SEM Disability and Deaf Studies 

Recently, there has been a rise in public discourse on diversity and inclusion within musicological studies and academia. There have also been calls for academic music societies and universities to create a more inclusive environment for all people, especially for those who are marginalized. As a culturally diverse Society, we recognize that disabled and Deaf scholars, musicians, and performers are a part of our community and, as such, must ensure universal access within our organization. We aim for universal access and accommodation, believing the need to create spaces and places that are accessible for all people, bodies, abilities, and needs. Incorporating fully accessible spaces creates a usable environment for all people, and, in turn, strengthens the Society's obligation toward inclusiveness instead of ideologically embedding the problem within the individual.

 

Access is most effective when everyone is a part of the solution. Therefore, as a Society we can commit to supporting accessibility and inclusiveness in the following ways:

• Using the microphone provided regardless of room size. Individuals have a varying range of auditory perception and, while some people may be able to decipher speech without amplification, aural reception may not be possible for all without it.

• Keeping a path clear to conference room entrances, hallways, bathrooms, elevators, and other spaces so they may be easily accessed by all conference attendees.

• Limiting the use of perfume, colognes, after shave, body sprays, and scented hand or body lotions in order to ensure conference members who suffer from allergies and asthma will be able to attend and participate in the conference activities unhindered.

• Respecting peripheral areas of the conference center where people with heightened sensitivity or social anxiety need a quiet space or members with infants are breast feeding

• Limiting food allergy reactions by maintaining separation between foods at conference events

• Creating accessible presentations:

  • Describe visual images and aim to include captions for audio and video. When possible use both visual and aural forms of communication in order to enhance access and reception.

  • Incorporate a high contrast color scheme in order to heighten the definition of text from the background (for example: a white background, black font or reverse) and use a sans-serif font (such as Arial) in a large font size in presentation slides in order to facilitate visibility.

  • Consider uploading papers and/or handouts before the conference so attendees who need to translate the content into another language will have the time and means to do so.

  • Provide outlines of your presentation with slide cues so individuals who process information through visual means may easily follow along.

  • When presenting video footage in a foreign language, consider including English voiceovers or some form of aural interpretation/ annotation for attendees with dyslexia, in addition to English translation captions

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A lack of universal access limits a wide range of people from participating in a scholarly environment and perpetuates the privileging of certain bodies and abilities over others. As ethnomusicologists we embrace musical and cultural difference as well as the diversity that enriches our scholarship and learning communities. Therefore, let us actively show our support for the inclusion of all bodies, abilities, and modes of communication and commit to creating an accessible environment for those who wish to participate in our conference and Society.