnings where appropriate.
- Do not take pictures of people navigating the conference without their explicit consent.
- Presenters who do not wish to have pictures taken of themselves during their sessions or their presentations will include this information at the beginning of their presentations. AAA requests attendees to respect the presenters and to not take pictures of either the presenters or their presentations if requested.
- Do not interact with service animals unless otherwise directed. This includes photography.
- Do not smoke in service animal relief areas.
- Avoid using derogatory language, which includes language expressing ableism, racism, sexism, transphobia, homophobia, xenophobia, Islamophobia, etc.