AERA is committed to inclusion and values the contributions that attendees with disabilities bring to our research community. While it is the responsibility of AERA leadership to bring access to the conference, the entire AERA community must also work together to create an inclusive environment. Whether you are a presenter, chair, special interest group leader, division officer, or attendee, you have a role to play in this work.

Chairs, presenters, and discussants are asked to model best practices for access by following the guidance provided for attendees and for presenters and chairs (all roles).

Attendees can learn about what steps AERA is taking to support greater access and how they can support an inclusive climate through reviewing and being attentive to attendee guidance.

Our research community benefits from the presence and active participation of persons with disabilities at the conference. AERA strives to be inclusive and supportive of disabled persons as presenters or attendees in the substantive program or in informal meet ups and networking opportunities.

It is never possible to provide 100% access, and guidance will always be less than complete. Access work requires creativity, flexibility, and playfulness, especially when competing accommodations mean that access for one group might result in barriers for others. When unanticipated access hurdles do emerge, we invite all to embrace these challenges as opportunities for collaboration and creative thinking to develop workarounds that support greater access. In addition, you can reach out to the AERA help desk for support.

Lastly, please know that access is a work in progress and an ongoing commitment for AERA. While we expect to make further headway in better inclusion this year, we are also committed to learning from any mistakes we make and growing to do better in the future. To share any such feedback or experiences, please email access@aera.net.