Accessibility & Inclusion

We believe meaningful participation looks different for everyone. Our events are intentionally designed to support a wide range of access needs—visible and non-visible—so that all attendees can engage fully, comfortably, and with dignity. From thoughtful room layouts and technology-enabled accommodations to human-centered support and choice-based options, we are committed to creating an onsite experience that is flexible, responsive, and inclusive.

Below are some of the ways we work to support differently-abled attendees throughout the onsite experience. If you need additional support onsite, please contact us at events@sigmanursing.org.

Hidden Disabilities 

 
We have proudly partnered with Sunflower to allow attendees to self-select to share that they had a disability that may not be readily apparent. To learn more about the Sunflower program, stop by and speak with our onsite volunteer, Malaysia Harrell, who will be available near Check-In on Friday, 20 March to answer questions.
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Deaf or Low-Hearing Accommodations:

  • Reserved chairs in the front of each meeting space closer to speakers
  • Support from AV companies to ensure use of Microsoft 365 PowerPoint presentations, which can automatically create closed captioning from a presenter’s microphone


If this option is not available, we refer attendees to a variety of apps that are free or low cost, or their iPhones accessibility features for live speech dictation, this includes:

  • Live Transcribe (Android) – Converts spoken words into text instantly on your phone screen, supports many languages, and is free.
  • Live Captions (iPhone & Android) – Built-in feature on newer phones that captions audio and speech happening around you in real time (may vary by device).
  • Microsoft Translator – Provides live speech translation and captioning across devices, useful for both conversation and small group settings.
  • Ava – Offers real-time captioning for both in-person and virtual discussions; works on iOS and Android.

    New personal tech is now available for real-time translation services:
      • Apple AirPods Pro 2/3 and 4 (ANC): Live translation features, in beta as of late 2025, allow users to hear translated audio directly, with the option to use iPhone microphones to enhance performance in noisy environments.
      • AI-Powered Specialized Earbuds: Devices like the Wuask Chat GPT A8 and Eraser XP6 offer 144-150 languages, including 16-30+ offline languages, with <0.5s translation speeds.

Blind or Low-Vision Accommodations:

  • Reserved space at the front of each room close to presentation screen
  • High contrast, matte finish, with larger font signage throughout the event
  • Human directional support to help with navigating shared spaces
  • Introduction to the app Be My Eyes offering visual sighted assistance
  • Service animal readiness
  • Facilitated introductions, if desired

Mobility Access:

  • For presenters:
    • Lapel mic available to move hands-free in the presenting space
    • Ramp to access main stage in general session
  • Aisle width considerations within breakout session and general session
  • Check-in, customer service, and reception spaces offering accessible table options with and without chairs
  • Staff assisted dining options, upon request
  • Propped entry way doors for ease of entry
  • Conversations onsite for wheelchair placement at table seating to fit attendee seating preference
  • Access to additional chairs from theater-style seated rooms for ease of wheelchair/walker inclusion and companion seating