We all have a lot on the line when we give professional presentations. We want to convey our research in ways that contribute to our areas, make connections with other scholars, and perhaps put ourselves on the radar of a few senior scholars in our discipline. The last thing most of us would want to do is to leave some of our audience members out of the conversation. Yet, scholars with disabilities often report that participating in professional conferences can be an alienating experience. Here, we provide some key tips that all of us can implement to make ASA presentations and workshops more inclusive.

Accessibility is about accounting for the diverse bodies and minds present in our communities and planning for this diversity. We often think that accessibility is about accommodating the needs of a few or compromising our presentation style or goals. Not so! There are a lot of fun, simple, low-cost or free changes we as presenters can make that will enable people with disabilities to participate fully in the important conversations we have at conferences. Besides, we all benefit from more accessible spaces. In this process, you will likely find new and creative ways of achieving your goals as a presenter and improve your work. These changes often benefit even those who don’t identify as disabled. Plus, we’re not talking about a small portion of society. The latest estimates from the U.S. Census show that nearly 20 percent of the U.S. population has a disability (Census Bureau 2012), making disabled people the largest minority in the U.S. Valuing all ways of being can be infused into the work that sociologists do, including how we present our research at conferences.

To learn more on how to make your presentation more inclusive, please click here.