|
|
How does an online conference work? |
We will be using vConference, an online software program that is accessible to people with disabilities. We'll also be using Zoom, Twitter, and other software so everyone can access information in different ways. If you aren't comfortable with technology, it's ok - the first day of the conference we will have an introduction and orientation to help everyone participate.
Every day of the conference, there will be:
Speakers will be recorded, captioned, and described ahead of time, and you can watch them during the scheduled session and/or up to 90 days afterwards. After recorded presentations are shown during the scheduled session, you can text chat live with presenters and ask questions. In the evenings, there will be Twitter chats for the whole group to discuss films and performances.
Every day of the conference, there will be:
- A pre-recorded keynote speaker or panel.
- One or two sets of concurrent sessions.
- An online "exhibit hall" where you can learn about resources for college students with disabilities.
- A small group discussion so you can meet other people at the conference.
- A film or performance.
Speakers will be recorded, captioned, and described ahead of time, and you can watch them during the scheduled session and/or up to 90 days afterwards. After recorded presentations are shown during the scheduled session, you can text chat live with presenters and ask questions. In the evenings, there will be Twitter chats for the whole group to discuss films and performances.
|
Can you explain how the break-out sessions will work since we're online? |
Each breakout session will take place in one of 3 "rooms" or pages on the conference website. A room, or page, will have a space at the top for showing videos and slides and a chat box below. You will also see a title and brief description of the session and links to download any optional files, like PowerPoints, a list of resources, or a short reading.
Each breakout session will start streaming 1-3 captioned and described video(s) from the session guest speaker(s) at the beginning of the scheduled hour. We planned for about 20-30 minutes of presentation video for each session. Following the streamed video(s), we'll have a live text-based chat between the video presenters and conference attendees. We'll plan to end each chat at 10 minutes before the next hour to give conference participants time to get to the next session.
After the hour for a scheduled session is over, that video(s) for that session will be available to conference attendees on demand for the next 90 days. This means you could stream this conference, or parts of it, with your organization or others on campus through the end of 2018!
Each breakout session will start streaming 1-3 captioned and described video(s) from the session guest speaker(s) at the beginning of the scheduled hour. We planned for about 20-30 minutes of presentation video for each session. Following the streamed video(s), we'll have a live text-based chat between the video presenters and conference attendees. We'll plan to end each chat at 10 minutes before the next hour to give conference participants time to get to the next session.
After the hour for a scheduled session is over, that video(s) for that session will be available to conference attendees on demand for the next 90 days. This means you could stream this conference, or parts of it, with your organization or others on campus through the end of 2018!
|
How is the whole event set up in general? Do we need webcams? Microphones? Skype? |
Most of the conference will take place on vConference with a couple of the nighttime events also using Twitter (optional) and Zoom. For each session at the conference there will be a page on vConference with video and text-based chat. We'll start each session with a pre-recorded and captioned video (presenters will audio describe any images they use). Once the video is done, we'll have text chat with the presenters and conference attendees.
When we screen Deej, we'll also host a Twitter chat. So attendees can chat about the film on vConference or just watch on vConference and join the live tweet at the same time.
For the DREAM meeting on Friday evening, we are considering using Zoom, but may just stick with text-based chat on vConference. If we use Zoom, you'll be able to join the discussion using text chat or voice. You don't need a microphone or webcam (we won't use video except maybe for a couple of the DREAM Board members). If you want to make a comment or ask a question at the meeting, you could do that in the chat box or you could use a microphone if you prefer. If we use Zoom, I'll send all registered participants the connection information prior to the conference, probably in the early days of October.
When we screen Deej, we'll also host a Twitter chat. So attendees can chat about the film on vConference or just watch on vConference and join the live tweet at the same time.
For the DREAM meeting on Friday evening, we are considering using Zoom, but may just stick with text-based chat on vConference. If we use Zoom, you'll be able to join the discussion using text chat or voice. You don't need a microphone or webcam (we won't use video except maybe for a couple of the DREAM Board members). If you want to make a comment or ask a question at the meeting, you could do that in the chat box or you could use a microphone if you prefer. If we use Zoom, I'll send all registered participants the connection information prior to the conference, probably in the early days of October.
|
What technology do we need to provide ourselves to make the conference successful on our end? |
To access the conference you'll want to use a laptop or desktop to connect to vConference for the best experience or to screen content to a group. Each person who wants to have access to the conference as an individual will need to register as a student or as as part of a group. To screen the conference you'll need a registered participant to login to a laptop or desktop and a room with a screen, projector, speakers and connection to the Internet.
|
We read something about the vConference software. Do we have to pay for it to access the conference or is it included? |
You do not need to pay for the vConference software. While the conference is hosted on vConference, you will just have to use the same link you used to register to access everything on the day of the conference (the "doors" will open at 2:30 p.m. ET on October 11, which is half an hour before the first conference event).
|
How will the conference work for my club members who are visually impaired? |
Members who are blind or visually impaired will be able to use the assistive tech they use now for surfing the Internet to access the conference. The conference works with screenreaders and zoom functions. Presenters will audio describe any visual content in their presentations and images will have alt text.
In October we'll send a "getting ready" email to everyone that includes information for technical assistance at the conference. Tech assistance will have a live chat feature on the conference site during conference hours. Outside conference hours we'll be able to contact tech assistance by phone or email.
We encourage any student interested in our conference to contact us at DREAM@ahead.org if you have any concerns about conference access and/or if you need accommodations that you aren't sure are covered by the conference design. We want to make sure each conference attendee has full access to conference events.
In October we'll send a "getting ready" email to everyone that includes information for technical assistance at the conference. Tech assistance will have a live chat feature on the conference site during conference hours. Outside conference hours we'll be able to contact tech assistance by phone or email.
We encourage any student interested in our conference to contact us at DREAM@ahead.org if you have any concerns about conference access and/or if you need accommodations that you aren't sure are covered by the conference design. We want to make sure each conference attendee has full access to conference events.
|
For our campus event, can we stream from multiple devices at once? |
Yes, multiple devices can stream at once on your campus. Each student who registers as an individual or as a group member have their own login and access code for the conference. Staff coordinating groups will also have a login and access code. Each of those individual connections could potentially stream part of the conference to others.
|
What if we can only do 2 days of the conference? Does that matter? |
You are free to do as much or as little of the conference as you wish. While everything will run live as schedules, everyone will be able to access the conference materials, including the presentation videos, on demand for 90 days after the conference.
If you can't stream a day or a session of the conference at the time that it is scheduled, you can pick any day and time up to 90 days later to stream it! One great benefit of this is that you could hold an open event on your campus for people outside your club at which you stream a part of the conference. So you might share a keynote followed by a campus discussion of a disability-related issue. Or you could create your own panel from a few videos you really liked in the breakout sessions and share it with a class or group on campus. We're looking forward to hearing how different students find different ways to share this conference with others on their campuses!
If you can't stream a day or a session of the conference at the time that it is scheduled, you can pick any day and time up to 90 days later to stream it! One great benefit of this is that you could hold an open event on your campus for people outside your club at which you stream a part of the conference. So you might share a keynote followed by a campus discussion of a disability-related issue. Or you could create your own panel from a few videos you really liked in the breakout sessions and share it with a class or group on campus. We're looking forward to hearing how different students find different ways to share this conference with others on their campuses!