Planning for MLA in Philadelphia in January 2024:
- reminder about CDI meeting in person on Thurs Jan 4 at 11 AM
- Cross committee meeting on Fri Jan 5 from 3:30-4:45 PM
- brainstorm how to promote disability related panels: 122 The Aesthetics of Accessibility I (Thurs Jan 4, 5:15-6:30); 334: The Aesthetics of Accessibility II (Fri Jan 5, 3:30-4:45)
- search for panels with key terms: visual impairment, crip, deaf, disability, neurodivergent, mobility, crip, blind, access, accessibility, sign language, gain, access, etc
- importance of turning in papers in on time to accommodate interpreters: Dec 22; nudge them if they have not turned in a draft by then
- Ideally a full draft, access copies, outline, PPT, or glossary of key terms
- If anyone has language that they feel is most effective in getting panelists to turn in their drafts in on time, please let Stacey know.
- This is a question of access. Please make sure you are including all audience members by completing this simple request, in order to comply with ADA requirements. Interpreters need and deserve the time to analyze and process these documents.
Looking forward to MLA 2025 in New Orleans:
- Discuss panel ideas for our 2 guaranteed sessions as well as possible collaborations
- Deadline to submit the program copy for 2025 is April 1. We have between Nov-Feb, we can post calls for papers to solicit panelists.
- Panel ideas:
- Deaf Performance, Theater, and Language
- Disability and Hiring: access, accommodation, belonging, and retention
- The Aesthetics of Mobility
Discuss access guidelines currently provided by MLA, as well as access best practices guide by Jason Farr and Travis Chi Wing Lau.
- Are there modifications that we want to propose to the current MLA access statement? (Note that these suggestions must be reviewed and approved by the MLA executive council at a future date.)
- Should we add language addressing the pandemic or masking? Something about following public health guidelines or respecting other’s guidelines. But masking can also be a challenge for people who are hard of hearing.
- Change recommended font size to 18 for handouts (per ADA requirements). This update will not need MLA exec approval, since the official ADA guidelines have changed.
- Clarify the last line in the Papers section, to clarify the rule is for online meetings
- Add PPT presentation accessibility guidelines from Jason and Travis’s doc. Here they are:
- Make your PowerPoint presentation accessible:
- Use sans serif font styles, minimum 36-point font.
- Do not go beyond six lines of text per slide. If you have a long quotation, divide it among two slides if necessary.
- Avoid using outlandish colors or design schemes. Stick to basic, high-contrast models, either black font on white background, or white font on black background.
- Describe to your audience in detail any images or graphics you choose to include in your slide show. Make sure you account for this in the timing of your talk.
- Include transcriptions for audio and visual files.
- Give a title to every slide.
- Avoid distracting slide transitions and graphics.
Please let Stacey know by Nov 14 what sessions you plan to attend if you need CART or interpretation.
- Crowdsource a list of MLA panels that address disability issues and studies (send to Stacey by Dec 7)
- Finalize two CDI guaranteed sessions (put up CFP at the end of Nov, finalize submissions by April 1)
- Look at PPT suggestion to see which suggestions are not currently in the MLA guidelines, decide what to propose to MLA (by Nov 13)