Event Sponsors
Accessibility camp Toronto is a participant-driven event, known as a BarCamp or unconference. Participants will drive the day, including developing the session schedule the morning of the event. If you have never been to a BarCamp or unconference before you are encouraged to check out the Wikipedia entry for BarCamp to get an overall feel of what to expect during the day.
Accessibility Camp Toronto is joining the ranks of a series of sister events whose focus has been on technology accessibility and users with disabilities. Since 2009, these have taken place in: Washington D.C., Boston, Guelph ON, London UK, Montreal, and Seattle. Ottawa will come aboard this December. Visit the Accessibility Camp website to learn more about the broader community that Accessibility camp Toronto is joining.
Accessibility Camp Toronto is completely free to attend.
If you are interested in supporting the event, drop an e-mail to a11ycampto@gmail.com.
Thanks to event sponsors OCAD University and The Inclusive Design Research Centre, Accessibility camp Toronto will take place Saturday, September 24 on their campus at 100 McCaul Street in downtown Toronto.
If you are just getting started or are advanced in your knowledge on technology accessibility, then this event is for you. It is an opportunity for members of the design, development, usability, accessibility, other IT professional and end-users with disabilities communities to share and interact with each other. Whether you spend all, some, or none of your time working in IT accessibility, so long as you have an interest, please consider attending.
While the exact sessions that will take place will only be determined the morning of the event, so long as it relates to technology accessibility (e.g., web, mobile, social media, e-learning, touch screen technology) and users with a variety of disabilities, everything is open to discussion. Possible ideas include:
The morning of the event, when participants introduce themselves, you will then have the opportunity to express your interest in presenting on a topic. Topics will be collected and either single person or panels lasting 45 minutes will be slotted into the schedule. Three sessions will run concurrently. No one is guaranteed a presentation slot, this is determined based on interest of fellow attendees.
If you end up presenting, you are welcomed to use a slide deck. However, given the informal nature of the event, it is not a must. Bryce Johnson with Accessibility Camp Seattle explained it best when he said: “we want to emphasize conversation and reduce presentation.” Also, if you choose to provide handouts, you are responsible for making sure to bring accessible formats (e.g., Word, tagged PDF). E-mail a11ycampto@gmail.com with any questions.
All rooms will have data projectors. You are responsible for bringing your own laptop, if you choose to use a presentation deck. You’ll also be asked to provide an electronic copy to be linked to the event site post-event.
Day-of the event, there will absolutely be a need for volunteers in areas such as session note taking, time keeping, folks to help with set-up and clean-up, among other things. Be sure to indicate your willingness to volunteer when you register and you will be contacted.
Lunch will be provided free of charge to registered attendees. Be sure to indicate any dietary requirements when you register.
Please indicate whether you will need disability-related accommodations on the registration form. As this event is funded through sponsors, accommodations will be available based on funding received. You will be contacted to confirm accommodations prior to the event. All disability-related accommodations must be received no later than September9 to allow for time to confirm appropriate arrangements.
There will be free WIFI at the event.
The Twitter handle for Accessibility camp Toronto is @a11ycampto.
The Twitter hashtag for the event is #a11yto. We encourage folks attending in person and remotely to use the hashtag.
The event venue, OCAD University, is in the heart of downtown Toronto, making hotels of every type and budget available. Among them, The Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Toronto (offering free in-room internet) and Metropolitan Hotel Toronto are nearby. Be sure to shop around. E-mail a11ycampto@gmail.com with any questions.
If you want to cut down on costs by trying to find someone to share a room, drop an e-mail to a11ycampto@gmail.com. As people make themselves known, you will be put in touch and then you can go from there.
Sponsorship depending, it would be great to have T-Shirts, wouldn’t it? Time will tell.