Access & Environment
Regarding universal access and environmental responsibility
As AHEAD enters our fourth decade, the organization seeks to open new doors and set new examples for annual conference implementation that elevate universal access, environmental responsibility, and unparalleled professional development for those involved in the intersection of disability and higher education.
In 2008, AHEAD is implementing changes in the design of its conference to move us toward a more strategic, inclusive, and responsible approach to the delivery of outstanding professional information:
In programming, we are specifically programming strands of sessions that focus on the multitude of intersections between disability and higher education to explore issues of access from a progressive, interactional approach that address not only individual accommodations but system change.
As you review the sessions available for pre-registration, you will find concurrent programming addressing the following ten topical strands… the intersections:
- The intersection between students with disabilities and disability service centers
- The intersection between higher education and transition
- The intersection between disability and technology
- The intersection between disability and graduate/professional programs
- The intersection between disability and the academic curriculum
- The intersection between disability and the co-curriculum
- The intersection between disability and the policy environment
- The intersection between the disability service professional and legal issues
- The intersection between disability and diversity
- The intersection between higher education and external forces
In response to full access and environmental responsibility, we are maximizing pre-planning efforts and the use of appropriate technological resources in planning for the delivery of program materials in accessible formats.
In lieu of receiving paper handouts onsite at the conference, attendees at AHEAD 2008 will access handout and presentation support literature in advance, via Internet download beginning no later than two weeks prior to the conference. This will afford attendees the opportunity to access as many different sets of information as they like, in the output format of their choice, well in advance of the conference. All registrants will be provided with easy-to-understand-and-implement instructions for accessing all presentation support materials.
While providing the tremendous benefit of universal access for each attendee, this approach will greatly reduce the burden on presenters and the environment created by providing handout materials for each attendee in each session – many of which end up going un-used. As an added bonus, it offers attendees the opportunity to access handout materials from sessions that you’ll not be able to attend.
These materials will not be available to individuals who have not registered for the Conference.
The AHEAD 2008 Conference Chairs and Committees along with the AHEAD Board & Staff are committed to consistently improving the experiences of AHEAD Members and Conference Attendees, and look forward to seeing you in Reno this summer!
