NCORE supports participants with visible and invisible disabilities, mental and physical health concerns, and marginalized communities and cultures that require specific accommodations to feel safe and included. The following accommodations are provided at NCORE events whenever possible. Always report your needs when you register so NCORE staff can plan accordingly.
For accommodations tailored to our Webinar Series and online conference, please visit our Online Accessibility page. Questions? Contact us at ncore@ou.edu.
All-Gender Restrooms
All-gender and gendered restrooms will be distributed throughout the conference space to ensure all participants have comfortable and convenient options.
Food Allergies/Dietary Restrictions
During registration, you will have an opportunity to indicate your dietary needs. There will always be a variety of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free items. Indicating your preference during registration helps NCORE staff order appropriate quantities. Some things to keep in mind:
- If someone else completes your registration, please make them aware of your dietary choice and severe food allergies.
- If you have an extensive list of what you cannot eat, consider sending a list of what you can eat to ncore@ou.edu.
- For Halal and Kosher: please select ‘Vegetarian’ or ‘Vegan’.
- Preparation by chefs will be as inclusive as possible (for example, using vegetable stock instead of animal-based stock, using ingredients that contain lower lactose levels, etc.).
- Gluten free and vegan food items will be set on tables with visibly different table coverings. We will describe the appearance and post a photo of the table coverings as well as give an approximate location of these tables on this page and in email updates. Upon request, we will provide a physical orientation to the location of these tables onsite.
- Specialty plates may be stored separately to ensure participants with severe allergies receive them as requested. If you have questions onsite, check with NCORE Staff or the venue’s Banquet Staff.
- If you need to make a change, you can modify your registration using the link in your confirmation email or you may send a note to ncore@ou.edu and we will be happy to make the change.
Every effort will be made to provide nutritious and flavorful food and beverage items with the hope that they will be enjoyed by all.
Food and Beverage Functions for NCORE 2023:
Wednesday: morning beverages, afternoon snacks and beverages, evening Welcome Reception with hors d'oeuvres
Thursday: continental breakfast, afternoon snacks and beverages
Friday: continental breakfast, afternoon snacks and beverages
Saturday: morning beverages
Fragrance Free
When thousands gather to attend a conference like NCORE, personal fragrances quickly become a concentrated hazard for participants with asthma, allergies, migraines, chronic lung disease, and other health issues.
We ask that NCORE participants limit or refrain from using fragrances while attending our conference in consideration of these participants.
Visit this website for more information.
Hearing Impairment/ESL
All general sessions will have sign language interpreters and live captions.
Participants who require sign language, live captions, and/or Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs) for all conference events need to request these services when they register. Six weeks notice is required to schedule service. Every effort will be made to schedule a service or obtain equipment if you register under six weeks before the start of the conference.
Infant Care
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Resource rooms will be available to breastfeeding/chestfeeding participants.
No other infant/child care services are provided by NCORE.
Mental Health and Wellness
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Make the most of your NCORE experience without sacrificing your personal health and wellbeing. Consider journaling your thoughts and feelings. Talk to a friend. Take breaks. Get outside. Find a quiet spot and relax. Breathe deeply. Repeat.
Mobility
Aisles in sessions and at NCORE events will be wide enough to accommodate mobility equipment and devices. All efforts will be made to help keep ramps, doorways, and accessibility buttons clear.
Need to rent a scooter or other mobility device?
Mobility City of Greater New Orleans
Cell 504-628-4610 (call/text)
neworleansla.mobilitycity.com
Religion and Spirituality
A Prayer & Meditation room will be located in the hotel for participants who require privacy and space for their religious and spiritual practices. The exact location will be announced as soon as possible. Please note dietary restrictions related to your religious or spiritual practice when you register.
Presentation Accessibility
NCORE presenters and keynote speakers are contractually obligated to build accessible presentations so no one is left out of the conversation. NCORE provides all presenters with a PowerPoint template built with recommended formatting and required slides (Land Acknowledgement, Inclusion Statement). Download our In-Person Presentation Accessibility Guide for full requirements.
Key in-person presentation requirements include:
Microphones
Must be used for ALL presentations, panels, and Q&As. NO EXCEPTIONS. Projecting your voice is not enough and not all participants are comfortable self-identifying or self-advocating.
Audio/Visual
All videos shared during online sessions must be captioned.
Announce the use of loud music and/or flashing lights, images, or video at the beginning of presentations and before use so participants with sensory concerns can plan and act accordingly.
Speak clearly and at a reasonable pace. Pause between topics and for questions so participants have time to process and react to information. This also helps sign language interpreters and captioners provide quality services to participants.
Describe images, video, and audio used during presentations and how they connect with your presentation. Bonus points if presenters describe themselves before they speak for the first time!
Session Materials
Provide digital handouts and/or large print versions of physical handouts. Accessibility Scans should be performed on all digital handouts until all errors are corrected so participants can access content with their preferred device or screen reader software.
Seating
Front and back rows of session rooms must remain open until sessions begin to reserve priority seating for participants with accessibility needs.
Service Animals
ADA-certified service animals are welcome at NCORE meeting venues.
Travel
Visual Impairments
In addition to NCORE’s required Presentation Standards, participants can digitally access NCORE program guides on their preferred device through the NCORE app and a PDF of the program guide. Sighted venue tours are available upon request.
Questions? Contact us at ncore@ou.edu.