SDS@OSU Conference 2019: The Experience

[jesse_the_k]

I learned a lot from the presenters at the conference—I hope to post about that real soon now.

In the meantime, here’s what the experience was like.

The high point was volunteering.

From 9a to 1215p on the first day, I worked the registration tables: greeting folks, making signage, and writing name tags. I was in total bliss. I was able to say, "Welcome!" to mostly strangers as well as long-timers whose work I’ve admired.

It’s magic when a workplace (however temporary) is infused with access intimacy. Is the task before me—whether that’s lifting, moving, writing, hanging, taping—one that I’m best equipped to perform? No! Ask the room: "can you lift this?" and someone would volunteer. We could seamlessly hand off tasks and work to our strengths.

For the first time, I used written prompts to help me stay organized (instead of trying to keep stuff in my head). Example: Asked someone to scope out where the bathrooms were. Used their report to note both the verbal answer and which way I should point (since I was seated across a table from the folks who would be asking questions.) This lowered my stress considerably when I could just check the paper and know I was giving correct directions.

Stunningly tasty vegan, GF lunch from Lavash Cafe.

Access: physical and intellectual success & failure

SDS supplied CART at all sessions, with bonus ASL interpreters available to float with Deaf members. They asked presenters to make "access copies" of their work available, and presenters followed through for all the sessions I attended. These "access copies" were generally printouts of the person’s talk, some regular print, some large print, handed out at the start. One presenter put their talk on the web at a private link—a much better solution, as attendees all had net-devices.

The academic ethos of the conference meant presenters were protective of their work: "Do not distribute — do not discuss" headers appeared on the access copies. In a perfect world, presenters would have made reading lists/bibliographies available on the web.

The Society for Disability Studies is 40 years old. I went in 2000 and 2015 when the conference was wholly sponsored by SDS, with attendance between 300 and 700. Fiscal reality forced SDS to seek symbiosis with another group. This year SDS shared costs and facilities with the Multiple Perspectives on Access, Disability, and Inclusion conference at Ohio State University.

Two days of SDS programming were solo in OSU’s English department; two more days were mingled with the Multiple Perspectives folks at OSU’s conference center/hotel, half-a-mile away. Unfortunately, this administrative complexity bled into wayfinding issues as well as the "program book."

SDS used OSU’s own signage to designate the two locations, and it wasn’t enough. I would have loved to see multi-story banners on the two buildings, one green and one red, to provide a sure-fire reference to a question nobody wants to have to ask, "am I in the right building?" I’d supplement these stand-out signifiers with movie-poster size information outside: "These sessions here. Those sessions over there with the (red|green) banner."

The guiding version of the "program book" was an Open Office file available online. This file was updated multiple times, at least twice during the conference. The creators didn’t use heading-levels to organize the days, time slots, or individual sessions. Large print versions were made available on Saturday morning, as well as a "screen reader accessible version" of the file.

Next time, I hope they create the guiding version as a mobile-compatible web format. Transforming a structured HTML+CSS document into large print is much easier than beginning with a document formatted only with bold and spacing.

Saturday evening’s activities were advertised with eye-catching posters for the DISCO BALL at the OSU hotel, and were not listed in the principal Open Office program file. I didn’t understand that this ball was preceded by a free dinner, a keynote (by people I wanted to hear), then a dance (which I would avoid anyway). So I called a MyGuy-taxi and went home to crash.

I didn’t keep exact count, but saw 20 – 40 wheelchair users. Navigation was often frustrating. The English department classrooms were full of stylish student chairs with built-in desks on casters. This made it possible (although annoying) to push my way into the room. The conference center/hotel, however, had conventional seats, and no access lanes. Leaving one spot open at each ballroom 8-top isn’t enough to make a huge dining room accessible. We’re here. You knew we were coming. Plan. I prefer the WisCon approach I designed: Deploy low tack blue painters tape to mark out fire lanes so we can move about without endless convos re moving furniture.

Attendees were a friendly bunch, and were delighted to describe their names, places in the academic cycles, and research interests. While I’m proud of my intellectual accomplishments, especially because I don’t have a college education, I found myself uneasy in my replies. I mostly said, "I’m a disability rights activist, principally around transportation and event planning. I enjoy reading disability studies so am here for fun." There is a conceptual slot for me: "independent scholar," which I did claim in the final SDS Town Hall.

On the whole, it was a gas. I’m glad I went, and I look forward to the next one. The urge to volunteer is very strong, and I can see where I could help improve things. I do have very strong opinions though, and suspect my outsider status would make clashes inevitable.

Comments

[sovay]

On the whole, it was a gas. I’m glad I went, and I look forward to the next one.

Awesome!

I am glad despite the navigational glitches it was good.

[jesse_the_k]

<3

[capri0mni]

I like "Independent Scholar"!

[jesse_the_k]

it's a helpful concept, for folks like us.

[sasha_feather]

Interesting! That introduction thing, I've noticed it at wiscon too. Certain people are like "so are you a writer?" -- they want a box to put people in: writer, editor, etc.

Although it's

[jesse_the_k]

handy to be in a box, sometimes, provides conversational structure for the shy.

Re: Although it's

[sasha_feather]

Yes, I think scripts like this are good. (the script around dogs has helped me a lot). But this script needs a little tweaking.

[worlds_of_smoke]

omg, Lavash Cafe food is so good.

I'm glad that you enjoyed yourself, but I hope they figure out their accessibility issus for next time.

[jesse_the_k]

The food blew my tiny mind.

I'm afraid I may be helping them figure stuff out. It's a work in progress: because of the topic, it draws people with every imaginable accommodation need -- and then some new ones, too!

[worlds_of_smoke]

When I was volunteering at the local Meals on Wheels place, they donated a shitload of food for lunch and OMG. I about died of YUM.

I know that feeling! I've been the first disabled student in a couple of my college classes, so I have had to run the profs through what I need. But it's still frustrating at times.

[oracne]

Despite not being an academic, you clearly have many valuable and practical opinions to contribute, "fire lanes" being only the simplest of them.

[jesse_the_k]

Aw, thanks.

[azurelunatic]

FIRE LANES ARE MY FAVORITE AT EVERY CON